Starting off with extra sugar instead of backsweetening

[analog_kidd]

A few months ago I started a batch from a recipe I found called Hard Lemonade. I didn't have a clue what I was doing other than following the directions. I didn't even have a hydrometer at the time. Thanks to the members of this website, I know at least have a basic knowledge of what I should be doing, and what I did wrong on this batch.

The batch fermented like crazy for a week or so, and then I got a hydrometer. After a week, the SG was at 1.120 and after two weeks it was down to 1.092. I finished where I probably should have started. I'm sure this stuff is rocket fuel and the yeast eventually died from alcohol poisoning, but you can't really taste the alcohol. I know for a fact it is in there though.

I was going to just toss it out, but decided to just let it sit. This past weekend I did some house keeping, I racked my 1st Skeeter Pee off the sediment and backsweetened, as well as bottling a few other batches I had been working on. I opened up this Lemonade and it tasted surprisingly well. My wife actually preferred it over the Skeeter Pee. In fact between my wife, my (adult) son and his wife and some friends we finished 3 of the 4 bottles and only by sheer willpower did I not open the last one.

Everyone wants me to make another batch of this stuff, exactly the way I made it. I keep telling everyone how badly I messed up on this, doing it all wrong, but they say it is a beautiful disaster.

So anyway, I think I'm going to try and make it again, but am really torn on weather I should make it wrong again, or make it the way I think it should be done, starting with a lower SG and backsweetening. Are there any reasons I should not start with the higher SG?

 

[Arne]

One of the beautiful things about making your own. You can make it any way you want to. If you liked it make it again. No hard and fast set rules. I usually make mine a little stronger than the recipe calls for. Yesterday I tried sweetening a gallon with a can of Welches strawberry breezen. It is great. turned my crystal clear S.P. into a pink cloudy mess, but it tastes great. Good luck with it. Arne.

 

[Dugger]

Why not make a batch each way and then you can compare them to see which you prefer.

 

[Noontime]

The only significant variable will be the level of alcohol the yeast will tolerate; that's probably hit or miss by a few percentage points. So you might get a slightly sweeter or slightly more alcoholic one. It sure seems like it would be a lot easier doing it the original way since you got something you really like.

 

[Deezil]

Just an assumption here, but..

I think if you let your SP age to the same age as your Hard lemonade/first batch, they (family) might be equally as impressed - i think its an age thing & not a recipe thing..

But either way, if you like it - make it again