# Easy Peesy



## dangerdave

After a lot of reading on the various methods of making Skeeter Pee, I decided to try a condensed version. Here's what I did...

*EASY PEESY (SKEETER PEE)*
This is a form of what I call the _WineDoc Variation_, as most of this comes form a post by WineDoc (thank you, if you are still around).

_Ingredients_ (same as Lon's Original Skeeter Pee Recipe):

2+ bottles of 48 oz 100% Lemon Juice (ReaLemon in the green bottle)
7 lbs sugar (or 16 cups) to ferment
3/4 tsp tannin
6 tsp. yeast nutrient (3 now, 3 later)
2 tsp. yeast energizer (1 now, 1 later)
Approx, 4 1/2 gallons water
Yeast Slurry (or yeast starter)
Potassium metabisulfite (Kmeta)
Potassium sorbate (sorbate)
Sparkolloid
2 1/3 lbs sugar (or 6 cups) to sweeten finished Skeeter Pee. Use more or less for your tastes.

To the primary, I added 1 bottle of Lemon Luice (mine were 48 oz bottles sold in two-packs), 16 cups of sugar, 3/4 tsp tannin, 3 tsp yeast nutrient, 1 tsp yeast energizer, and enough filtered water to make five (5) gallons. I used warm water to try to keep the temp up near 80F. I did not invert the sugar. I stirred the must very well to make sure all of the sugar was disolved. I let this stand, loosely covered, for about twelve hours.

I made a yeast starter with 1/2 cup of warm (100F) filtered water, 1 tbsp sugar, and 2 tbsp of the lemon must, and one packet of EC-1118, waiting 15 minutes before stirring it up good and pouring it into the must. I then gave the must a vigorous stirring. I kept the must at 80F. My SG was right at 1.070. Within five hours (the next time I checked it), I had good active fermentation.

Today, while I was at work, the wife---after checking the fermentation was still active---added the other bottle of Lemon Juice (for a total of 96 oz). I plan to follow Lon's recipe and check the SG when I get home tomorrow. When the SG gets down to ~1.050, I'll add the rest of the nutrient (3 tsp) and the last tsp of energizer.

This was a really quick way to get fermentation going earlier instead of waiting the usual 2-7 day (per Lon's instructions) for the yeast to get going. My guess is that it will reach the specified SG within a few days instead of weeks.

I actually made two five gallon batches. One is Original Recipe. The other, I tossed three pounds of berries (blackberry/raspberry/blueberry mixed) right into the must.

Contrary to Lon's method, I did not use a yeast slurry, and I did not invert the sugar before use. We will see how this all turns out.

Danger...out!


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## Charlietuna

Hey Dave, We'll havta trade a bottle, to see the differences in taste. I'll be in chilli tomorrow, but unfortunately I have no clear or sweetened pee. Probably by next week ( I hope). 

I also did a little tweak on the origional today(but not on purpose). My primary came due to rack on some wine way too soon & I didn't have the skeeter pee must ready. So, I mixed it all up (invert sugar & the works) Mixed it - a lot, & dumped it into the wine primary bucket. (within 30 minutes of making it) On top of all the sludge / slurry bag of elderberry bark & raisens & grape skins. I'm gonna leave it all in this time. With in about 4 hrs it was kickin & fizzin. I like it so much I've got 2 batches going now.

EDIT: also used bentonite in the primary this time to see if it helps in clearing time.

Brian


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## dangerdave

Let me get some cleared, Brian, and we'll definately trade some Pee... I'm curious to see how much flavor the fruit in the primary gives the Pee. Like you said, it may be very much like lemon flavored fruit wine (or vise versa).

*UPDATE*...

Wow! That EC-1118 is some powerhouse yeast! Within three days, both batches have dropped below the 1.050 SG mark, so I racked them, as prescribed, into carboys. The plain lemon Pee was at 1.040, while the one with the triple berries had dropped to 1.025!

(Day 4) In the carboys: the wife says the airlocks are still showing fermentation, so I'm going to check the SG tomorrow when I get home. Should be some potent Pee when all is said and done.

Maybe I'll try a milder yeast next time...


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## FTC Wines

I also made a "mixed berry" SP, but used Lon's recipe. Made a frozen mixed berry wine [1 gal.] & used the slurry [@ 1.040] to start the Pee. It was one of my best Pee's. Still have that 3L of mixed berry wine & planning on making another new batch of mixed berry SP, & using the wine to flavor-pac the SP. Roy


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## docanddeb

Fun stuff, hey??

Good Job Guys!!

Debbie


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## dangerdave

*UPDATE...*

DAY 9: The Triple Fruit Pee fermented dry on Day 8, so I racked and cleared in a fresh carboy. SG=0.995. The Original Lemon is still bubbling like crazy in the secondary, so I'm leaving it be for now.

I pulled a whole lot of gas out of the fruit pee after racking. A vacuum pump is definately on my wish list.


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## docanddeb

I've never degassed a wine... time heals all!

Debbie


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## dangerdave

Does anyone have an idea why the Pee with the fruit added to the primary would ferment dry much earlier than the straight lemon. I made the two batches, one at a time, side-by-side, with no variation in proceedure except adding fruit to the one. Four days later, the original lemon is still bubbling away in the carboy...




...and the triple berry is clearing beside it...


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## docanddeb

More variety of nutrients. More for the yeasties to munch on!!

Debbie


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## Minnesotamaker

From my own observations, I've run what I thought were identical batches (because one batch gets consumed too quickly) and one will sometimes finish faster than the other. Same ingredients, same environment, different ferment rates.


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## dangerdave

I think I'll bottle the triple berry today. I'ts beautiful!!! Remember, this batch had three pounds of mixed Dole berries (blueberry/raspberry/blackberry) added to the primary.


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## Julie

It does look beautiful!


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## Gumjump

That looks great! Makes me want to reach right in and grab a glass.


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## Calvus

Damm, that does look beautiful. You have a lot of confidence in that table. I cringed a little.


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## dangerdave

Clavus, I checked the table very carefully before setting my wine on it. It made me nervous the whole thirty seconds I let it set there. But I want a picture in the sun!


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## Calvus

dangerdave said:


> Clavus, I checked the table very carefully before setting my wine on it. It made me nervous the whole thirty seconds I let it set there. But I want a picture in the sun!


Love seeing the picture in the sun too so Im glad that you like to live dangerously. Hopefully it tastes just as good as it looks.


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## dangerdave

We bottled our first Skeeter Pee last Thursday---the Primary Triple Berry (3Pee-Oh). It looks really nice in the bottles! I put the Ball jars in the frige so we could try some cold.






We tasted it at bottling, and I really have to admit---_really_---that I was quite unimpressed with the taste. While it was indeed very clear, it was also extremely tart (yea, I know, lemon wine, right!). My lovely wife assured me it was delicious, she liked it tart. I didn't get much of the fruit flavor---just a hint in the background. Something I had feared from the beginning. The taste just kept screaming _YOUNG!_ to me. I know, it _is_ young wine. But I had really bought into the Skeeter Pee hype. So many folks here had touted the wonderful drinkability of Lon's awesome recipe. Had I been fooled? Seriously?

Fast forward to last night...

After sitting on the shelf, ignored for a few days, we decided (much to my _un_excitement) to open a bottle of the 3Pee-Oh. I splashed a little into my glass. The first thing I noticed was the nose. No doubt, it had improved. The sharp tang of young wine had been replaced with a very pleasant berry aroma. _No_, I thought. _It can't be. Not after just a few days._

I took a small sip, drew some air in across it, and tasted/smelled the layers of lemon and berry. "Wow!" I said. Johnna looked at me in question. I silently poured her a glass and indicated she should drink. She did. All she could say was, "Wow!" For the next several hours, while we finished off the bottle, all we could talk about was how much the wine had improved. It was now both sweet and tart in complete balance, with---much to my utter surprise---a great depth of berry flavor.

I am exceptionally proud of my first attempt at this, only my second batch of finished wine. I appreciate everyone's help and support here, without which, I'm sure I would have had numerous failures before discovering success.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

As you may recall, I made a plain batch of lemon Pee along side the triple berry. When it came time to back sweeten, I added four 12oz cans of Od Orchard Apple/Cherry frozen concentrate and one cup of sugar (at the end---because it was not quite sweet enough).

In addition, I have a 5 gallon carboy of Strawberry Skeeter Pee clearing at this time. This batch was made like the triple berry, except with four pounds of strawberries added to the primary*. I have sweetened it with sugar (to taste) and added a 2oz bottle of McCormick artificial strawberry flavoring.

I am very interested to see (taste) the difference btw the three different methods I am using to flavor the Pee.
1) Adding fruit to primary fermentation and sweetening with sugar.
2) Back sweetening with fruit juice concentrate.
3) Sweetening with sugar and adding flavoring.

Two weeks to bottling of the Apple/Cherry Pee and the Strawberry Pee. We shall see. 

Danger...out!


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## docanddeb

LOL...

Oh ye of little faith!!

If you think it's good now... age it a year!! Mine had a bad streak in the middle, then I fell in love with it all over again!!

Debbie


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## mxsteve625

I hpoe you guy's enjoyed the rst of the night.


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## Minnesotamaker

Dave,
Glad that after all was said and done, you were able to enjoy it. In my opinion, the real beauty of this beverage is the combination of drinkability, economical price, and fast production. I don't serve it as a top shelf wine; I serve it as a utility wine.... the work-horse wine for the thirsty workin' man (or woman).


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## dangerdave

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, "Thanks, Lon!"

So, using this version of the recipe (and mainly because the Triple Berry was quickly consumed), I've now got Strawberry, Apple/Cherry, and Blueberry cooking in the Lab.

I just started the Blueberry (still in the primary), but the Strawberry and Apple/Cherry seem to be taking a long time to clear. My first batch cleared rather quickly.

Can the clearing time very considerably btw batches? Anyone?


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## docanddeb

OH yes... as with any wine. I don't use clearing agents... so sometimes it takes a while... but it needs to integrate anyway!

Debbie


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## dangerdave

As it turned out, I had a pectin haze going on in these. The blueberry came out awesome! I added pectic enzyme and it cleared right up. At back sweetening time, I added a one once bottle of Watkin's Raspberry Flavoring, and it's prefect, IMO. Pics below...


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## LJPelletier

dangerdave said:


> Does anyone have an idea why the Pee with the fruit added to the primary would ferment dry much earlier than the straight lemon. I made the two batches, one at a time, side-by-side, with no variation in proceedure except adding fruit to the one.



Yup, the fruit provides nutrients that allow the yeast to consume the sugar faster.


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## dangerdave

This is the current version of the Easy Peesy Recipe:
*EASY PEESY (SKEETER PEE)*

*Ingredients: For a six gallon batch:* 

Step 1: To a cleaned and sanitized seven gallon primary, add---in this order:
2 bottles (48 oz each) 100% Lemon Juice (ReaLemon in the green bottle): _if you want to recude the acid level use one bottle._
Water to about five gallons
20 cups of white granulated sugar (looking for a SG btw 1.085-1.09): _use less sugar for lower final ABV. Stir sugar until _completely_ desolved._
1 tsp. tannin (stir)
4 tsp. yeast nutrient (stir)
2 tsp. yeast energizer (stir)
3 tsp. pectic enzyme (stir)
6 lbs. of Triple Berry Blend (raspberry/blackberry/blueberry--a_vailable in most grocery store freezer sections_), frozen then thawed, in a nylon fine mesh bag (tied shut), placed in primary: _Give the bag a couple of squeezes to work in pectic enzyme.__ May also toss fruit directly into primary, but this makes for a "messier" fermentation and subsequently will require more clearing time and racking._
Top water to six gallons
Cover primary
Place brew belt: _Keep temp in 70F-80F range._
Let sit undisturbed for 12-24 hours...

Step 2: To the primary fermenter, add:
1 packet of EC-1118 Yeast (starter, per yeast directions): _Sprinkle yeast into one cup of warm water (100F), let sit for 15 minutes (no longer), stir and add to primary. Other yeast strains may also work well._
Stir Primary Vigorously!

Step 3: Each day, do the following, in this order:
Check temp
Check specific gravity
Squeeze juices from fruit pack into fermenter---remove friut pack: _Temporarily place in sanitized bucket._
Stir primary vigorously: _To introduce oxygen into must._
Replace fruit pack
Cover primary

Step 4: When specific gravity (SG) reaches <1.000, do the following:
Squeeze juices from fruit pack into fermenter---remove friut pack: _Discard fruit._
Rack to cleaned and sanitized six gallon carboy
Degas very thoroughly: _I cannot emphasize this enough!_
Add 1 tsp. Potassium Metabisulfite (stir)
Add 3 tsp. Potassium Sorbate (stir)
Add Sparkolloid* (or other cleaing agent): *_1 tbs in one cup of water simmered for about 30 minutes. Add hot mixture to carboy._
Allow to clear undistrubed for no less than 1 week

Step 4: When wine is clear:
Carefully rack off of lees into cleaned & sanitized six gallon carboy
Add 4-5 cups of white granulated sugar (stir until sugar is completely disolved): _Add more or less sugar to taste. Remember! The sugars will blend with the berry flavors over time, and the sweetness will come forward. Do not over-sweeten!_
Allow wine to clear free of all sediment: _This may or may not require more racking over the next few weeks._

Step 5: When wine is completely clear:
Bottle in clear bottles
Note: _Never bottle cloudy wine! NEVER!_

Wine is drinkable right way, but may benefit from up to a year of aging.


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## pjd

Danger,
your story about the Triple berry Pee made me stop in the middle of reading this thread and go to the local grocer and buy some berries! They are thawing now. I will be starting this one today! Thanks for the inspiration!


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## dangerdave

You are welcome, pjd. I hope it works out well. I have made many batches using this recipe. Good luck!


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## Boatboy24

Dave,

When you say "2 bottles (48 oz)", do you mean 48 oz bottles, or two 24 oz bottles, for a total of 48 oz?  Thanks.

J


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## dangerdave

Boatboy24 said:


> Dave,
> 
> When you say "2 bottles (48 oz)", do you mean 48 oz bottles, or two 24 oz bottles, for a total of 48 oz?  Thanks.
> 
> J


 
That's two 48oz bottles. One, if you want less acid. I'll correct the recipe to be more comprehensive. Thanks!


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## twistedvine

Danger, originally you used 3 pounds of fruit and now it is 6. Have you had better luck with more fruit?


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## dangerdave

Yes, more rich berry flavor! I've gone to more fruit (6 lbs) and less lemon juice (one 48 oz bottle).

I'll be racking and backsweetening 15 gallons of TBL (Triple Berry Lemon) this evening. I wish you were all here to try some!


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## Boatboy24

Ugh! Went to the brew shop tonight and forgot to get the tannin. Guess I won't be starting tonight.


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## Boatboy24

Got to the shop this morning and got my tannin. Got a half batch going before lunch and will pitch yeast in the morning.


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## dangerdave

Good luck! And good wine!


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## dangerdave

Check Danger's Lab! I've been working on my TBL!


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## Boatboy24

OK, I just took a hydrometer reading and I'm at exactly 1.000. Ferment still seems to be going strong (I was at 1.010 last night), and it still smells pretty sweet - good, but sweet. Should I let it go for a while longer?


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## dangerdave

Should be getting close, my man! IMO, if you are going to backsweeten later, there is no reason to leave any sugar in it now. Let it go dry...confirmed by three days at <1.000. Then proceed.

You're making me want to make some more! And I've already got 15 gallons ready to bootle! Making it is half the addiction.


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## Boatboy24

Been meaning to ask: what would you top this off with - just a cheap berry cooler type wine?


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## twistedvine

Boatboy24 said:


> Been meaning to ask: what would you top this off with - just a cheap berry cooler type wine?


 

other skeeter pee, or any similiar wine


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## bucko

I have not made sp before and I am getting things together to make a batch.
It will be a six gallon batch. The question I have is that I would like a sweet and sour sp. I am not really into sweet wines but would like a sp with just a little twang. If you know what I mean. How would I adjust the recipe? Should I just not put in the back sweetner? I am going to make this triple berry recipe. It sounds awesome on a hot georgia day.


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## gwalz

I have added all the ingredients in step 1. my SG is not 1.085. It is 1.140. What am I doing wrong. Why do you think it would be so high. I have checked and double checked all ingredients are in as stated. New to making from scratch wine. Hope I get past the first step. 


dangerdave said:


> This is the current version of the Easy Peesy Recipe:
> *EASY PEESY (SKEETER PEE)*
> 
> *Ingredients: For a six gallon batch:*
> 
> Step 1: To a cleaned and sanitized seven gallon primary, add---in this order:
> 2 bottles (48 oz each) 100% Lemon Juice (ReaLemon in the green bottle): _if you want to recude the acid level use one bottle._
> Water to about five gallons
> 20 cups of white granulated sugar (looking for a SG btw 1.085-1.09): _use less sugar for lower final ABV. Stir sugar until _completely_ desolved._
> 1 tsp. tannin (stir)
> 4 tsp. yeast nutrient (stir)
> 2 tsp. yeast energizer (stir)
> 3 tsp. pectic enzyme (stir)
> 6 lbs. of Triple Berry Blend (raspberry/blackberry/blueberry--a_vailable in most grocery store freezer sections_), frozen then thawed, in a nylon fine mesh bag (tied shut), placed in primary: _Give the bag a couple of squeezes to work in pectic enzyme.__ May also toss fruit directly into primary, but this makes for a "messier" fermentation and subsequently will require more clearing time and racking._
> Top water to six gallons
> Cover primary
> Place brew belt: _Keep temp in 70F-80F range._
> Let sit undisturbed for 12-24 hours...
> 
> Step 2: To the primary fermenter, add:
> 1 packet of EC-1118 Yeast (starter, per yeast directions): _Sprinkle yeast into one cup of warm water (100F), let sit for 15 minutes (no longer), stir and add to primary. Other yeast strains may also work well._
> Stir Primary Vigorously!
> 
> Step 3: Each day, do the following, in this order:
> Check temp
> Check specific gravity
> Squeeze juices from fruit pack into fermenter---remove friut pack: _Temporarily place in sanitized bucket._
> Stir primary vigorously: _To introduce oxygen into must._
> Replace fruit pack
> Cover primary
> 
> Step 4: When specific gravity (SG) reaches <1.000, do the following:
> Squeeze juices from fruit pack into fermenter---remove friut pack: _Discard fruit._
> Rack to cleaned and sanitized six gallon carboy
> Degas very thoroughly: _I cannot emphasize this enough!_
> Add 1 tsp. Potassium Metabisulfite (stir)
> Add 3 tsp. Potassium Sorbate (stir)
> Add Sparkolloid* (or other cleaing agent): *_1 tbs in one cup of water simmered for about 30 minutes. Add hot mixture to carboy._
> Allow to clear undistrubed for no less than 1 week
> 
> Step 4: When wine is clear:
> Carefully rack off of lees into cleaned & sanitized six gallon carboy
> Add 4-5 cups of white granulated sugar (stir until sugar is completely disolved): _Add more or less sugar to taste. Remember! The sugars will blend with the berry flavors over time, and the sweetness will come forward. Do not over-sweeten!_
> Allow wine to clear free of all sediment: _This may or may not require more racking over the next few weeks._
> 
> Step 5: When wine is completely clear:
> Bottle in clear bottles
> Note: _Never bottle cloudy wine! NEVER!_
> 
> Wine is drinkable right way, but may benefit from up to a year of aging.


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## Boatboy24

Give it a really good stir, then check again. Could be that everything isn't blended and your hydrometer is in a "thick" spot. I'm pretty new to this as well, but have this exact recipe clearing now. Everything has gone as planned so far.


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## gwalz

I did as you suggested and it has not changed. Thanks for trying to help.


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## dangerdave

gwalz said:


> I have added all the ingredients in step 1. my SG is not 1.085. It is 1.140. What am I doing wrong. Why do you think it would be so high. I have checked and double checked all ingredients are in as stated. New to making from scratch wine. Hope I get past the first step.


 
I have been away on vacation, gwalz. So sorry for the slow response.

I am baffled by your readings. I even tripled this recipe and got the required SG (1.085) at the beginning. I say go for it! You may have a high ABV at the end, but you can sweeten it to taste also, or blend it with some juice to mellow it out.

Let me know how you handled this problem. I originally started with less sugar (15 cups) and worked slowly up to 20 cups for the six gallon batch. You are making 6 gallons, correct?


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## roadpupp

I'm on my first batch, so no expert here. However, if the SG is too high it should be easy to fix by adding more water and lemon juice at the original ratio until the SG is where you want it. Much easier with SP than with some exotic grape juice!


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## ttalsma

So, my first batch of Pee is well under way. I followed the "Easy Peesy" Triple Berry recipe and instructions. For back sweetening, I'm thinking about using 3 cans of lemonade concentrate and 2 cans of Blueberry-Pom concentrate. Any thoughts???


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## dangerdave

ttalsma said:


> So, my first batch of Pee is well under way. I followed the "Easy Peesy" Triple Berry recipe and instructions. For back sweetening, I'm thinking about using 3 cans of lemonade concentrate and 2 cans of Blueberry-Pom concentrate. Any thoughts???


 
If you followed the triple berry recipe, the pee should be full of berry flavor with a nice lemon kick! I have never added any more flavor (fruit or lemon) to mine. Your idea sounds interesting. Experimenting is fun!

If the pee is clearing now, I'd thief a little from the carboy and do some bench testing. Try a shot with a bit of sugar only, one with some extra lemon, and maybe one more with a bit of the blueberry-pom. I don't know how you could go wrong with any of that, but maybe you'll like it better with or without one of them.


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## Hokapsig

*energizer*

Dave,

I have a question concerning the yeast nutrient/energizer. My local wine supply store sells the combination nutrient and energizer mixed together. Knowing this, would I add 6 tsp of this (you had 4 tsp nutrient + 2 tsp energizer) or should I just do 4 tsp of the combination that I have?

And let's say you don't have a thermometer, but you know your basement is in the 60's/70's. Does the temp have that much to do with success or will it just take longer?


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## dangerdave

I have to say I am not sure about the comb energizer/nutrient. I don't want to give you bad info. Maybe someone else has some experience with the two. The low temp would make the yeast work more slowly.


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## Hokapsig

My other question is: what happens if you leave SP exposed to oxygen? I know that grape based drinks will oxidize to vinegar, but what about SP? If I leave the top off to smooth out (oxidize) the alcohol, what will the SP taste like?


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## Hokapsig

*pitching tonight...*

OK, Dave, the yeast for the Lemon Triple Berry Pee gets tossed tonight. Here goes nothing....


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## dangerdave

Hokapsig said:


> My other question is: what happens if you leave SP exposed to oxygen? I know that grape based drinks will oxidize to vinegar, but what about SP? If I leave the top off to smooth out (oxidize) the alcohol, what will the SP taste like?


 
I really don't know. 



> OK, Dave, the yeast for the Lemon Triple Berry Pee gets tossed tonight. Here goes nothing....


 
Good luck, my man! I degassed/cleared 6 gallons last night (trying bentonite in this batch), and I'm starting two more 6 gallon batches tomorrow. I need to keep up with the summer demand!


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## Hokapsig

Dave, When I get sent to Parkersburg, I'm gonig to have to meet you half way and exchange bottles with you.


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## dangerdave

Parkersburg is not much a drive for me. I'm serious. This is a good idea. Let me know when you'll be there. I'll come over, and we'll "swap hooch"!


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## Hokapsig

Dave, the Triple BP is fermenting like a champ, but I have not been following the directions. For the past 3 days (out of town) I have not squeezed the berry bag or stirred. Again, the fermentation is bubbling every 5-10 seconds. Is this going to be an issue or should I be stirring and squeezing?


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## dangerdave

Hokapsig said:


> Dave, the Triple BP is fermenting like a champ, but I have not been following the directions. For the past 3 days (out of town) I have not squeezed the berry bag or stirred. Again, the fermentation is bubbling every 5-10 seconds. Is this going to be an issue or should I be stirring and squeezing?


 
I don't think it will make much of a difference really. I squeeze and stir every day because my theory is that this gets all the good fruity juices out of the bag and into the must. If it's bubbling that much, it must be exchanging fluids with the bag inside. When it gets dry, I would definately squeeze the bag real good into the must before I discarded the contents. I will sometimes do this a day or two ahead of time and not stir the last day or two. Let all the gross lees fall out and carefully rack off the dry wine into the carboy. They seem to clear very quickly that way.

I'm glad others are having success with this one. Otherwise, I'd feel bad...


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## Hokapsig

The wife liked how this smelled before fermentation, so she's looking forward to sampling...


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## cindy

I'm making this recipe but I was unable to find the exact berries so I am using blueberry,raspberry,blackberry,strawberry mix
I hope it works out. LOL quad berry skeeter pee I have one question and that is can I pour the juice from the thawed berries in the mix?


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## dangerdave

cindy said:


> I'm making this recipe but I was unable to find the exact berries so I am using blueberry,raspberry,blackberry,strawberry mix
> I hope it works out. LOL quad berry skeeter pee I have one question and that is can I pour the juice from the thawed berries in the mix?


 
Yes! Definately do that!


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## cindy

excellent Thank you Dave!!! this thread got me excited this morning so I went straight
to the store and got all the stuff I needed to make it along with an extra berry


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## dangerdave

Good luck, Cindy! Keep us posted on how it works for you.

I'm looking at my first batch of original Skeeter Pee lemon---I call it littlemonkey. I may bottle this one tomorrow. I used joe's "outside the box" motivation, and added lemon zest to it. I placed the zest from a dozen lemons into 10 oz of Everclear and let it sit for about a month. The zest liqueur smelled awesome! I added it to the wine at clearing. The littlemoney---after backsweetening with some sugar---tastes just like lemonade.


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## cindy

yum that looks good too! is this what the berry pee should look like?


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## dangerdave

Looks great! Are you waiting to pitch the yeast? Do you have some EC-1118? I'm excited, too! It's going to be awesome!


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## dangerdave

Follow my study of bentonite & sparkolloid (using the Dragon Blood recipe) here: CLEARING THINGS UP: by dangerdave


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## cindy

yes I am planning on adding the yeast tomorrow around 3:00 the only yeast I have is what came with my wine making kit
its called red star premier cuvee so do I need the EC-1118?


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## BernardSmith

*Going back to the first post on this thread*

Dangerdave talks of using Real Lemon juice. Here, in NY, Real Lemon s contains meta bisulphite and other preservatives: sodium benzoate, and sodium sulphite. Did you have to do something to neutralize those stabilizers or is this lemon juice preserved differently in different parts of the country?


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## dangerdave

cindy said:


> yes I am planning on adding the yeast tomorrow around 3:00 the only yeast I have is what came with my wine making kit
> its called red star premier cuvee so do I need the EC-1118?


 
I have used other yeast before and it worked just fine. Don't panic. I like the EC-1118 because it starts fast and ends strong.

According to Homebrew Heaven, the primier cuvee yeast "is recommended for reds, whites and especially champagne. This yeast is reported to perform well restarting stuck fermentations. Winemakers have remarked that Premier Cuvée is the fastest, cleanest, and most neutral fermenter offered by Red Star. Ferments best between 7°-35°C (45°-95°F). Certified kosher."

It sounds a lot like the EC-1118. _And_ it's kosher!!!


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## dangerdave

BernardSmith said:


> Dangerdave talks of using Real Lemon juice. Here, in NY, Real Lemon s contains meta bisulphite and other preservatives: sodium benzoate, and sodium sulphite. Did you have to do something to neutralize those stabilizers or is this lemon juice preserved differently in different parts of the country?


 
Yea, it's got stuff in it. That's one of the reasons to let the must sit quietly for 24 hours before pitching the yeast. Most of the time, I mix up the must in the evening and pitch the yeast the next morning. This has not been a problem.

Making wine is a far more forgiving hobby than you would think. I've got people thinking I work like a slave in the Lab to make wine for them. Patience is really the biggest ingredient. I figure that I spend a total of maybe 3-4 hours of actual work for a batch of Dragon Blood. And it gets easier with each batch I make. Soon I'll be making it with my eyes closed!


----------



## BernardSmith

*Going back to the first post on this thread*

Dangerdave talks of using Real Lemon juice. Here, in NY, Real Lemon s contains meta bisulphite and other preservatives: sodium benzoate, and sodium sulphite. Did you have to do something to neutralize those stabilizers or is this lemon juice preserved differently in different parts of the country?


----------



## Minnesotamaker

BernardSmith said:


> Dangerdave talks of using Real Lemon juice. Here, in NY, Real Lemon s contains meta bisulphite and other preservatives: sodium benzoate, and sodium sulphite. Did you have to do something to neutralize those stabilizers or is this lemon juice preserved differently in different parts of the country?



Easy Peesy is just a variation of the Skeeter Pee recipe. If you go to the Skeeter Pee F.A.Q. page, you'll see that the issue of sulphite and benzoate is discussed. Following the recipe will allow you to make it in spite of the preservatives.

You'll find the link in my signature.


----------



## dangerdave

Thanks, Lon! You da man!


----------



## southlake333

*Favorite*

Ok Dave I have to ask. Which of all of your batches has been your favorite? I've seen the following in this thread:

Triple Berry, Strawberry, Apple/Cherry, and Blueberry

Blueberry with Watkin's Raspberry Flavoring

Strawberry with McCormick artificial strawberry flavoring

I think you sweetened them all with sugar (no concentrates) but I may have missed something. If you had to pick one version and call it the best, which would it be and what would you add to sweeten/flavor at bottling?

Great job btw!


----------



## cindy

I think my pee is coming along. day one it was 1.080 2 days later it is 1.065 today it is 1.040 and looks like this:
before squeezing the bag and testing: does this seem about right? 




and after:


----------



## Boatboy24

Looking good, Cindy! I think I'm gonna start another batch of this soon.


----------



## cindy

Boatboy24 said:


> Looking good, Cindy! I think I'm gonna start another batch of this soon.



Thanks I hope it will be good I'm having a great time! I just contacted a winery near my house and they sell grapes,pyo raspberries and pyo blueberries in bulk so I think I will stock up and freeze them for more batches later on lol I can seem to get enough wine making equipment either I keep seeing recipes I want to make but I only have two equipment kits.  I'm going to a friends house Saturday and watch him brew some beer he makes really good beer


----------



## cindy

btw I waited 24 hrs to add the yeast to my pee but when I did it only took 3 hours to start bubbling
is that normal?


----------



## Boatboy24

My first (and only) batch started pretty quickly too. 

What kind of grapes does that winery sell? Which winery?


----------



## dangerdave

You are doing fine, cindy. It looks perfect! It's good that it started right up. Just keep to the recipe. Watch the SG. 

@ southlake333: Dragon Blood (triple berry lemon) is definately my favorate. Keep reading! It gets better...


----------



## cindy

Thanks Dave, I check the sg every morning and I am sticking to the recipe. the temp has stayed a steady 75 degrees.
I think its progressing nicely.


----------



## dangerdave

Perfect temp! I'm excited! 

Giving a good sqeeze on that fruit bag each day really brings out the fruitiness, don't it! I was looking at your pictures <above>. Your batch looks kinda thin at the start (post #62), then it gets dark and fruity looking (post #73).

Looks like you're right on track!


----------



## cindy

its a beautiful dark red, I checked SG this morning and it's >1.000 so I'm on to the next steps, I gave my husband a taste this morning and he said wow then wanted more my strawberry is really great tasting too but it's 16.44% ABV I'll be racking it until it's crystal clear then add strawberry extract and back sweeten just a little. I think they are both turning out awesome for my 1st two batches of wine. I'm hooked!!!! will be making a Liefermelch kit next weekend lol I know is spelled wrong but you can sound it out


----------



## dangerdave

Remember, cindy, it's very important to degas _thoroughly_. That will be the biggest factor in getting it clear quickly.

I have a couple of bottles of my strawberry (almost port--16% ABV) wine left over in the Lab. It's been in the bottle for about six months. It's almost time to crack one open and see how it's aged. Maybe next time we have some guests over, we'll do a tasting on some of my older batches.

I'm coming up on my one year winoversary, so I have some one year old wine!


----------



## g8keeper

only one year, dave???....congrats.....lol...i had been out of the hobby for almost 4 years before my gf and family FINALLY convinced me to get back into it....lol...as a matter of fact, i think i might still have a couple of bottles of "bonzo's bangin' banana" still left from a batch i made about, oh, idk, maybe 5 or 6 years ago....lol...


----------



## cindy

really only a year? you are wise beyond your years I bought a whip and have been burping/degassing my vino daily once with the whip and once by hand.


----------



## Runningwolf

Cindy, isn't your husbands name, "Vino"?


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## dangerdave

cindy said:


> really only a year? you are wise beyond your years


 
I might be a little OCD...

Isn't it a fact that people with OCD make great wine!


----------



## cindy

Runningwolf said:


> Cindy, isn't your husbands name, "Vino"?



you crack me up!!! no his name is Ken and we are celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary tonight, its a dam shame I have no wine to share with him except store bought lol maybe next year I will continue to burp/degass Ken opps I mean vino until he says uncle


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## Runningwolf

Congratulations! 29 years, Wade isn't much older then that!


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## dangerdave

Awesome, Cindy! You'll have some of your own wine to drink for your 30th, next year. _Now would be the time to decide what wine you want then_.


----------



## tatud4life

Well Dave, if people with OCD make great wine, then mine should be the best in the world!! LOL My wife tells me daily that I suffer from OCD. We will see in a couple of weeks when my first batch starts!


----------



## cindy

Thanks Guy's! update on my quad berry skeeter pee I racked degassed and added matabisulfite,sorbate and sparkleloid as directed and this morning my pee is already clearing from the top down, however the whip I bought "drill powered" is junk it left a few little plastic pieces behind so I will strain that out next time I rack in in 2-3 weeks. I never thought I would say this but my pee tastes really good but I will be back sweetening. here is a pic about 12hrs after racking to the carboy. I love this hobby there seems to be no limits 
on what one can concoct according to my wine conversion calculator the pee is only 10.5 ABV.


----------



## btom2004

Hello all: I just had to get a batch of SP going.


FTC Wines said:


> I also made a "mixed berry" SP, but used Lon's recipe. Made a frozen mixed berry wine [1 gal.] & used the slurry [@ 1.040] to start the Pee. It was one of my best Pee's. Still have that 3L of mixed berry wine & planning on making another new batch of mixed berry SP, & using the wine to flavor-pac the SP. Roy


Since you have done it the way I'm attempting to do it. I did as Lon suggested also. I started a gal batch of Cherry wine to use as slurry. I'll let it go for 5-7 days. That being said. I wanted to know if I sill need to add additional yeast? Or since I will be using the whole wine/slurry. Do I just go to the next step when the wine is @1.040 SG? Did you use all of the wine as well as slurry or just the lees? The next step being to add... 
juice 2+ bottles of 48 oz 100% Lemon Juice (ReaLemon in the green bottle)
7 lbs sugar (or 16 cups) to ferment
3/4 tsp tannin
6 tsp. yeast nutrient (3 now, 3 later)
2 tsp. yeast energizer (1 now, 1 later)
Approx, 4 1/2 gallons water


----------



## tatud4life

Cindy, that looks delicious!!! I will be starting my first batch of per when we get back from vacation. I can't wait!!! Did you have the berries in a cheesecloth sack? Or did you just throw them into the mix and separate them at racking time?


----------



## cindy

all the berries stayed in the bag until my SG was >1.000 as the recipe suggested, I just squeezed
the bag daily for 5 days. I wish I would have done this with my strawberry wine because there's
much less sediments in the pee where the strawberry will take lots of straining and racking to clear it up.


----------



## tatud4life

Cool!! Thanks! I grow raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Next year I will make some of the triple berry pee once my berries have come in. I hope mine looks as delicious as yours!!


----------



## Nietz

I just stumbled upon this thread and I'm really excited to make this. My only question is how do you squeeze the fruit bag? Reach your hand in and squeeze? That doesn't sound very sanitary.

I'm thinking of fishing it out and throwing it into another bucket and pressing it with my hand in a ziplock freezer bag. I'm just really not sure...


----------



## Nietz

1 more question, I see that we hit 1.085sg before adding the fruit and topping off with water. Will the fruit affect the SG? And what ABV do you normally hit? With a standard recipe?

Thanks again sorry for all the questions


----------



## cindy

I use my hands after I scrub up with antibacterial soap and hot water a nail brush works great. you can always pick up some non powdered latex gloves if that makes you feel more comfortable.lol I like getting my hands in there, just think some people around the world use their feet I'm not sure about others but I didn't check my SG until everything was added including the fruit I figure fruit contains sugar so it will effect my SG reading. my ABV ended up at 10.5 with a beginning reading of 1.080. Julie here told me that recipes are just a guide and I have found that to be very true cause even when you follow the recipe exact you are likely to get a different reading then someone else that is following the exact recipe and I think that is because not all fruit is equal depending on where it comes from I think its all about quality. I am new and still learning but I fell hard for this hobby I just wish I had started sooner  I will have 90 bottles by the time all the wine I have started is ready to bottle 30 strawberry,30 berry skeeter pee, 30 liefermelch lol I know I can't spell it. this weekend I am brewing a couple cases of beer so far everything I have going has turned out better then I ever could have hoped.


----------



## Julie

Nietz said:


> I just stumbled upon this thread and I'm really excited to make this. My only question is how do you squeeze the fruit bag? Reach your hand in and squeeze? That doesn't sound very sanitary.
> 
> I'm thinking of fishing it out and throwing it into another bucket and pressing it with my hand in a ziplock freezer bag. I'm just really not sure...


 
after washing your hands, dip them into your sanitizer.


----------



## dangerdave

cindy said:


> Thanks Guy's! update on my quad berry skeeter pee I racked degassed and added matabisulfite,sorbate and sparkleloid as directed and this morning my pee is already clearing from the top down, however the whip I bought "drill powered" is junk it left a few little plastic pieces behind so I will strain that out next time I rack in in 2-3 weeks. I never thought I would say this but my pee tastes really good but I will be back sweetening. here is a pic about 12hrs after racking to the carboy. I love this hobby there seems to be no limits on what one can concoct according to my wine conversion calculator the pee is only 10.5 ABV.


 
It looks awesome, cindy! You will be surprised how quickly it clears. It tastes great right out of the fermenter, doesn't it! It will be even better with a little sugar in it (or a lot, if that's yor thing). I like the ABV to be in the 10% range. With the fruit flavor and the sugar, you won't even notice it has alcohol in it! This is not a "sipping" wine.


----------



## dangerdave

cindy said:


> all the berries stayed in the bag until my SG was >1.000 as the recipe suggested, I just squeezed the bag daily for 5 days. I wish I would have done this with my strawberry wine because there's much less sediments in the pee where the strawberry will take lots of straining and racking to clear it up.


 
My strawberry wine was a mess with all the fruit mucking up the primary. It was the incentive for me to start using the mesh bags for all my fruit in primaries. There is much less sediment, and the wine clears very quickly.


----------



## dangerdave

Nietz said:


> I just stumbled upon this thread and I'm really excited to make this. My only question is how do you squeeze the fruit bag? Reach your hand in and squeeze? That doesn't sound very sanitary.
> 
> I'm thinking of fishing it out and throwing it into another bucket and pressing it with my hand in a ziplock freezer bag. I'm just really not sure...


 
An excellent question. I see the ladies have filled you in. I wash & rinse my hands good, then spray them with some sanitizer. Shake off the excess, and squeeze away. After squeezing, I place the bag in a sanitized bowl while I stir the wine, then replace the bag in the primary.


----------



## dangerdave

Nietz said:


> 1 more question, I see that we hit 1.085sg before adding the fruit and topping off with water. Will the fruit affect the SG? And what ABV do you normally hit? With a standard recipe?
> 
> Thanks again sorry for all the questions


 
Like Cindy says, don't sweat the details too much. You are correct in your thinking, the fruit (having it's own natural sugars) _will_ effect the SG, as will the extra water. In my estimate, they will balance eachother out, resulting in the desired ABV (or close thereto).

Good luck!


----------



## Nietz

Thanks everyone!

I have my second batch of regular skeeter pee in my primary right now, and I'll be starting the triple berry.. I mean Red Dragon tonight. I'll just have to get my wife  to turn her head when I'm reaching in and squeezing. 

Thanks again


----------



## dangerdave

Nietz said:


> ...Red Dragon...


 
I like it!


----------



## southlake333

Nietz said:


> ...Red Dragon...



Hehe...I have a batch of this going along with a batch of normal Skeeter Pee. The names I've decided to label with are:

Tinkle Tea
Tinkleberry Tea

Anyone wanna see my Tinkleberries? :<


----------



## cindy

southlake333 said:


> Hehe...I have a batch of this going along with a batch of normal Skeeter Pee. The names I've decided to label with are:
> 
> Tinkle Tea
> Tinkleberry Tea
> 
> Anyone wanna see my Tinkleberries? :<



now thats original!!!!


----------



## olusteebus

I want to produce 6 gallons of liquid after taking out the fruit. My fermenter will only hold 6 gallons. So I figure if I add one gallon after removing the fruit I will be ok. I am using 64 ounces of realemon.

I am doing this to keep a gallon of wine for topping off. 

Any other suggestions.


----------



## dangerdave

You will probably find that you won't need a whole gallon for topping up later. You could remove the fruit, say, around SG=1.030, top up with water and make your six gallons, let it ferment out. Or you could rack it to a secondary at that point, if you wanted. You are working woth a five gallon carboy...I presume.


----------



## olusteebus

Thanks Dave, I am going to do what you say and just add a 1/2 gallon to give me 5 1/2 gallons. I will put 5 gal in a carboy and 1/2 gallon in a jug.


----------



## dangerdave

The blind leading the blind!


----------



## olusteebus

dangerdave said:


> The blind leading the blind!



You got 8 months on me! You have probably drank some of your wine already!


----------



## dangerdave

olusteebus said:


> You got 8 months on me! You have probably drank some of your wine already!


 
750 bottles consumed or given away over the past year. Nobody around here waits unless I _make_ them wait! If I want to keep it, I leave it to age in the carboy.

From the beginning, I put aside a few bottles of each batch I made. Starting next month, we get to try out the "annuals", the year old bottles.

I'm so excited, I could...


----------



## southlake333

olusteebus said:


> I want to produce 6 gallons of liquid after taking out the fruit. My fermenter will only hold 6 gallons. So I figure if I add one gallon after removing the fruit I will be ok. I am using 64 ounces of realemon.
> 
> I am doing this to keep a gallon of wine for topping off.
> 
> Any other suggestions.



Keep in mind the fruit decreases in mass drastically as those juices come out. The bag I removed in the end was a fraction of the size it started out as. So this loss really won't be all that much.


----------



## dangerdave

JJ makes a good point!


----------



## cindy

Skeeter pee 15 days today ABV 10.5, I back sweetened by 2.5 cups rather then the 4-5 cups because it already tastes awesome and it didn't need much more sweetening. so my plan is to let it sit till next sunday keeping watch that the SG stays below 1000 then I will bottle it. I think its pretty clear what do you guys think?










sorry about the Gentleman Jack glass, I dont own one wine glass I guess that needs to change


----------



## tatud4life

Cindy, you are making me REALLY thirsty!!!!! I hate to say this, but I can't wait for vacation to end so I can get home and start my first batch.


----------



## oldwhiskers

Nice looking batch of Skeeter Pee there Cindy. 

I just commissioned a 6 gallon batch today using 96 oz ReaLemon and 2 gallons of Ocean Spray Cranberry, Blackberry and Blueberry with a starting SG 1.100. I am anxious to try this one when it gets done.


----------



## cindy

thanks! this stuff is already tasting good and I can see it getting better with a little time if I can get 
hubby to leave it alone, I stole a little sip to adjust the sugar then turned around and he had already drank it!!!


----------



## oldwhiskers

cindy said:


> thanks! this stuff is already tasting good and I can see it getting better with a little time if I can get
> hubby to leave it alone, I stole a little sip to adjust the sugar then turned around and he had already drank it!!!



Good one, gotta get when you can.


----------



## cindy

oldwhiskers said:


> Good one, gotta get when you can.



he's spoiled he gets it's when ever he wants I figure I'll be test tasting his beer when he's not looking


----------



## southlake333

cindy said:


> Skeeter pee 15 days today ABV 10.5, I back sweetened by 2.5 cups rather then the 4-5 cups because it already tastes awesome and it didn't need much more sweetening. so my plan is to let it sit till next sunday keeping watch that the SG stays below 1000 then I will bottle it. I think its pretty clear what do you guys think?



It actually looks kind of cloudy to me. Here is mine today at 14 days from yeast pitching. I'd say its done so I'll probably backsweeten and bottle tonight!










Looks like I might beat Dave's record!


----------



## southlake333

Bottled tonight with 5 cups of sugar for a final SG of 1.007. That's 14 day from start to finish using bentonite in the beginning and sparkolloid at the end! Thanks Dave for the recipe and tips!






Its worth noting though that this does have a young wine bite to it. It will need to age in the bottle a bit before the full flavor comes out. But, having a clear, bottled wine at 14 days sure is nice!


----------



## cindy

Hmm... this doesn't look cloudy to me but I also don't have a light shining behind it.
here's an indoor pic and outdoor pic under natural lighting. lol looks like youre still in 3rd place


----------



## dangerdave

Awesome everyone! I'm glad things turned out well, Cindy & JJ. The wines look great! And after only two weeks. Keep that recipe handy! You'll be making more! 

It will improve in the bottle. I've got some left from six months ago that is oh, so smooth.


----------



## tatud4life

Dave, my second batch of SP will defininately be the triple berry. I will probably start it in 2 weeks when I move my first batch to a carboy. I want it to age for a couple of weeks before I drink it. I plan on having some friends over for the season 3 premiere of The Walking Dead. I made a label out of fun since the world seems to be zombie crazy now, but after seeing everyone's TBP on here, it will fit perfectly. I will be calling it Zombie Tears for that evening and the label I made can be seen on the Post Your Labels Here thread. I think it will be a pretty cool evening. Actually, here is the label to save you some time looking for it. Let me know what you think.


----------



## Boatboy24

Love it!

I just don't get what the obsession is with zombies these days, but I'm digging that label.


----------



## tatud4life

I think it is all that shows fault. It kind of brought the zombie genre more mainstream than it was before. If you haven't watched the show, you need to. It is awesome!!!!


----------



## dangerdave

tatud4life said:


> Dave, ...Let me know what you think.


 
What a great idea! The label is perfect. Enjoy!


----------



## tatud4life

Thanks Dave!!! I already have approval from the boss (wife). Come on down and join us!! It'll be a bloody good time!! Lol


----------



## dangerdave

Thanks for the invite, tatu! I'll have to skip the six hour drive, though.


----------



## cindy

well I have to say I for one will never make this skeeter pee recipe again!! I had 29 bottles and this stuff only stayed in the bottles a week and a half if that! oh where oh where did my skeeter pee go? why did you leave me her all alone? I searched the world over and thought I found true love.. you met another and poof you were Gone....


----------



## Boatboy24

OK Cindy, I have to ask: How does one go through 29 bottles in less than two weeks?


----------



## cindy

we like to Party! good thing I have my strawberry almost done and its very very drinkable we decided why bottle it? we just keep sucking it out of the carboy with a straw the Liebrfraumilch in the works and another batch of Moscato is on the way or I'b be singing how dry I am......


----------



## tatud4life

Dave, with no sacrifice, there will be no pee drinking! Lol. 

Cindy, I thought my wife had a drinking problem. You might have just surpassed her!! Lol. Just kidding. Buy more fermenters so you can make more at the same time. How many bottles do you normally get out of a batch? I'm thinking 5 gallons should equal about 80 16 oz bottles if I did my math right.


----------



## cindy

30-175ml but the pee batch only 29 I sneak samples well I'm a huge fan of Jack Daniels I like it straight up with a hard cider chaser so wine doesn't do much to me


----------



## cindy

oh btw I have 3 fermenters 5 -6g carboys for wine 2 cases of homemade beer down stairs and 5 gallons in the closet I started this hobby June 4th he he he,...,...,


----------



## tatud4life

That's a lot of fermenters!! I only have 1 primary and 2-6 gallon carboys. I plan on getting more in the future though. Jack Daniels tears my guy up. I've never been able to stomach brown liquor. Now clear liquor is a totally different story. I like it way too much. But, my favorite is Jäger!!! That is mother's milk right there!!


----------



## reeny

dangerdave said:


> This is the current version of the Easy Peesy Recipe:
> EASY PEESY (SKEETER PEE)
> 
> Ingredients: For a six gallon batch:
> 
> Step 1: To a cleaned and sanitized seven gallon primary, add---in this order:
> 2 bottles (48 oz each) 100% Lemon Juice (ReaLemon in the green bottle): if you want to recude the acid level use one bottle.
> Water to about five gallons
> 20 cups of white granulated sugar (looking for a SG btw 1.085-1.09): use less sugar for lower final ABV. Stir sugar until completely desolved.
> 1 tsp. tannin (stir)
> 4 tsp. yeast nutrient (stir)
> 2 tsp. yeast energizer (stir)
> 3 tsp. pectic enzyme (stir)
> 6 lbs. of Triple Berry Blend (raspberry/blackberry/blueberry--available in most grocery store freezer sections), frozen then thawed, in a nylon fine mesh bag (tied shut), placed in primary: Give the bag a couple of squeezes to work in pectic enzyme. May also toss fruit directly into primary, but this makes for a "messier" fermentation and subsequently will require more clearing time and racking.
> Top water to six gallons
> Cover primary
> Place brew belt: Keep temp in 70F-80F range.
> Let sit undisturbed for 12-24 hours...
> 
> Step 2: To the primary fermenter, add:
> 1 packet of EC-1118 Yeast (starter, per yeast directions): Sprinkle yeast into one cup of warm water (100F), let sit for 15 minutes (no longer), stir and add to primary. Other yeast strains may also work well.
> Stir Primary Vigorously!
> 
> Step 3: Each day, do the following, in this order:
> Check temp
> Check specific gravity
> Squeeze juices from fruit pack into fermenter---remove friut pack: Temporarily place in sanitized bucket.
> Stir primary vigorously: To introduce oxygen into must.
> Replace fruit pack
> Cover primary
> 
> Step 4: When specific gravity (SG) reaches <1.000, do the following:
> Squeeze juices from fruit pack into fermenter---remove friut pack: Discard fruit.
> Rack to cleaned and sanitized six gallon carboy
> Degas very thoroughly: I cannot emphasize this enough!
> Add 1 tsp. Potassium Metabisulfite (stir)
> Add 3 tsp. Potassium Sorbate (stir)
> Add Sparkolloid* (or other cleaing agent): *1 tbs in one cup of water simmered for about 30 minutes. Add hot mixture to carboy.
> Allow to clear undistrubed for no less than 1 week
> 
> Step 4: When wine is clear:
> Carefully rack off of lees into cleaned & sanitized six gallon carboy
> Add 4-5 cups of white granulated sugar (stir until sugar is completely disolved): Add more or less sugar to taste. Remember! The sugars will blend with the berry flavors over time, and the sweetness will come forward. Do not over-sweeten!
> Allow wine to clear free of all sediment: This may or may not require more racking over the next few weeks.
> 
> Step 5: When wine is completely clear:
> Bottle in clear bottles
> Note: Never bottle cloudy wine! NEVER!
> 
> Wine is drinkable right way, but may benefit from up to a year of aging.



Is this still the current recipe I haven't read through the entire post or pages. I am thinking about making this bought the real lemon the other day waiting for my primary to opening up. Should be racking my mango wine tonight.


----------



## tatud4life

It is. I just put it together today.


----------



## reeny

Ok here is another question: I just racked my mango wine from the primary fermenter to the first Carboy. I had about a gallon extra than wouldn't fit I saved it in a gallon water bottle. That is the slurry? Right?? 

Also I did not have another bung? So I put a rubber glove on until tomorrow until I can go to the wine store. I poked a hole with a pin to let the CO2 escape?

Is this ok?

How much slurry should I use or should I just follow the recipe with a yeast starter and save this to top off my Carboy after racking??


----------



## tatud4life

From what I understand so far, the left extra gallon is not the slurry. The slurry is the sediment left in the bottom of the primary after racking. That is where the yeast and other nutrients lay. That extra gallon is just that. An extra gallon. Hope this helps!!


----------



## reeny

Agreed but there is a lot of sediment in the bottom of the gallon how do you isolate that?


----------



## tatud4life

If you have a racking cane with an anti-sediment tip on it, you can get almost all the liquid off of the sediment. Other than that, just do the best you can.


----------



## dangerdave

reeny said:


> Ok here is another question: I just racked my mango wine from the primary fermenter to the first Carboy. I had about a gallon extra than wouldn't fit I saved it in a gallon water bottle. That is the slurry? Right??


 
Just to reiterate what tatud said. That extra gallon is not the slurry. The slurry is the solids/slushy stuff left in the bottom of the fermenter after you rack off the wine. Save the gallon to top up the careboy later.



> Also I did not have another bung? So I put a rubber glove on until tomorrow until I can go to the wine store. I poked a hole with a pin to let the CO2 escape?
> 
> Is this ok?


 
That will do fine. A lot of folks do it that way.



> How much slurry should I use or should I just follow the recipe with a yeast starter and save this to top off my Carboy after racking??


 
I don't do the slurry thing. Just my personal choice. Good luck!


----------



## dangerdave

I'm currently branching out with my flavors, substituting other fruit for the triple berry blend. I've got cherry-lemon ("Le Mon Cheri") and blueberry-lemon ("Jet Blue") going even as I type. The only change I made to the recipe was the fruit used. My next plan is to try some of the Vinter's Harvest Wine Bases (since they have so many different fruits) with the lemon juice in the fermenter and see how they turn out.


----------



## Hokapsig

ok Dave, I've got enough lemon to start 3 batches. Can I safely assume that it takes 6 pounds of the other fruit to substitute for the triple berry blend?

Are these tried and true recipes or are you experimenting?


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## dangerdave

The blueberry skeeter pee (Jet Blue) was one of the first I made using the Dragon Blood method/recipe. I got inspired to make more when I opened a nine month old bottle of the blueberry last week and just _loved it_! The cherry-lemon is an experiment, as well as the lemon-lime I have clearing---to which I have added some lime zest in everclear (the "littlemonkey" came out so good with the lemon zest, that I had to try some lime...we shall see).

I am only assuming that six pounds of any other fruit would safely substitute for the berries. I'm anxious to try some more. I'll have to see what other kinds of fruit I can get my hands on.


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## oldwhiskers

dangerdave said:


> I'm currently branching out with my flavors, substituting other fruit for the triple berry blend. I've got cherry-lemon ("Le Mon Cheri") and blueberry-lemon ("Jet Blue") going even as I type. The only change I made to the recipe was the fruit used. My next plan is to try some of the Vinter's Harvest Wine Bases (since they have so many different fruits) with the lemon juice in the fermenter and see how they turn out.



You really are branching out in the flavors, keep us posted.


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## reeny

Ok I just made first batch of skeeter pee. (easy peasy)!!!!! I can't wait it smelled delicious like old fashion lemonade! I put the triple berries in will make starter tomorrow!!


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## dangerdave

Good luck, reeny!


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## Hokapsig

just added my 3 tsp of nutrient and the second bottles of Lemon to my 3 batches of Pee. Almost time to bottle the Triple Berry Dragon Blood....


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## reeny

Dangerdave
When you talk about degassing how is that done?. Obviously I am not there yet. Have had a good fermintation starting in the skeeter pee since I got up this morning!


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## Hokapsig

After fermentation and when you are adding your sorbate and K Meta, you will need to stir (like a madman) the wine in order to drive off the CO2 (unless, like me, your first wines are a bit "Fizzy"). You are removing the CO2 (de-gassing the wine). Let me recommend either a whip (that fits into a hand drill) or an Allinone pump for degassing. Both make degassing MUCH easier. 

When degassing, have some beach towels ready and available. I've had fountains of wine shooting up out of the carboy during degassing with the whip on the drill.


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## reeny

Ok my skeeter pee is ready to rack in another Carboy and degas. How long do you degas for??


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## tatud4life

About a minute or 2. Did you stir it daily while it was fermenting?


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## reeny

Yes I did stir it daily. Just added the potassium meta bisulfite, potassium sorbate and adding super-kleer next.


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## dangerdave

reeny said:


> Ok my skeeter pee is ready to rack in another Carboy and degas. How long do you degas for??


 
I use the allinonewinepump to rack and degas. That's one of the reasons my wines clear so quickly. I got the vacuum pump because of my lack of success degassing by hand.

Dave


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## oldwhiskers

I have started degassing until I think I'm done then degass again the next day before adding Sparkolloid. I always get more out the next day.


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## reeny

So my skeeter pee has been degassed for a few weeks now it is clear but very dark. I just re racked it to night off the lees but it doesn't look as clear as some of the pictures I see on line. How long should it sit?? It is not cloudy just very dark in color from the berries.


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## tatud4life

If I'm not mistaken, that's what you want. As long as it is clear, it should be fine. My batch of zombie spit ( Dragon's blood) is a very nice shade of red. Can you post a pic for us to see please?


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## reeny

How do I post a picture on this forum. It would be good if I did it in the day light in the morning so you could see better.


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## tatud4life

I'm on my phone and can't remember. If you do it from your phone, there should be an advanced button next to the send button. You can select a pic from your phone or choose from camera which lets you take a pic. Then just upload and insert inline. After it uploads, click on it again and it will give you the insert inline option. That should do the trick for you. Hope this helps!!


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## dangerdave

reeny said:


> So my skeeter pee has been degassed for a few weeks now it is clear but very dark. I just re racked it to night off the lees but it doesn't look as clear as some of the pictures I see on line. How long should it sit?? It is not cloudy just very dark in color from the berries.


 
It always looks darker in the carboy. In the bottle, it will look nice and red. ::


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## reeny

Here is the skeeter pee what do you all think. I think it looks clear just dark in color.


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## tatud4life

That is a beautiful color you have there!!! Looks good to me!


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## dangerdave

Nice! Excellent job!


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## azimmer1

dangerdave said:


> I use the allinonewinepump to rack and degas. That's one of the reasons my wines clear so quickly. I got the vacuum pump because of my lack of success degassing by hand.
> 
> Dave



When you rack and degas do you do it only once, or do you transfer several times under vacuum to degas.


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## Minnesotamaker

Reeny. that's lookin' tasty!


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## dangerdave

azimmer1 said:


> When you rack and degas do you do it only once, or do you transfer several times under vacuum to degas.


 
Usually several time, Andy. When it stops producing bubbles, it's done!


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## suecasa

*oh dear … i see an addiction in my future*

cant wait to get an open primary … even if i have to chill it in the snowbank … 



dangerdave said:


> This is the current version of the Easy Peesy Recipe:
> *EASY PEESY (SKEETER PEE)*
> 
> *Ingredients: For a six gallon batch:*
> 
> Step 1: To a cleaned and sanitized seven gallon primary, add---in this order:
> 2 bottles (48 oz each) 100% Lemon Juice (ReaLemon in the green bottle): _if you want to recude the acid level use one bottle._
> Water to about five gallons
> 20 cups of white granulated sugar (looking for a SG btw 1.085-1.09): _use less sugar for lower final ABV. Stir sugar until _completely_ desolved._
> 1 tsp. tannin (stir)
> 4 tsp. yeast nutrient (stir)
> 2 tsp. yeast energizer (stir)
> 3 tsp. pectic enzyme (stir)
> 6 lbs. of Triple Berry Blend (raspberry/blackberry/blueberry--a_vailable in most grocery store freezer sections_), frozen then thawed, in a nylon fine mesh bag (tied shut), placed in primary: _Give the bag a couple of squeezes to work in pectic enzyme.__ May also toss fruit directly into primary, but this makes for a "messier" fermentation and subsequently will require more clearing time and racking._
> Top water to six gallons
> Cover primary
> Place brew belt: _Keep temp in 70F-80F range._
> Let sit undisturbed for 12-24 hours...
> 
> Step 2: To the primary fermenter, add:
> 1 packet of EC-1118 Yeast (starter, per yeast directions): _Sprinkle yeast into one cup of warm water (100F), let sit for 15 minutes (no longer), stir and add to primary. Other yeast strains may also work well._
> Stir Primary Vigorously!
> 
> Step 3: Each day, do the following, in this order:
> Check temp
> Check specific gravity
> Squeeze juices from fruit pack into fermenter---remove friut pack: _Temporarily place in sanitized bucket._
> Stir primary vigorously: _To introduce oxygen into must._
> Replace fruit pack
> Cover primary
> 
> Step 4: When specific gravity (SG) reaches <1.000, do the following:
> Squeeze juices from fruit pack into fermenter---remove friut pack: _Discard fruit._
> Rack to cleaned and sanitized six gallon carboy
> Degas very thoroughly: _I cannot emphasize this enough!_
> Add 1 tsp. Potassium Metabisulfite (stir)
> Add 3 tsp. Potassium Sorbate (stir)
> Add Sparkolloid* (or other cleaing agent): *_1 tbs in one cup of water simmered for about 30 minutes. Add hot mixture to carboy._
> Allow to clear undistrubed for no less than 1 week
> 
> Step 4: When wine is clear:
> Carefully rack off of lees into cleaned & sanitized six gallon carboy
> Add 4-5 cups of white granulated sugar (stir until sugar is completely disolved): _Add more or less sugar to taste. Remember! The sugars will blend with the berry flavors over time, and the sweetness will come forward. Do not over-sweeten!_
> Allow wine to clear free of all sediment: _This may or may not require more racking over the next few weeks._
> 
> Step 5: When wine is completely clear:
> Bottle in clear bottles
> Note: _Never bottle cloudy wine! NEVER!_
> 
> Wine is drinkable right way, but may benefit from up to a year of aging.


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## dangerdave

*PLEASE NOTE!!!*

This recipe needs to have the sulphite reduced to 1/4 tsp in *Step 4*, a clerical error on my part. Also, this recipe can be used with many different kinds of fruit instead of the triple berry blend. I have made it using strawberries, blueberries, sweet red cherries, and a great tropical fruit blend (mango, pineapple, peach, strawberry). All were very good!

This recipe became the basis for my award winning *Dragon Blood* wine---recipe available in the Recipe Section of this forum.

Thank you!


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## suecasa

hey DD .. i looked at the recipe and it looks like it's cut off part way into step 4 …


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## dangerdave

Sorry about that, Sue. I can't get more to fit on that recipe discription page for some reason. The Dragon Blood recipe thread is here: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f2/dragon-blood-triple-berry-skeeter-pee-33076/

Thanks for pointing that out. I corrected the problem by adding a link to the recipe's thread in the description section of the recipe. 

Enjoy!


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## tatud4life

Dave, it is a wonderful recipe!!! I have used it with a quad berry blend, strawberries (which is an award winner itself!), blackberries and peaches, and is now currently fermenting as a cherry limeade batch!! It is the do all recipe!!! Thanks again for sharing!!!!!


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## Pumpkinman

I added blueberries to the triple berry mix, wow, it increased the acidity level a lot, no worries, I was able to adjust for it, but be careful....it may not taste like you are drinking an alcoholic beverage...lol....but then, all of a sudden...BAM!.....very nice recipe Dave!


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## dangerdave

And my recipe was derived from Lon "Skeeter Pee" DePoppe's original. If I haven't thanked him lately, I'll do so now...

Thanks, Lon!


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## tatud4life

YES!!!!! Thanks Lon!!!


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## dietz_james

How long does this recipe usually take to get to the bottling stage?


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## dangerdave

James, I have produced (in the bottle) the Dragon Blood version of this recipe in 15 days: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f68/dragon-blood-15-days-31996/


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## dietz_james

Thanks. I hope to start a batch in the next few days.


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## dietz_james

Can you use an airiator drill attachment to stir the wine?


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## dangerdave

That should work fine, James, since you want to introduce O2 into the must during primary fermentation.


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## dietz_james

How long dose fermentation usually take? Around a week? My fermentation seems to be going a little slow, probably due to the acid content, but the daily hydrometer reading seem a bit much. I feel like I'm wasting my pee.


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## dangerdave

It's your wine, James. If you don't feel the need to check it daily, then do what makes you comfortable. It should drop about 0.010 each day for a week, then it will be done. Good luck!


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## beardy

Well I'm late to the party as usual but I just did my first Easy Peesy! While I was making my 2 gallon batch I noticed that there was no campden/k-meta. So if this is the case why do I need to wait 12-24 hours. My must is at 75° now... couldnt I just pitch the yeast?

Dave, I think I may be your biggest fan now as I will be starting one batch of all your recipes (DB, Dragonette, etc.) Over the next few weeks. Thank you for all your amazing and immensely educational posts and threads. The bentonite v. Sparkelloid was actually a page turner! 
Thanks again!!


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## beardy

Here's where the magic happens!!


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## jamesngalveston

the pectin enzyme breaks down the fruit, which is absorbed by the yeast easier if broken down before you pitch your yeast.
your campden inhibits wild yeast from growing and bacteria, i dont think its needed much in the fermenting phase, but definitely after.


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## dangerdave

Thanks, Beardy. May it all turn out well. We all need DB tee shirts!


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