Skeeter Pee

[intoxicating]

The Sparkloid was added per instructions, boiling water and stirring for however many minutes. Probably didn't degass sufficiently, though. I can try that. It is just two jugs, one gallon each. I am allergic to citrus, and made this for friends and family. I started with a commercial syrup mix, so no way to know whether it needs pectinaise. I may add that when I degass. I am planning to bottle most of it in 187's with crown caps.

 

[nursejohn]

I need some help please. I started a batch of this about 4 days ago and after a day or so it was fizzing away. I checked the SG last night, and it hasn't moved much at all and I don't hear any fizzing going on. I did try to stir to add some more oxygen per the instructions. I used an EC-1118 yeast starter instead of a slurry. Hope someone can put me on the right track to get this going again. My temp is staying around 76-78 degrees. Thanks for any help, John.

 

[Wade E]

Did you use nutrient and or energizer? I would advise using both on something this difficult to ferment due to very high acids. You did use a yeast slurry right and not try to use a fresh packet of yeast?

 

[IQwine]

Give it a 5 minute whipping

 

[nursejohn]

Well, I think it is really stuck unless someone can give me a good suggestion. I did use a fresh pack of EC-1118 yeast and I have been stirring it twice per day for about 5 days and my SG is stuck at 1.054. My temp has stay at 76. Any suggestions before I dump it and call it a bad deal?

 

[intoxicating]

My batch is made from lemon-lime simple syrup, (some one gave me a gallon of "margarita mix") and has finished fermenting. I racked it off the sparkloid in August. I added kmeta and more pectinase three weeks ago. It dropped something that looks like pulp in the bottom, but still isn't clear yet and hasn't compacted. Still cloudy. More pectinaise? More time? Cold storage? Any ideas?

 

[ithink2020]

Will the Slurry from a Welch's Concord 6 gallon batch work?

 

[vcasey]

Will the Slurry from a Welch's Concord 6 gallon batch work?

Yes. I've used the slurry from blueberry, blackberry, maple, and so far the best cranberry for my hard lemonades. The color will be a very light version of whatever color is of the slurry.

 

[ithink2020]

Last night I poured the Slurry from my Welch's Concord wine into my first batch of Skeeter Pee! There wasn't much less at the bottom after racking, so I used the last ~1/4 gallon from each of the two Concord batches I'm making.

The color is Pinkish. Little darker then Pepto. I think it will be a nice pink once it clears.

Hope all goes well with it. I'm excited to see how it turns out!

 

[ithink2020]

Skeeter Pee Update/Question

On Sat morning, my Skeeter Pee was at about 1.054. It hasn't moved since. Last night I went ahead and put in the additional Lemon Juice, nutrient and energizer. Also stirred it really good to get some O2 in the must (been stirring everyday). I was hoping to see some progress this morning, but it's still at 1.054. Also, no bubbles in the air lock yesterday or today...that I've noticed.

Does it take a day or two from the new addition of nutrient and energizer to kick in? Do you think my fermentation is stuck or just going really slowly.

As per the instruction, I'm going to wait a couple days, then rack into the secondary.

 

[ithink2020]

Update:

Last night, after doing some searching for things to try, I did try warming up the must a little using a heating pad...it's all I have and could think of to use. I also found my drill whip and whipped it for a good minute or two. After whipping there was a couple inches of foam on top. This morning, there was still no active bubbles in the airlock, but at least the water in the airlock was pushed all they way up. I also lifted it up off the kitchen floor, in hopes to get the temp up a little more.

I'm going to see if my LHBS has a brew belt in stock and pick one up over lunch. I'm also planning on whipping it again (with the drill) tonight when I check the SG.

Matt

 

[ithink2020]

Yesterday when I got home, the airlock on the Skeeter Pee was bubbling some and there was a layer of foam on top of the must. The must was only at 69 degrees, so I strapped on the brew belt and left it on over night.

This morning, the must was at 78 and the SG had dropped to 1.040. So its back up and running again. I unplugged the brew belt this morning and will plug it back in tonight. Once it gets down to about 1.020 I'll rack to the secondary.

Just glad things are going again with it.

Matt

 

[ithink2020]

Quick update.



Didn't take the must temp this morning, but only using the brew belt at
night. It's still fermenting good. It was down to 1.030 this morning.
Depending on where it is at this evening, I'll rack to secondary
tonight or tomorrow.



Matt

 

[vcasey]

Glad that it's fermenting again. You may want to hold off racking until the SG is 1010 or so. 1020 is still at a pretty active fermentation level and racking it will add even more oxygen that those yeast love and you end up chancing a volcano in your carboy. A wine volcano is fun to watch, not so much to clean up after. Most important is the sad loss of perfectly good alcohol ...........

 

[ithink2020]

When I Rack to my second, I always Rack to the shoulder of the carboy, then rack the remaining wine into a 1 gallon jug. That way there is head space. Then once the wine Ferments out, I rack the wine into a Clean carboy, then use the wine in the gallon jug to top off the wine.

I know it is a little extra work, but seems to be working out good for me. Got tired of wasting wine...

However, I may hold off an wait until it gets down to 1.010...just so I can leave it in the bucket and use the brew belt for a extra day or two.

 

[Scott]

I see on the instructions is says no aging needed, does everyone enjoy theirs right away, or age it some?

 

[Rube-a-Billy]

Stabilization help!!!
Ok i took off about a year due to a illness and came back to sample some of my wine, and skeeter pee to my amazement the pee and several of the wines are still good (i was topping carboys etc with co2) .
well that was until i added 2 tbs of pot meta. Now it is sooo strong with pot met i can barely be in the room when i pour a glass. I should have done a refresher course b4 i got into the mix agian. i have it in a corney and am wondering if there is anyway to let it work it's way out. my thoughts are to dump it, put it back in the carboy where it has some chance of breathing, or.... enter your advise.
thanks
rube

 

[ithink2020]

@Scott & Rube - This is my first batch of skeeter, so I'll let some of the others answer.

Just finished Racking the Skeeter Pee to the secondary. The color is a lot lighter than I thought. Think Pepto Bismol!

Also re-racked the two batches of Concord. Smells really good!

I'll try to post some pics this weekend.

Matt

 

[ithink2020]

Finally got the Pictures off my Cell. Sorry, not the greatest, but look how pink the Pee is!

Here is everything I got going on at the moment:

Matt

 

[Scott]

Looks good there, pink pee indeed.Just racked mine to secondary and was made from Dandelion lees so you can guess what color it is