# skeeterpee slow ferment



## derunner (Dec 15, 2012)

I'm a first time skeeter pee maker. I mixed up my skeeter pee 9 days ago. I increased the recipe by 20% to make a 6 gal batch vs 5. So that may have been my first mistake not sticking with the recipe. I also mixed too much sugar as sg was 1.078 when starting. 24 hours later, I added my slurry from a piesporter kit with elderberry flowers. I had a little less than a quart of slurry.

fermentation went well the first couple days, stopped at 1.062. Wednesday I added some more EC-1118 yeast to the top and did get some action, but sg did not go down the first day. I also added the rest of the yeast nutrient and energizer plus an extra tsp of each before adding the yeast. Today, it was foaming some and churning and it is now at 1.046 so I added the last 32 oz of lemon. I hope it keeps fermenting to dry. It has a slight funny smell, but, i think that may be the elderflowers. temp has been constant 75 via brew belt throug this whole time

*so I wonder if I need to do anything else, like add more nutrient or energizer? I have had covered with a towel. When should i put on the lid with an airlock? I was stirring with my drill mounted paddle to add lots of oxygen, but that seemed to stall the ferment. Can too much stiring be bad? Should this be more a gentle stir twice daily?
*
Besides starting at too high of sg, I probably added too much lemon at first as I held back 32 oz, but since i made a 6 gal batch I should have held back 38 oz. So perhaps it was to sweet and too acidic for the slurry?


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## derunner (Dec 16, 2012)

Good sign, the fermentation is churning, there is foam on top, and the sg has dropped to 1.032 now so it looks like fermentation is going strong.

I was thinking to keep it simple I would just ferment to dry in the bucket. When should I put on a lid and airlock?

Thanks for your help?


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## Arne (Dec 17, 2012)

Snap your lid on at 1.020 tp 1.010 or so. Airlock it up and you are good to go. Arne.


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## derunner (Dec 17, 2012)

Thanks Arne.


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## sledman765 (Apr 11, 2013)

I am having a similary issue. This is my first time making skeeter pee. The fermentation process doesn't seem very robust compared to the wines that I have made. Is this normal? I'm using a primary fermentation bucket with an airlock and began with yeast starter. I've noticed on some videos that they have used a cloth to cover their carboy and was wondering if it was getting enough oxygen. The specific gravity after two weeks is about 1.067%. Any thoughts?


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## Arne (Apr 12, 2013)

Its kind of a personal thing, snap on lid or not. S.P. seems to need a lot of oxygen to keep it going. Stir the heck out of it and see if that helps.It also likes to be warm. 75 degrees or so keeps it happy. Usually stirring it, keeping it warm, and adding the nutrients and maybe energizer will keep it going. Arne.


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## fivebk (Apr 12, 2013)

I made a tropical skeeter pee (with pineapple, mango, peach, strawberry & orange). It started very slowly and continued that way till the end. It does however have a huge amount of flavor and aroma. I back-sweetened it a little and will let it bulk age for awhile, even though it's plenty more than drinkable right now.

BOB


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## sledman765 (Apr 13, 2013)

Thanks Arne and fivebk! I'll work on your suggestions and see how it turns out. Thanks again!


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