Hard Lemonade

Yakima 728
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I found it tasted great at 1.030. But I plan to back sweeten to 1.020 like suggested.

It is in the Carboy bubbling away nicely.
 
I'm a little concerned ...

I racked me hard lemonade two days ago into a carboy. The reading at that time was 1.030. Today ( 2 days later) it's still at 1.030.

There is activity in the airlock and you can see small bubbles in the lemonade moving up.

Any thoughts or advice?
 
Added half a teaspoon each of nutrient and energizer and gave it a good stir. I hope this gives it a boost.

The energizer and nutrient when mixed together smelled a bit like ammonia, I hope that's normal.

I test my reading right in the Carboy or in the wine thief... Perhaps it's not giving an accurate reading?
 
Seems to be at 1.028 today ( Monday may 23).

Temperature is around 72 degrees

Bubbles in the airlock one every 6 seconds or so. I can see lots of little bubbles in the lemonade that are rising up.

I wonder why it's fermenting so slow? Is this normal?
 
Ok... Thanks

This is the first time I make the lemonade.

So, do you think there is too much oxygen?

Just to help me learn... What do I hope to accomplish by stirring?

All I have is a stir stick.... Will that be ok?

Truly appreciate your help.
 
No, it's not about oxygenating it. Lemonade likes to absorb CO2, and it will build up to the point of being toxic to the yeast. What you need to do is de carb it, like trying to shake up soda so it goes flat
 
Yep, every batch. It'll probably ferment out without the shaking, but it takes a lot longer. Once it gets down lower, like <1.025, it goes on it's own. I guess without the sugar content, it doesn't keep as much CO2
 
Ok...great. I'm almost there. I will stir a couple of times a day.

Thanks again... Much appreciated
 
I'm bringing my batch to a bbq before a wedding this weekend. I'm mixing it with freshly brewed iced tea to make hard palmers, should be awesome. My lemonade is 11.5% ABV and I found that a 3:2 ratio of iced tea to lemonade is just right. One thing is that I tried to carbonate it but it didn't really work, I guess the yeast finally died out after reaching 0.993. I don't mind really, I just wish I knew that, I could've backsweetened with sugar instead of splenda!
 
bovineblitz said:
I'm bringing my batch to a bbq before a wedding this weekend. I'm mixing it with freshly brewed iced tea to make hard palmers, should be awesome. My lemonade is 11.5% ABV and I found that a 3:2 ratio of iced tea to lemonade is just right. One thing is that I tried to carbonate it but it didn't really work, I guess the yeast finally died out after reaching 0.993. I don't mind really, I just wish I knew that, I could've backsweetened with sugar instead of splenda!
Click to expand...

It sounds really good with the ice tea! I'm going to have to try it. I'll go make some tea right now, and then add the carbed up lemonade to it.
 
Derrick123 said:
Hi,

It's in a Carboy. I stir with a stir stick. I stir for three or four minutes
Click to expand...

I should have mentioned that it's 5 gallons so too heavy to shake.
 
bovineblitz said:
I'm bringing my batch to a bbq before a wedding this weekend. I'm mixing it with freshly brewed iced tea to make hard palmers, should be awesome. My lemonade is 11.5% ABV and I found that a 3:2 ratio of iced tea to lemonade is just right. One thing is that I tried to carbonate it but it didn't really work, I guess the yeast finally died out after reaching 0.993. I don't mind really, I just wish I knew that, I could've backsweetened with sugar instead of splenda!
Click to expand...

Wow, that does sound good.
 
Hey Derrick, check this out:

I'd do that for a minute or so, seems to work pretty well
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I was away for two days so I did not stir during that time.

Checked the reading today and it's at 1.020 and taste excellent. Gave it a good stir and a few words of encouragement. Lol
 
The hard Palmers was a huuuge success! I brought 3 gallons of 11.5% hard lemonade (backsweetened with Splenda) and 5 gallons of iced tea to a bbq of about 70 people, they downed all but a half gallon of the lemonade and a gallon of the tea! I made a little sign suggesting about a 3:2 iced tea to lemonade ratio along with ice and a lemon slice, it was quite tasty.

The party was Saturday so I made 5gallons of iced tea on Friday morning using 85 lipton tea bags in my brew pot. It was a bit amusing to use my wort chiller and autosiphon on iced tea. I wanted to lightly sweeten the tea for a broad appeal so I added a cup and a half of sugar while the tea was hot. For just me I'd omit the sugar but it was very tasty the way it was. I put the lemonade in 1L soda bottles and the tea in 1gal water jugs and threw them in a cooler with ice.

It was pretty satisfying to watch people try the drink then share with friends who'd beeline for the cooler to make their own. My buddy made a bunch of dunkelweizen and big irish red and served it in a tap-a-draft system as well so we had plenty of homemade goodness!

I def suggest the palmers!
 
bovineblitz said:
The hard Palmers was a huuuge success! I brought 3 gallons of 11.5% hard lemonade (backsweetened with Splenda) and 5 gallons of iced tea to a bbq of about 70 people, they downed all but a half gallon of the lemonade and a gallon of the tea! I made a little sign suggesting about a 3:2 iced tea to lemonade ratio along with ice and a lemon slice, it was quite tasty.

The party was Saturday so I made 5gallons of iced tea on Friday morning using 85 lipton tea bags in my brew pot. It was a bit amusing to use my wort chiller and autosiphon on iced tea. I wanted to lightly sweeten the tea for a broad appeal so I added a cup and a half of sugar while the tea was hot. For just me I'd omit the sugar but it was very tasty the way it was. I put the lemonade in 1L soda bottles and the tea in 1gal water jugs and threw them in a cooler with ice.

It was pretty satisfying to watch people try the drink then share with friends who'd beeline for the cooler to make their own. My buddy made a bunch of dunkelweizen and big irish red and served it in a tap-a-draft system as well so we had plenty of homemade goodness!

I def suggest the palmers!
Click to expand...

Congratulations! Sounds like it was a hit with everyone. I will have to try that when mine is ready.

Thanks for sharing.
 
Mine is going slow or at least I think it is... I guess I just need to be more patient.

Reading on May 23 was 1.026
Reading on May 30 was 1.018

Should I still mix daily? I mixed today and it creates a lot of foam... Actually bubbles over the opening of the carboy.
 
Derrick123 said:
Mine is going slow or at least I think it is... I guess I just need to be more patient.

Reading on May 23 was 1.026
Reading on May 30 was 1.018

Should I still mix daily? I mixed today and it creates a lot of foam... Actually bubbles over the opening of the carboy.
Click to expand...

No, now that it's going to be finishing up you don't want to aerate it any more. Just let it go.
 
Hi,

Ok, I will let it go.

I would gather that at this rate it will take another three weeks or so.

Do you find it has been a slower than normal process or I'm I on track with others?
 
Derrick123 said:
Hi,

Ok, I will let it go.

I would gather that at this rate it will take another three weeks or so.

Do you find it has been a slower than normal process or I'm I on track with others?
Click to expand...

Edited to say I started on May 7,2011
 
im getting ready to make my own 5 gal batch later today or tomorrow and just wanted to ask a couple noob questions...

from what i cant tell 1118 is the preferred yeast because of its ability to process the lemonade without producing too many off flavors, please correct me if im wrong on this because all i have used so far is Montrachet.(in mead and apfelwein)

i have 10 cans of frozen lemonade mix 2 cans of frozen lime-aid mix and 3.75 lbs of cherry pie mix sweetened with splenda that i planned to throw into the primary along with enough water to bring it up to 5gal. I know that you most likely wont want to give me a hard number on how much sugar to add but im looking for someone to give me a nudge weather to go with 4 or 5 lbs of sugar in the mix.

Is the DME necessary- or does it add enough flavor to make a trip to the brew shop?


also the last question. i have had 2 of my other brews held at -25" for a couple weeks and it seems to make them mellow faster when i keep them held under vacuum, does anyone foresee a problem with this practice?

im sure i will have more questions later but that is all i can think of for now, thanks for any response
 
Derrick123 said:
Mine is going slow or at least I think it is... I guess I just need to be more patient.

Reading on May 23 was 1.026
Reading on May 30 was 1.018

Should I still mix daily? I mixed today and it creates a lot of foam... Actually bubbles over the opening of the carboy.
Click to expand...

Today I'm at 1.012. I would gather another two weeks or so.
 
I wonder the same thing.

I was advice not to stir after 1.020. So I would assume that if that is the case it would be wise not to stir in any nutrient and energizer.

I sure wish this would finish faster than it's going now but that is just my impatience. Ha ha.
 
Mine seems to have stalled.

May 30 it was 1.018
June 5 it was at 1.012
June 11 it is still at 1.012

I began on May 8 at 1.075

Any suggestions?
 
Derrick123 said:
Mine seems to have stalled.

May 30 it was 1.018
June 5 it was at 1.012
June 11 it is still at 1.012

I began on May 8 at 1.075

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

If it tastes good, it could be considered done! It should have gone lower, but for whatever reason it didn't. I'd check it again in a few days, and if it's the same I'd be ok with bottling it.
 
There are still bubbles in the Carboy, little ones going up the sides. There is also activity in the airlock. The activity is way less, but there are still air bubbles.
 
Derrick123 said:
There are still bubbles in the Carboy, little ones going up the sides. There is also activity in the airlock. The activity is way less, but there are still air bubbles.
Click to expand...

If I bottled would I get bottle bombs?
 
Derrick123 said:
If I bottled would I get bottle bombs?
Click to expand...

It's possible, if fermentation isn't complete. If it is stalled you should be fine.

You could always use plastic soda bottles, that way you can feel when they're carbonated by how hard the plastic is, plus they can hold a ton of pressure. If they do reach proper carbonation and are still going you can put them in the fridge to prevent futher fermentation.
 
Thanks,

I plan to bottle in plastic soda bottles but don't have the extra space in the fridge to keep them there. Even though plastic can take a lot of pressure I'm a bit nervous it would be too much pressure. You can still lots of little bubbles in the Carboy.

Is there anything I could try to finish the fermentation process? Would adding yeast help? Or would stirring in some nutrient and energizer help?

I appreciate the help and insight.
 
I think the real concern is severe overcarbonation, those bottles can take up to 200psi so I doubt they'll explode. Even if they do, it'll just be messy is all, maybe you can put them in a plastic bin or something?
 

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