Thoughts after finishing a first attempt at SP

[kyle5434]

So I just finished a first stab at SP (I'm calling it Lemon Sunshine), made pretty much according to the original directions. A few thoughts...

1) Fermentation went fine with just sprinkling the EC-1118 on top and then stirring it in about 12 hours later, then stirring well a couple of times a day.

2) I'm not a fan over overly-sweet drinks, so I went with half the sugar (3 cups instead of 6) for back-sweetening, and that was just about right for my tastes.

3) I was expecting it to be a bit more lemon-y. Next time I'm going to use 20-30% more lemon juice.

4) There's a definite off-flavor. Since it smelled/tasted fine at the end of fermentation, I'm guessing it's the sorbate. I've only done dry reds and dry fruit wines so far, and thus have never used sorbate before this batch of SP. I've read that some folks can taste it and other folks can't. I appear to be firmly in the camp that can, and I really, really don't like the taste. For the next batch I'm going to experiment with using some liquid stevia to back-sweeten, skipping the sorbate altogether, and see if I find the after-taste of the stevia less offensive than the sorbate.

I went ahead and bottled this batch, but I'm honestly not sure if I'm going to drink it. And the sorbate taste is off-putting enough for me that I'm hesitant to offer it to anyone else. We'll see...

 

[Johnd]

So I just finished a first stab at SP (I'm calling it Lemon Sunshine), made pretty much according to the original directions. A few thoughts...

1) Fermentation went fine with just sprinkling the EC-1118 on top and then stirring it in about 12 hours later, then stirring well a couple of times a day.

2) I'm not a fan over overly-sweet drinks, so I went with half the sugar (3 cups instead of 6) for back-sweetening, and that was just about right for my tastes.

3) I was expecting it to be a bit more lemon-y. Next time I'm going to use 20-30% more lemon juice.

4) There's a definite off-flavor. Since it smelled/tasted fine at the end of fermentation, I'm guessing it's the sorbate. I've only done dry reds and dry fruit wines so far, and thus have never used sorbate before this batch of SP. I've read that some folks can taste it and other folks can't. I appear to be firmly in the camp that can, and I really, really don't like the taste. For the next batch I'm going to experiment with using some liquid stevia to back-sweeten, skipping the sorbate altogether, and see if I find the after-taste of the stevia less offensive than the sorbate.

I went ahead and bottled this batch, but I'm honestly not sure if I'm going to drink it. And the sorbate taste is off-putting enough for me that I'm hesitant to offer it to anyone else. We'll see...

I can taste it too, FWIW, the taste seems to subside over time, at least to me.

 

[FTC Wines]

Kyle, we too have backed off on the back sweeting sugar. Went from 6 to 5 now settled at 4 cups. We don't taste Sorbate so I can't help you there. Never use Sorbate in our Reds, only S P & a few fruit wines. Roy

 

[Jal5]

Give some time I think

 

[meadmaker1]

Im wondering if the additional juice will cause more tartness than lemon flavor.
What are folks thoughts to adding lemon zest to boost lemon flavor.

The off taste issue comes up a lot, some times caused buy production issues, other times thats just what this tastes like, and even spoilage. It would be nice to have a club, group, association, or just a gathering of nearish folks that met a few times a year, to compare notes share tastes ect.

 

[Yeasty Boy]

Does it need Sorbate? Won't campden tablets take care of it alone?

 

[meadmaker1]

Does it need Sorbate? Won't campden tablets take care of it alone?

Campden tabs wont prevent fermintation from restarting on the back sweetening sugar.

 

[Kraffty]

I recently made my first batch, for a friend who had developed a taste for dragon blood and limoncello. I also expected a more "lemon" kind of flavor than we ended up having so we cheated and added a container of Country Time Lemonade powder to the 6 gallons. It's become a hit and is on the calendar for at least another 12 batches in the next month or so. We did cut back on the sugar of course since the Country Time is sweetened.
Mike

 

[Yeasty Boy]

I recently made my first batch, for a friend who had developed a taste for dragon blood and limoncello. I also expected a more "lemon" kind of flavor than we ended up having so we cheated and added a container of Country Time Lemonade powder to the 6 gallons. It's become a hit and is on the calendar for at least another 12 batches in the next month or so. We did cut back on the sugar of course since the Country Time is sweetened.
Mike

Just finished my first batch too... I can taste the Sorbate or something.... Your Country Time sounds good how much of that and how much sugar to back sweeten?

 

[Yeasty Boy]

The blue one is Skeeter Pee I put a package of Blue Raspberry lemonade in a gallon of it. Looks cool... Tastes bitter and tart. It was the Kool aid packet without sugar into a backsweetened Skeeter Pee. Won't try that again.

 

[Arne]

The blue one is Skeeter Pee I put a package of Blue Raspberry lemonade in a gallon of it. Looks cool... Tastes bitter and tart. It was the Kool aid packet without sugar into a backsweetened Skeeter Pee. Won't try that again.View attachment 51525

Next time you try a glass of it add some more sugar to it. A little sugar can cure a lot of ills. Arne.