abefroman
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I'm starting a 6 gallon SP today, I know a lot of people, especially the kit makers, are used to doing 6 gal batches, here is the scaled version of Lon's (AKA MinnesotaWineMakers) 5 gal recipe (from http://skeeterpee.com/Skeeter_Pee/Recipe.html).
For a 6 gallon batch
114oz 100% lemon juice
(e.g ReaLemon in the green plastic bottles or equivalent)
19.25 cups sugar (8.4 pounds)
<1 tsp tannin
7+ tsp. yeast nutrient
2.5 tsp. yeast energizer
Approx, 5 ¾ gallons water
Yeast Slurry
Potassium metabisulfite (Kmeta)
Potassium sorbate (sorbate)
Sparkolloid
Many people have difficulty getting lemonade to ferment. This is due, I believe, to several factors. The high acidity, the lack of natural nutrients, and preservatives that are often included in the lemon juice. Therefore, I do whatever I can to assist the process.
I use reverse osmosis water (this is by choice and tap water should work fine since much of the chlorine should evaporate out during the initial steps). Make invert sugar by adding your 19.25 cups sugar to a large stainless cooking pot along with 9.625 (call it 9 2/3) cups water and 16.8 (call it 1/3c+) teaspoons lemon juice. Stir sugar to dissolve and heat to just below boiling while stirring. Hold at this temperature for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and pour it into your primary along with 76 oz (this is 2 bottles plus 12oz from a 3rd bottle) of the lemon juice (reserve the last 38oz until later), and enough additional water to make 6.6 gallons. Add the tannin, 3.5+ tsp. of the yeast nutrient and 1.25 tsp. of the yeast energizer. Stir.
Test S.G with hydrometer and record. I shoot for an SG of around 1.07 which yields a beverage of around 10% alcohol if it ferments dry. Vigorously beat the mixture with a wire whip for a couple of minutes to introduce oxygen and purge it of artificial preservatives. I then cover the bucket with a dish towel and let the sit for 24 to 48 hours.
After 24-48 hours, give it another quick whip and then pour in yeast slurry from the first rack of another batch of wine. It sometimes takes a while, but you should have active fermentation within a couple of days. It helps to keep this must warm (70-80 degrees). You may need to occasionally whip in some additional oxygen with the whip if fermentation seems to be progressing slowly.
Periodically check the gravity. When it gets down to around 1.05, add the other 3.5+ tsp of nutrient the second 1.25 tsp of energizer, and the last 38oz (1 bottle + 6oz) of lemon juice; vigorously mix it in. Don’t be afraid to introduce some oxygen to the mix at the same time. This late addition of yeast food and oxygen helps reduce the likelihood of your batch developing a sulfur-dioxide problem. (Because of the high acidity and low nutrition, lemon has a higher propensity to developing the sulfur-dioxide rotten egg smell.) After a couple of days, you can rack into a clean, sanitized carboy.
Allow the Pee to ferment dry and for fermentation to stop. Rack into a clean, sanitized carboy. Give the batch a quick degas (use agitation and vacuum if you have the equipment). Add .25 tsp Kmeta, 3 tsp sorbate, and sparkolliod (follow directions on the package). After two weeks, the Skeeter Pee should be crystal clear. Rack into a clean, sanitized carboy, add 7.2 cups sugar, and stir to dissolve. Wait two weeks to be sure no new fermentation begins and bottle.
For a 6 gallon batch
114oz 100% lemon juice
(e.g ReaLemon in the green plastic bottles or equivalent)
19.25 cups sugar (8.4 pounds)
<1 tsp tannin
7+ tsp. yeast nutrient
2.5 tsp. yeast energizer
Approx, 5 ¾ gallons water
Yeast Slurry
Potassium metabisulfite (Kmeta)
Potassium sorbate (sorbate)
Sparkolloid
Many people have difficulty getting lemonade to ferment. This is due, I believe, to several factors. The high acidity, the lack of natural nutrients, and preservatives that are often included in the lemon juice. Therefore, I do whatever I can to assist the process.
I use reverse osmosis water (this is by choice and tap water should work fine since much of the chlorine should evaporate out during the initial steps). Make invert sugar by adding your 19.25 cups sugar to a large stainless cooking pot along with 9.625 (call it 9 2/3) cups water and 16.8 (call it 1/3c+) teaspoons lemon juice. Stir sugar to dissolve and heat to just below boiling while stirring. Hold at this temperature for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and pour it into your primary along with 76 oz (this is 2 bottles plus 12oz from a 3rd bottle) of the lemon juice (reserve the last 38oz until later), and enough additional water to make 6.6 gallons. Add the tannin, 3.5+ tsp. of the yeast nutrient and 1.25 tsp. of the yeast energizer. Stir.
Test S.G with hydrometer and record. I shoot for an SG of around 1.07 which yields a beverage of around 10% alcohol if it ferments dry. Vigorously beat the mixture with a wire whip for a couple of minutes to introduce oxygen and purge it of artificial preservatives. I then cover the bucket with a dish towel and let the sit for 24 to 48 hours.
After 24-48 hours, give it another quick whip and then pour in yeast slurry from the first rack of another batch of wine. It sometimes takes a while, but you should have active fermentation within a couple of days. It helps to keep this must warm (70-80 degrees). You may need to occasionally whip in some additional oxygen with the whip if fermentation seems to be progressing slowly.
Periodically check the gravity. When it gets down to around 1.05, add the other 3.5+ tsp of nutrient the second 1.25 tsp of energizer, and the last 38oz (1 bottle + 6oz) of lemon juice; vigorously mix it in. Don’t be afraid to introduce some oxygen to the mix at the same time. This late addition of yeast food and oxygen helps reduce the likelihood of your batch developing a sulfur-dioxide problem. (Because of the high acidity and low nutrition, lemon has a higher propensity to developing the sulfur-dioxide rotten egg smell.) After a couple of days, you can rack into a clean, sanitized carboy.
Allow the Pee to ferment dry and for fermentation to stop. Rack into a clean, sanitized carboy. Give the batch a quick degas (use agitation and vacuum if you have the equipment). Add .25 tsp Kmeta, 3 tsp sorbate, and sparkolliod (follow directions on the package). After two weeks, the Skeeter Pee should be crystal clear. Rack into a clean, sanitized carboy, add 7.2 cups sugar, and stir to dissolve. Wait two weeks to be sure no new fermentation begins and bottle.
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