# Never drink Skeeter Pee when making Skeeter Pee



## nafarmboy (Nov 29, 2012)

Howdy, I am doing an experiment by accident, it is amazing how much pectin enzyne looks like yeast energizer when you have had a couple glasses of skeeter pee. I was adding my ingredients to a batch of pee, about the time I added the energizer I realized it was pectin enzyne. I went on and added the energizer and figured the pectin wouldnt hurt anything. I made 2 batches at the same time and whats strange is the one with the pectin enzyne was clear as a bell the next day before I added my starter, and the other one was still cloudy. After 24 hours the one without the pectin enzyne has a layer of foam on it and it is fermenting but the one with the pectin enzyne is literally boiling it is fermenting so much. Any ideas on if the pectin enzyne will hurt anything?
Tom


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## dralarms (Nov 29, 2012)

Won't hurt a thing. Maybe I need to start adding extra myself. Lol


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## dangerdave (Nov 29, 2012)

Well, you won't have any pectic haze, that's for sure.


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## nafarmboy (Dec 1, 2012)

Howdy, In my first post I was just making fun of myself for added the pectin enzyne by mistake, however here is an update, I added the starter in both batches Tuesday night with the sg in both at 1.075 now Friday night the sg in the one with the pectin enzyne is already down to 1.42 and it has a light white foam and the other is only down to an sg of 1.055 and it has a dark crusty foam that looks kinda like a toasted marange or ever how you spell it. I think it is gonna actually help instead of hurt.
Tom


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## cohenhouse77 (Dec 2, 2012)

I add pectic enzyme to all my SPs. It helps the clearing process drastically and gives you a quick drinker.


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## MustyMike (Jun 23, 2020)

Resurrecting this for interest. Wouldn’t have thought to add pectic for juice


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## Val-the-Brew-Gal (Jun 24, 2020)

nafarmboy said:


> Howdy, I am doing an experiment by accident, it is amazing how much pectin enzyne looks like yeast energizer when you have had a couple glasses of skeeter pee. I was adding my ingredients to a batch of pee, about the time I added the energizer I realized it was pectin enzyne. I went on and added the energizer and figured the pectin wouldnt hurt anything. I made 2 batches at the same time and whats strange is the one with the pectin enzyne was clear as a bell the next day before I added my starter, and the other one was still cloudy. After 24 hours the one without the pectin enzyne has a layer of foam on it and it is fermenting but the one with the pectin enzyne is literally boiling it is fermenting so much. Any ideas on if the pectin enzyne will hurt anything?
> Tom



I always add pectic enzyme to my SP's... probably because I make a hybrid recipe somewhere between SP and Dragon Blood. It's quite interesting to see how it's making a big positive difference in your ferment!


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## MustyMike (Jun 24, 2020)

Val-the-Brew-Gal said:


> I always add pectic enzyme to my SP's... probably because I make a hybrid recipe somewhere between SP and Dragon Blood. It's quite interesting to see how it's making a big positive difference in your ferment!


I have almost 8 gallons of sp sitting dormant rn after 3 packs of yeast. I bought the natural lemon juice with no preserves so it’s not from concentrate and I think the must is just too acidic. I made a starter last night with two packs of kv1116 added some juice from the must and got the starter roaring but when I pitched it just fizzled. I’m going to give it another 48 hrs and see if anything happens


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## Val-the-Brew-Gal (Jun 24, 2020)

MustyMike said:


> I have almost 8 gallons of sp sitting dormant rn after 3 packs of yeast. I bought the natural lemon juice with no preserves so it’s not from concentrate and I think the must is just too acidic. I made a starter last night with two packs of kv1116 added some juice from the must and got the starter roaring but when I pitched it just fizzled. I’m going to give it another 48 hrs and see if anything happens



I had issues with my last batch...the ferment stalled at 1.008 and I couldn't get it to restart. It worked out fine though as I usually backsweeten to 1.010 so I didn't need to add much sugar to get there 

Every other batch I've made hasn't given me any problems. I use regular old Real Lemon lemon juice (or a combination of lemon and lime juice as I go for a limeade version usually), let it sit for 24 hours or so and then make a slurry with the yeast...

Rehydrate the yeast for 15 minutes in a quart jar (I use 1 package of EC-1118).

Add 1/4 cup of water, a tsp of sugar and a pinch of yeast nutrient and let sit until it's foaming nicely.

Add 1/4 cup of the must and let sit until it's foaming well.

Add another 1/4 cup of must and wait until it is once again foaming well.

Pitch mixture into must.

I make 6 gallon batches and since I aim for a more wine like ABV, I use 11 pounds of sugar. Anyway, this process results in a good ferment that usually starts within 24 hours. I think the main reason my last batch didn't do what it was supposed to was because I made an idiot move and didn't wait the 24 hours before pitching the yeast slurry...and I took shortcuts there as well...I must have been drinking too much previous SP when making the new SP 

I think another key is stirring the heck out of the must at the beginning of the ferment to add oxygen and give the yeasties a little bit of help.


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## Val-the-Brew-Gal (Jun 24, 2020)

MustyMike said:


> I have almost 8 gallons of sp sitting dormant rn after 3 packs of yeast. I bought the natural lemon juice with no preserves so it’s not from concentrate and I think the must is just too acidic. I made a starter last night with two packs of kv1116 added some juice from the must and got the starter roaring but when I pitched it just fizzled. I’m going to give it another 48 hrs and see if anything happens



So I just started a new batch of SP day before yesterday using the method I described above. I pitched the yeast last night around 7:00 and this morning at 7:00 it's already fermenting.


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## hounddawg (Jun 25, 2020)

my skeeter pee i start with only 1 or 2 bottles of lemon in 5&1/2 gallons water,, till my ferment is all but done then i use 1 quart lemon concentrate per gallon water,, counting juice already in,,, of course after ready to bottle, i add a fifth of 190 proof everclear PGA= pure grain alcohol. backsweeten to 1.040, taste like lemonade, but kicks like a mule, negates sleeping pills for a insomniac,,, 
dawg,


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## DizzyIzzy (Jun 25, 2020)

MustyMike said:


> I have almost 8 gallons of sp sitting dormant rn after 3 packs of yeast. I bought the natural lemon juice with no preserves so it’s not from concentrate and I think the must is just too acidic. I made a starter last night with two packs of kv1116 added some juice from the must and got the starter roaring but when I pitched it just fizzled. I’m going to give it another 48 hrs and see if anything happens
> [/QUOTE
> Hey, Musty (neighbor).......I have had a problem with my SP remaining at 1.022 despite restarting....................nothing worked..............zip..............just remained 1.022. So, I racked it into a secondary and will let time do what time will do. Sometimes, there is just no figurin'........................Dizzy


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## MustyMike (Jun 25, 2020)

Yeah I cut my losses tonight and dumped her out. About to set up a batch of dddb. Next time I try SP I will use half of the lemon juice to start. Live and learn


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## hounddawg (Jun 26, 2020)

MustyMike said:


> Yeah I cut my losses tonight and dumped her out. About to set up a batch of dddb. Next time I try SP I will use half of the lemon juice to start. Live and learn


yep i had trouble with acid levels stopping or killing right out my yeast, i put 6 gallons only 1 lemon bottle lemon all the fixings sugar, yeast, energizer so on, when i'm down to SG .996 so every time i rack, so i put the rest of my lemon in stir and rack to carboy and smaller top off jars, all airlocked,that way at each racking i can top of with same must, i keep pint, quart, half gallon, gallon jars with i think 33-400 threads ,, that way every top off jar uses a # 6 & 1/2 drilled bung, so i can airlock, also a wine bottle uses a #3 drilled bung as well as a small universel bung can be turned upside down to fit a wine bottle making a clear wine bottle another top of jug, oh, use EC-1118 yeast, i only keep 2 types of yeast EC-1118 & K1V-1116
dawg


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## DizzyIzzy (Jun 26, 2020)

MustyMike said:


> Yeah I cut my losses tonight and dumped her out. About to set up a batch of dddb. Next time I try SP I will use half of the lemon juice to start. Live and learn


Musty, sorry to hear about your situation! That's alot of potential wine to lose........................Dizzy


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## DizzyIzzy (Jun 28, 2020)

hounddawg said:


> my skeeter pee i start with only 1 or 2 bottles of lemon in 5&1/2 gallons water,, till my ferment is all but done then i use 1 quart lemon concentrate per gallon water,, counting juice already in,,, of course after ready to bottle, i add a fifth of 190 proof everclear PGA= pure grain alcohol. backsweeten to 1.040, taste like lemonade, but kicks like a mule, negates sleeping pills for a insomniac,,,
> dawg,


One quart of lemon concentrate per gallon of water? Sounds like an awful lot! ...................................Dizzy


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## hounddawg (Jun 28, 2020)

DizzyIzzy said:


> One quart of lemon concentrate per gallon of water? Sounds like an awful lot! ...................................Dizzy


it is but since i add a fifth of PGA 190 proof to 6 gallons of pee then bring my FSG to 1.040 , it blends quite well indeed, 
Dawg


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## Val-the-Brew-Gal (Jun 29, 2020)

hounddawg said:


> it is but since i add a fifth of PGA 190 proof to 6 gallons of pee then bring my FSG to 1.040 , it blends quite well indeed,
> Dawg


That must pack one hell of a punch!!!


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## hounddawg (Jun 29, 2020)

Val-the-Brew-Gal said:


> That must pack one hell of a punch!!!



oh to say the least, it kicks like a mule, ambush style, you'll never see it coming,,,,,,
Dawg


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