Just started my first SP

[Paradoxnightmare]

I used Key West Lime Juice and I will be muddling some mint once I get to my secondary. I am calling it Mosquito Mojito. SG is 1.078 and it should come out at around 10% ABV fingers crossed. I am going to put it in crown cap bottles and add some sugar to prime them and will try the stove top pasteurization method I read on here the other day to hopefully keep it lightly carbonated. Should be delicious!!!

 

[Arne]

What is muddling mint? I saw it mentioned on here one other time. Just don't have any idea. Course, don't have any mint here either. Arne.

 

[Paradoxnightmare]

If you've ever had a Mojito in a bar, the bartender will add the limes, sugar, and mint leaves then they take a thing called a muddler and the crush the limes and mint together to get juices and essential oils out of them.

Basically it can be just a thick dowel rod or sometimes they have spikes to be super effective.

Those really don't help in any way shape or form. A plain wooden muddler is really all you need.

If you haven't had a Mojito you really are missing out.

 

[Arne]

Thanks, was just curious. Guess don't spend much time in bars anymore. Back when I did, it was purely beer, if I go to one now, still beer. Arne.

 

[Paradoxnightmare]

If a Mojito is manly enough for Sam Axe they're manly enough for me. #BruceCampbellYeahHesABoss

 

[wineforfun]

So you are making your SP with lime juice instead of lemon juice?

 

[Paradoxnightmare]

Yeah it is Key lime so it is significantly less acidic than regular lime juice.

 

[wineforfun]

Are you sticking to the SP recipe (chemicals, etc.) other than the lime juice or are you making other modifications? This sounds very interesting with lime instead of lemon.

 

[Paradoxnightmare]

And it turns out the yeast that I had is dead. I tried three packets. None of them ever bloomed. I knew they were old and that was a risk but the packet of red wine yeast which was even older turned out just fine.

Still kinda surprised despite the fact that I knew that it was only a fluke that the red worked great. But it gives me a great excuse to go to the wine/beer supply store.

 

[Paradoxnightmare]

Got to the HBS and got my new yeast just a basic red star champagne yeast. About five hours later, when I checked it, it was sizzling. This baby is off and running. Now to decide when to add my mint leaves…what do you think guys? Primary? Or secondary?

 

[Paradoxnightmare]

@wineforfun No I am just playing it by ear and fakin' it til I start makin' it. I used about eight pounds of sugar and two 16 oz bottles of Nellie and joes key west lime juice plus one tsp yeast energizer and two tsp yeast nutrient. I plan on adding two to three more bottles of lime depending on taste. Oh and of course water to bring SG to 1.078.

 

[Paradoxnightmare]

I have decided I will wait until secondary to add the mint. I tasted it just to be certain it is working well as it is and to be honest right now it tastes like the best limeade I have ever tasted!!!

 

[rezod11]

I agree with waiting til secondary to add the mint. I would be concerned about the mint browning and messing with the color of your wine.

 

[Jovimaple]

@wineforfun No I am just playing it by ear and fakin' it til I start makin' it. I used about eight pounds of sugar and two 16 oz bottles of Nellie and joes key west lime juice plus one tsp yeast energizer and two tsp yeast nutrient. I plan on adding two to three more bottles of lime depending on taste. Oh and of course water to bring SG to 1.078.

Bringing this thread back to life. I shared my first batch of SP with some friends and was told they would love me forever if I made a key lime version. One pointed me to Nellie and Joe's Key West Lime Juice - I bought the kind from that says it's from concentrate. Did yours turn out without adding any extra acid? At this point, I'm planning to follow the SP recipe - I made a 3 gallon batch with 96 oz of ReaLemon juice. Thanks!

 

[Arne]

@Jovimaple If I was making it, I would start out with 48 oz. of lemon juice, add everything else but the lime. Let it ferment down til 1.050 or so, then add the lime and maybe 24 oz. of lemon. Let it finish and sit for a while til it clears then if it needs it add more lemon. It will probably cloud up some with the late lemon addition, but will clear out after a while. Arne.

 

[Jovimaple]

@Jovimaple If I was making it, I would start out with 48 oz. of lemon juice, add everything else but the lime. Let it ferment down til 1.050 or so, then add the lime and maybe 24 oz. of lemon. Let it finish and sit for a while til it clears then if it needs it add more lemon. It will probably cloud up some with the late lemon addition, but will clear out after a while. Arne.

@Arne , is that to make sure there's enough acid?

 

[Arne]

@Jovimaple really don't know. Have never checked the acid on skeeter pee. Just go by taste. Actually didn't know to check the acid when I started making it. Been making it so long and just kinda follow the origional recipe.. Change things up with it sometimes, add extra flavors or whatever. Always write down in a notebook how it was started and any additional ingredients. Hate to have a new favorite and not be able to make it again. Arne.

 

[Jovimaple]

My key lime SP turned out okay but was a problem child. First the fermentation wouldn't start and then it wouldn't finish. After 4 packets of yeast and 3 months, I ended up calling it done at s.g. 1.015 before backsweetening to 1.025. My friends love it, although it is extremely tart even with the backsweetening.

I just started a 2nd batch last weekend. So far, it has dropped from 1.090 to 1.081 in 4 days and it’s bubbling and foaming nicely, which is a huge improvement from last time. I started with the same ingredients and same s.g., but this time I was more careful about pouring the rehydrated yeast in slowly and I didn’t stir it, so that the yeast would clump together more, which, according to the info in the Finer Wine Kits instructions, causes the yeast to multiply faster. It seems to have worked because even though it started slower than most of the other wines I have made, it really has taken off the last two days. It foamed up quite a bit when I stirred it tonight - if I had it in a smaller bucket, it would have volcanoed over the top while I stirred!



This time, I plan to add the 2nd half of the yeast nutrient and energizer after the s.g. is below 1.050, but I will not add any more key lime juice until fermentation is done. I think last time it just couldn’t handle the extra juice.

 

[Jovimaple]

Here is the recipe for about 4 US gallons to start (I ended up with 13-750 ml bottles + about 2 cups):

32 oz ReaLemon juice
112 oz Key Lime juice
-->48 oz start
-->64 oz after fermentation complete
2 1/2 gallons water
13 cups sugar
1/2 tsp tannin
4 tsp yeast nutrient
-->2 tsp start
-->2 tsp S.G. <1.050
1.5 tsp yeast energizer
-->3/4 tsp start
-->3/4 tsp S.G. <1.050

Mix the ingredients together, then let sit 24 hours before pitching yeast.

I used a packet of KV-1116 rehydrated in 1 cup of 100 degree F water for 15 minutes, then carefully poured it into the must. I didn’t stir for 3 days to give the yeast time to really get going.

After fermentation is complete, add the rest of the key lime juice. Also add Kmeta and potassium sorbate. I also added pectic enzyme and clearing agents in my first batch and expect to do so this batch, as well. Bench test for backsweetening to taste.

One of my friends says the wine is great poured over vanilla ice cream - tastes like key lime pie!