Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
I added grape concentrate AND half the f-pack. Haven't added the rest yet, but there is a definite lemon and blueberry flavor. And though the wine is dry, the fruitiness makes it seem less so.
WineXpert Island Mist Hard Pink Lemonade
- Thread starter Grabo
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Are you planning to use the rest of the f-pack at all or leave it dry?
If you add, I'm interested to know the final SG.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
I'm adding the rest of the f-pack. Definitely want a little sweetness to this one.
My process will be very similar to yours, adding half up-front and the rest to back sweeten.
Also adding 1L grape concentrate to boost the SG prior to fermentation. I may add just a little bit of simple syrup but it will depends on the starting SG after the concentrate is added, I may be "shooting" for ~1.070.
Also adding 1L grape concentrate to boost the SG prior to fermentation. I may add just a little bit of simple syrup but it will depends on the starting SG after the concentrate is added, I may be "shooting" for ~1.070.
I started my BB Lemonade Saturday with an SG of 1.080, I didn't need to add extra simple syrup, the addition of 1L grape juice concentrate bumped it up enough.
Also added just a bit of the f-pack, maybe 25% as I figured this cheapo wine would need that flavor at the end, which BTW tastes very much like lemonade and blueberry
Today it is ~1.012
The EC-1118 has surprised me a bit, not too foamy maybe because the basement temp is around 65F. No off odors, just steady low foam "cooking", really good so far without any additions of yeast nutrient.
Also added just a bit of the f-pack, maybe 25% as I figured this cheapo wine would need that flavor at the end, which BTW tastes very much like lemonade and blueberry
Today it is ~1.012
The EC-1118 has surprised me a bit, not too foamy maybe because the basement temp is around 65F. No off odors, just steady low foam "cooking", really good so far without any additions of yeast nutrient.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Mine finished at 1.004 and pH of 2.98.
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Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Let's see how sweet this ends up, I'm sure it will be higher than 1.004 for sure since I have about 3/4 (or a tad more?) of the f-pack, but I think these cheapo wine kits really need that sweetness to compensate.
Has anyone started to dive into their supply yet? Any feedback as to whether I should try out the Blueberry version or pass? Has anyone made both the Blueberry one and a Blueberry Skeeter Pee and have any comparison notes? Thanks!
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
I haven't made a blueberry SP. It's early yet (haven't even bottled), but I think this'll be a pretty good 'patio pounder'. Can't wait to carbonate some of it.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Bottled!
I carbonated 6, 16oz flip-top bottles with the Sodastream. We'll see how that turns out - pouring from the Sodastream bottle into my bottles definitely cost some CO2. I also have 1 Sodastream bottle full and carbed up. All are chilling in the fridge.
I carbonated 6, 16oz flip-top bottles with the Sodastream. We'll see how that turns out - pouring from the Sodastream bottle into my bottles definitely cost some CO2. I also have 1 Sodastream bottle full and carbed up. All are chilling in the fridge.
I went by my rather poor memory of previous IM kits without checking my log, and added 3 lbs. of sugar plus 1/3 of the fpac, which gave me an OG of 1.090. That's higher than I would have liked for this one. If it finishes the same as the other numbers I've seen, I'm looking at 12.5% abv. I can't think of a good way to cut it at this point without diluting the flavor, so I'll have to mix it with something when drinking, I guess. I'll need to give a gentle disclaimer when handing these out or else I'll find neighbors passed out on their decks if they drink these like a Mike's. 
There was some good news. My hydrometer must have been depressed and jumped out of its tube and onto the counter as I was getting it down (somehow not breaking on the counter) and bounced right towards the concrete floor. Somehow it angled itself off to the side and landed directly in the open bucket of sanitizer and bobbed safely back to the surface. I do have a spare, so that is probably why it survived. I'll be taking it to a shrink later.
There was some good news. My hydrometer must have been depressed and jumped out of its tube and onto the counter as I was getting it down (somehow not breaking on the counter) and bounced right towards the concrete floor. Somehow it angled itself off to the side and landed directly in the open bucket of sanitizer and bobbed safely back to the surface. I do have a spare, so that is probably why it survived. I'll be taking it to a shrink later.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
I went by my rather poor memory of previous IM kits without checking my log, and added 3 lbs. of sugar plus 1/3 of the fpac, which gave me an OG of 1.090. That's higher than I would have liked for this one. If it finishes the same as the other numbers I've seen, I'm looking at 12.5% abv. I can't think of a good way to cut it at this point without diluting the flavor, so I'll have to mix it with something when drinking, I guess. I'll need to give a gentle disclaimer when handing these out or else I'll find neighbors passed out on their decks if they drink these like a Mike's.
Mine is at 12.5% and I used a similar disclaimer when serving my first one this past weekend. Seemed to go just fine, but I'm going to try serving over ice with a slice of lemon and see how that works.
Oh, and my attempt at carbonating with a Sodastream, then bottling in flip-top bottles was mostly unsuccessful. A bit of a 'pop' upon opening, almost nothing in the way of bubbles. I'll stick with carbonating as needed/wanted just prior to serving.
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That's reassuring. Thanks for sharing. Based on earlier posts, it's been about 2 months since you started? I might be able to get this bottled up for a family party in late August then.
If you try carbing again, it might help to cool the bottles down first, based on everything I've read about filling bottles off kegs, which I assume would be similar to this situation. CO2 stays in solution better at lower temps. Pouring down the side of the bottle and minimizing splashing would be good as well.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Started April 8th, bottled June 4th.
I put the carbonated bottles in the fridge immediately, but I guess it wasn't enough. When bottling, I simply poured from the Sodastream bottle into a funnel in the flip-top bottle. Definitely had some splashing, but I felt like I didn't blow all the CO2 off. Oh well.
I put the carbonated bottles in the fridge immediately, but I guess it wasn't enough. When bottling, I simply poured from the Sodastream bottle into a funnel in the flip-top bottle. Definitely had some splashing, but I felt like I didn't blow all the CO2 off. Oh well.
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