There are a few things to note that maybe aren’t clear.
The final ABV is completely dependent on the strain of yeast you use. EC-1118 can tolerate about 18% or higher and a wide range of other fermentation conditions. It’s highly recommended to use that one. If you want to know your final ABV make sure to keep track of all your SG measurements (before and after adding sugar, and final SG before adding the remaining lemon juice and Everclear), and the total amount of sugar you add (preferably weight if you have a kitchen scale).
Obviously you have to ferment to some point
below 1.040 because you will be adding sugar to bring it back up to 1.040.
He missed putting in the number, but I think he goes to about 1.010, then adds sugar. Also from questions I’ve asked him I believe he adds more nutrients at the first sugar addition, but not at any later ones.
The Skeeter Pee recipe says add water at the beginning to bring the volume up to 5 1/2 gallons. But you’re going to add 1 1/2 gallons of liquid at the end, and lots of sugar, so I would likely start at 5 gallons, which should give you plenty extra to use for topping up. Dawg could clarify that.
Which brings me to my last point, and a question for
@hounddawg : you keep adding sugar until the fermentation stalls at 1.040. Then you add 1 1/4 gallons more lemon juice and 1/5 gallon Everclear and let it age and clear. How can the final SG possibly still be 1.040? By my calculations the final SG should be well below 1.030. And
THAT gives me a point to make about the question that started this thread: if the yeast stalls at 18%, then you add 5 quarts of lemon juice, it drops the ABV to about 14.5% Adding the Everclear will bring that up to about 17%, not the 20.5%
@sour_grapes and I told you earlier. Sorry ‘bout that.