# Not much taste



## Charlietuna (Jul 7, 2011)

Hello, my pee is done. I tried to back sweeten a gallon yesterday & it just doesn't have a lot of lemon taste. There's some. I'm just thinking it's not enough. I let a friend try & he said he thought it tasted more like wine than lemonade , but he doesn't drink wine often? So. Can I add more lemon? Did I do something wrong? Maybe a little more sugar will bring out the taste?

Thanks. Brian


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## Charlietuna (Jul 7, 2011)

Could I backsweeten with countrytime lemonade mix instea of just sugar? 

Just looking at options. 

Thanks Brian


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## ffemt128 (Jul 7, 2011)

Charlietuna said:


> Hello, my pee is done. I tried to back sweeten a gallon yesterday & it just doesn't have a lot of lemon taste. There's some. I'm just thinking it's not enough. I let a friend try & he said he thought it tasted more like wine than lemonade , but he doesn't drink wine often? So. Can I add more lemon? Did I do something wrong? Maybe a little more sugar will bring out the taste?
> 
> Thanks. Brian



Brian,

When I make my pee, I also find it lacking at times the lemony flavor. After back sweetening I'll add more lemon to suit my taste. It is usually about 3/4 - 1 cup of lemon. Doing this, of course, requires additional clearing time if you want a truely clear pee. I usually backsweeten at about 5-6 weeks then allow another 2-3 weeks after that before bottling. It works for us (my wife and I) and as they say, make the wine to suit your taste. You can always sweeten up a little more if you add to much lemon. You can also for a twist add some lime or other juice concentrate to give it a completely different flavor.


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## Minnesotamaker (Jul 7, 2011)

Brian,
I keep fresh lemons in the fridge. I slice a wedge and shove it in the bottle when I serve. Not only does it add a punch of fresh lemon taste, it looks nice too.


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## Charlietuna (Jul 7, 2011)

*thanks*

Thanks for the advice. I may add back a 1/2 cup of lemon. I've got a 1/2 gallon jug in the fridge now that I'm playing with to try to get to taste. 

Busy day at my wine bench & didn't mess with the pee much. racked two batches. bottled & labeled one & did the day 20 on a rj spangnols cabernet, so that was racking, mixing & adding the ingredients. Have to work all day tomorrow chasing rent & showing properties & will be bottling a batch of rj merlot tomorrow night. May get to the pee over the weekend.

Thanks for the tip.

Brian


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## Charlietuna (Jul 7, 2011)

Minnesotamaker said:


> Brian,
> I keep fresh lemons in the fridge. I slice a wedge and shove it in the bottle when I serve. Not only does it add a punch of fresh lemon taste, it looks nice too.



I was thinking this also. wishing I had bought some lemons at Kroger yesterday when I was there, but only picked up lemon juice to get ready for another. my slurry is in the freezer.

Also, I used "great value" juice. I'm going to try "real lemon" this time. The generic lemon juice may be the culprit.

Thanks,
Brian


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## Julie (Jul 8, 2011)

Charlietuna said:


> I was thinking this also. wishing I had bought some lemons at Kroger yesterday when I was there, but only picked up lemon juice to get ready for another. my slurry is in the freezer.
> 
> Also, I used "great value" juice. I'm going to try "real lemon" this time. The generic lemon juice may be the culprit.
> 
> ...



Hi Brian,

I used Great Value once and I did not think it had the lemon taste that I usually have, my friends thought so as well. I went back to Real Lemon.


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## Charlietuna (Jul 9, 2011)

I've had 2 different people taste my pee. Both said it doesn't taste much like lemon. 

Both said " kinda like wine, taste the alcohol, but not really lemon - but tastes good" 

I still haven't sweetened my main batch, only the 1/2 gallon I stole from it. The main batch isn't close to clear. I used the 2 part - Kieselsol & Chitosan a week ago & nothing but a 1/2 inch on top clearing. I've ordered the Sparkolloid, it should be here on the 12th. 

Should I go ahead & add more lemon now so it'll have time to clear?

Thanks,

Brian


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## Charlietuna (Jul 11, 2011)

Sweetened the pee today. added back a little more than the recipe called for. Let my wife taste it, she doesn't drink at all other than to taste sometimes & she said she couldn't taste the lemon. But, she also said it wasn't too bad - and that's a real compliment coming from her, she dislikes most alcoholic drinks. 

When I tried to add back a cup of lemon juice to the pee, I stirred it with a drill attachment stirrer for a good while. BUT, it still dropped out. I guess next time I'll just use the REAL LEMON, like most said to use. I just racked it off the white 1/2 inch of lemon yuck at the bottom & sweetened today.

But, there's no doubt it will be gone soon. I really like it & I'll drop a slice or two of lemon in when serving with ice. 

I've got a slurry in the freezer waiting, but also thinking I may try a starter to avoid the purple color of the cabernet slurry.

Thanks,

Brian


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