# Skeeter Pee ????



## PAwinedude (Jan 17, 2010)

Anyone have a tried and tested 6 gal recipe?

I see the original recipe calls for using the lees from another batch of wine as a ferm starter...

What is the method for removing the existing lees? Do you wait until the existing wine is done fermenting and remove the lees from the fermenter? Or do you extract/remove part of the lees from an active fermentation?

Also, how much of the lees do you remove?

I would like to get a batch of this going for spring/summer.....

thanks in advance


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## rocket man (Jan 17, 2010)

There's a discussion going on here about skeeter pee. http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5921


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## arcticsid (Jan 17, 2010)

I personally wouldn't use the lees. But that is my opinion only! This stuff is hard enough to get started, I'd rather use a starter and not have any problems. I used a half gallon starter made from apple juice. I reduced the Pee recipe down to using two bottles of lemon juice.

My recipe.

15 cups of sugar dissolved in 1/2 gallon water
43 oz. Lemon Juice
Water to make 3 1/2 gallons

1/2 tsp Tannin
2 tsp Nutrient
3/4 tsp Energizer
1 TBLS Pectin E

SG 1.090

Mixed one can(12 oz.) frozen apple concentrate, )white grape would probably be better), or your favorite juice, raspberry would probably outrageous),water to make 32 oz. and 1 cup sugar.

I pitched 1 sachet of champagne yeast in 6 oz. of the juice and every hour or so I added about 1/2 cup or so of the apple juice till I had a half gallon of starter and pourded it in the pee. Took 24 hours or so to "build" the starter.

At 1.050, I added 2 tsp Nutrient, 3/4 tsp energizer, and the remaining juice(21 oz.) and stirred the hell out of it.

This is the original recipe/procedure reduced by 1/3. So if you just double these amounts you have your 6 gallons.


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## arcticsid (Jan 17, 2010)

Julie has made this a couple times using the lees, I'm sure she'll pop in and tell you how she did it. I still think the starter is a more reliable option.

Good luck keep us posted.


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## bein_bein (Jan 17, 2010)

Just started a batch of SP using the gross lees off of a banana wine I had going. Make your skeeter pee base a day or 2 ahead of racking a wine currently in the primary ( the SP base should sit for 24-48hrs after mixing ingredients). Then rack your existing wine from primary to secondary carboy. Take the lees left from this and add it into your SP base. I did this and have a healthy ferment going after 24hrs.....


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## arcticsid (Jan 17, 2010)

Geez Brian we got a trend going on. I think that makes 5 or 6 of us who have "pee in the bucket"! I am pretty tickled about the batch I have going. Just hydroed it a while ago and I am at 1.040, gave it a final "whip" and will transfer it at around 1.020 or so. Even at this stage it has a nice flavor working.

Still gonna have to sell me on the lees, not that I don't believe it will work, but it is something I have never heard of until I was introed to the Pee. I have Elderberry in the batters box and might consider trying anothe pee using the lees from that. We'll see. 

Have you made this before Brian? Results, opinions?

Troy


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## Julie (Jan 17, 2010)

whenever you make wine, you start in a primary fermentor (usually a bucket) once the wine is roughly around 1.010 you rack to a glass carboy. The sludge, for a lack of a better word, that is left in the bottom of your primary fermentor is the yeast slurry. My first skeeter pee, I had a less than a quart of slurry, the last time I had a quart and a half of yeast slurry. Whatever you have in a slurry, use it all. Each batch you make will have its own wonderful taste. You can refrigerate the slurry, so there is no need to try and schedule when to make the sp. 

Does this help? If not let me know

Julie


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## arcticsid (Jan 17, 2010)

JULIE, I know what lees are. I meant to say I have never heard of using them in place of a fresh yeast whether from a starter or just rehydrated.


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## Racer (Jan 17, 2010)

If the wine gets transfered at 1.010 it's still fermenting away with a decent yeast population. the lees at the bottom of the bucket will have a good amount of yeast thats still alive and kicking in it. Since the yeast was used to the same environment it can re-populate and get happy in the new SP bucket alot easier then another yeast or starter might be able to.


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## Julie (Jan 17, 2010)

arcticsid said:


> JULIE, I know what lees are. I meant to say I have never heard of using them in place of a fresh yeast whether from a starter or just rehydrated.



Sorry Troy but I was actually referring to Pawinedude. He was talking about taking the lees our during fermentation. I should have placed a quote to explain it better.

Julie


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## bein_bein (Jan 17, 2010)

Julie said:


> whenever you make wine, you start in a primary fermentor (usually a bucket) once the wine is roughly around 1.010 you rack to a glass carboy....
> Julie


Correct Julie, I should have been more precise in my description and said "Then rack your existing wine from the primary bucket to your secondary carboy...."

I believe the 'technical' term for the 'sludge' or 'slurry' as some call it is "the gros lees". Here's a little video on exactly what the gross lees are and is very helpful in understanding why the skeeter pee method works well in making a flavorful wine!

The technical term also helps to clarify the Name of my skeeter pee wine which was made using the gros lees from my banana wine...
"Gross Lee's Twisted Banana Skeeter Pee Wine"

(wait 'till ya see the label I am making for it...


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## Julie (Jan 17, 2010)

Make sure you post your label, I am very curious.

Julie


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## vvolf34 (Jan 17, 2010)

Articsid,

If I understand correctly you added Pectin as well. I don't see that on the original recipe. Was it powder or liquid pectin e? Just curious why you added it?

http://www.skeeterpee.com/Skeeter_Pee/Recipe.html


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## arcticsid (Jan 17, 2010)

Just used to adding it I guess, I used powdered.


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## PAwinedude (Jan 18, 2010)

thank you all for your input!

i am going to start a blackberry (i.e. from Oregon Puree) soon but was only going to make a gallon.

if i only make a gallon of blackberry.....will I have enough lees for three gallons of SP?

Originally, i was thinking of 6 gal of SP but I think i will start with 3....

thoughts

thanks


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## Julie (Jan 18, 2010)

PAwinedude said:


> thank you all for your input!
> 
> i am going to start a blackberry (i.e. from Oregon Puree) soon but was only going to make a gallon.
> 
> ...



You should, the first batch that I made sp was from a gallon of Blackberry jam wine and I made a 5 gallon batch of sp from that.

Julie


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## upper (Jan 18, 2010)

I have about 20 lbs of the Elderberry in the freezer.How about the skins in the strainer bag?Would not be pure pee but pee non the lees......Dig it..Upper


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## arcticsid (Jan 18, 2010)

Upper, if you have that many E berries, put it into a bucket, but don't put pee on it. Make a nice batch of wine with it and use the lees later for pee. Or just pee now and save the berries. Other than that...."I got nothing" LOL


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## upper (Jan 18, 2010)

No-No Sid the Eldo wine will be done with the "skins" before I do the pee deal.
Now that I think of it I have Jam must in the freezer from the Eldo,I better Digit out Upper


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## UglyBhamGuy (Apr 6, 2010)

Julie said:


> You should, the first batch that I made sp was from a gallon of Blackberry jam wine and I made a 5 gallon batch of sp from that.
> Julie



Thanks for that answer.


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## NSwiner (Apr 6, 2010)

I have done 2 other wines using the slurry besides the SP and had no trouble starting them both had cranberries in them that's why I thought I would give it a try . The first was before i looked to see why everyone was talking about skeeter pee . The second was a why not it worked good on the others better give it another try . I always have a pack of yeast here now incase I need to throw a little in .


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## UglyBhamGuy (Apr 8, 2010)

i apologize if this has been discussed earlier, i did try to search.

Has anyone tried swapping out 1, 2 or all bottles with Realime?

Hmmm, think a cherry-lime wine might work? Making the Skeeter Pee with Realime and sweet cherry f-pac/backsweeten ? Heck, i have no idea what i'm talking about so let me know if this is craziness. Before the comments begin, be it known, i do understand that it won't taste like the commercial lime cherry beverage available at certain fast food establishments. (LOL.)


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## NSwiner (Apr 8, 2010)

I don't know what the flavour is you're talking about ,must be something you only get in the states . But i will tell you what I'm going to try on a few bottles of my skeeter pee ( first batch ) I bought a cherry flavour you add to wine when it's done fermenting . Think it will be 6 - 750 ml bottles or whatever the math works out easiest for to make cherry lemonade . I can let you know how that turns out .


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## UglyBhamGuy (Apr 8, 2010)

There is a drive up car-hop place in the US called Sonic that serves Cherry-Lime Ade.


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## NSwiner (Apr 8, 2010)

Well we don't have any of those in my area but it does sound kinda good .


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## UglyBhamGuy (Apr 8, 2010)

NSwiner said:


> I can let you know how that turns out .



Yes, please.


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## stujol (May 19, 2011)

PAwinedude said:


> Anyone have a tried and tested 6 gal recipe?
> 
> I see the original recipe calls for using the lees from another batch of wine as a ferm starter...
> 
> ...



I am on my 4th batch, two I started from lees or slurry. I just keep the lees in the fridge until I'm ready to start the skeeter pee. I have also used a starter. They both worked equally well and about the same time to ferment.
Personally I liked the starter better. I used ec1118 tho and that stuff is hard to stop. I am going to try 71B1122 next batch and see if it keeps more of the lemon flavor. 

I remove all the lees each time I rack.


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## Griff (May 19, 2011)

We have been just using a starter, and then substituting the last bottle of lemon with 2 15 oz. bottles of Realime, and after it clears back sweetening with cranberry/pom, etc. That has worked out really well so far. I think I may try back sweetening with some cherry/pom concentrate this time and see how it tastes. It does sound good.


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