Just to be sure

[Dufresne11]

I started another batch of Hard Lemonade today. Before I post the recipe ( my first real contribution to the site) I want to make sure I have it down properly. Plus as I mentioned previously this is gonna fly out of my cellar in the coming (warm) months. I will post the recipe in a week or ten days after I am sure that I can start fermentation in this new batch.

I am shooting for about 5.5 % alcohol. The last batch is around 8.5 - 9 % because I was worried about making sure the yeast had enough food to get started. So I added a bit too much sugar in the beginning I think.

 

[Julie]

I know you are thinking this wil be drank over the summer months so 5.5% would be enough. But to be honest I wil not make a wine that is lower than 9%, I can not predict the future so I do not know if my wine will be drank within the next 3 months. When making a wine I try to make it so it will last a couple of years and if it gets drank before that then so be it. As a homewine maker I do not feel that I have the ability to protect a wine that has only 5.5% alcohol. Personnally I think you should shoot for a hight abv.

 

[Wade E]

I agree with Julie but if you are onkly making like 3 gallons and if you truly drink a lot of these or give them out and are sure they are being drunk early then fine.

 

[Dufresne11]

good point... I imagine these will be gone by mid August but to be sure it is safe I think I will up the SG a bit...... is 8 - 9 percent good? Now I have to look up how much sugar to add....

 

[djrockinsteve]

Check your hydrometer. Mine will tell me how many ounces to increase to a specific level. It's roughly 4 ounces for .010 increase per gallon of must/wine. "roughly" being the key word. Shoot on the low side then adjust.

Invert your sugar for best results.

 

[Wade E]

I would say 6.5 is the lowest I would go, I beleiev thats what the Mist kits are.

 

[rob]

6 gallon of skeeter will get you about 60 12 oz. bottles, if you drink 2 per night it will be gone in a month

 

[Dufresne11]

I still think it will be gone by July 4. When this batch is done I will have 24 bottles. Heck I give away 24 bottle of wine every few months. I did adjust the SG up to 1.060 or about 7 % potential alcohol if I read my Hydrometer right. I think that should hold me through the summer. I looked at the Island Mist Kits like Wade and I saw 6.5 % so I figured I was good there