1st Pee off an going

[CSIJon]

1st Pee off and going

I finally did it, I started my first Skeeter Pee. I TRIED to follow the recipe to a "T", but some how I still think I messed up a little. I do think I will be ok. So I was adding water to bring it up to the 5.5 gallon mark and I got a little more. It was closer to 5 3/4. I checked the SG and it was about 1.058-1.060 so I added another 2 cups water to 4 cups sugar to brint the SG up. I got it up to 1.068. Not too big of a deal I hope? I whipped in some O2 for a few minutes with a wisk. I let it sit overnight with the lid on loose and a towel. Today I whipped it more for a few minutes and added my slurry from my muscadine wine. I let the slurry sit out overnight to come up to room temp. I just checked it and there is no real foam but it appears to be bubbling nicely. I think it is going to start off well.

 

[mxsteve625]

Your'e going to be fine. Just keep whipping it twice a day. Sp likes alot of O2.

 

[djrockinsteve]

So I was adding water to bring it up to the 5.5 gallon mark and I got a little more.

No need to add additional water with sugar. Take some of your juice (in this case your sugar water) and warm it in a pan to invert sugar and then add to bucket.

This way you are only adding sugar not sugar and water.

 

[CSIJon]

Damn, why didnt I think of that before . Well at least it was only 2 additional cups.

 

[CSIJon]

HOLY COW, this stuff is really fermenting fast. I guess my slurry took off well. I added the slurry in on 10/10. I checked the SG today 10/14 and I used a four letter word I can not say on here because my SG was down to 1.020. I quickly went and added the third bottle and the other chemicals. Does anyone think I did any harm by letting it get that low? I just really had no idea it would get there that fast.

 

[Minnesotamaker]

No harm done. The sooner it gets done, the sooner you can dip in! Whooo hoo!

 

[CSIJon]

Good to know. Is that kind of time frame normal? Or were thing just working well.

 

[CSIJon]

This stuff is really going quickly. Checked SG today and its down right around 1.000 so I racked into 5 gallon carboy. I think it is still fermenting a little. Its bubbling under airlock frequently. It is looking good.

 

[Minnesotamaker]

Good to know. Is that kind of time frame normal? Or were thing just working well.

There is some variation based on the yeast used and the health and amount of the slurry. I've had batches ferment dry in less than a week while others take longer.

 

[CSIJon]

Cool, thank you. I will be stabilizing tomorrow and adding a fining agent.

 

[CSIJon]

Ok, pee is all done. It is very clear and no fiz. the only thing I have an issue with is that is has a yeasty smell. I did not leave it on the yeast any longer that needed. Is there any way to get rid of the smell. The taste is good although the smell does kind of turn to taste if you know what I mean.

 

[Arne]

Leave it sit for a while longer. If the smell does not start going away or gets worse, get back on here and let us know. There are a few ways of getting rid of it. Arne.

 

[CSIJon]

Awesome. Per the recipe I was ready to bottle two days ago, but I figured I would let it rest in hopes. Ill let it go at least a week or two longer.

 

[Minnesotamaker]

Is the SP in a clean carboy with no lees waiting to be bottled? Have you sweetened it yet? I'm wondering what effect those two things would have on the smell you describe.

 

[Arne]

Here is a pretty good read on oders in wine. Kinda long but informative. I have had a oder on 2 batches of skeeter pee. Stripped the insulation off a couple of pieces of #12 copper wire and stirred the pee with it. Didn't take but a few minutes and the smell went away.

http://www.mamaimowinemakers.org/Steps/H2S_Issues.htm

Arne.

 

[CSIJon]

MMaker, yes it is in a clean carboy, been off the lees since the SG got to 1.10 or whatever the recipe called for. I did back sweeten two weeks ago. I basically followed the recipe as close as possible. My slurry was from my muscadine and it took off like crazy. I think if fermented out in like less than a week. Could it be possible that the slurry was just that strong?

 

[CSIJon]

Arne, thanks for the info. I may just have to give the wire method a try. For some reason I can not open the link you gave in last post, might be because I am at work .

 

[Minnesotamaker]

Since your ferment was that rapid, it's possible that the temp got up a little high which can cause H2S odors. The copper wire treatment can help eliminate H2S odor if that is what you have. The H2S odors that I've seen in Skeeter Pee have a little different smell than the classic rotten egg smell. I describe it more like the smell of the "setting solution" in a home hair perm kit. If your smell is truely more of a yeast smell, I don't think the copper will help you. You could try splash racking your batch to see if that will free the odors.

 

[CSIJon]

I can try both just to be sure. Myself and two other people have said it is more like a yeast smell with no pre-notions about it, I just let them taste and see what they said. The temp was around the 76-78 range.