My first Skeeter Pee

[Julie]

Troy, I didn't read your reply until just now. Wish I would have as fermentation has stopped. Lot of yeast and overflow on top of primary. The SG is at 1.055 (started at 1.070) which I am assuming I need to proceed to the next step..addining more nutrient, energizer and bottle lemon juice. Am I correct. I am following minisotamaker's recipe.

Steve

Hi Steve,

Usually you add the rest of the ingredients when it reaches 1.050 but I would say this is close enough and still stir the must everyday, I stir mine twice a day. Once it hits 1.010, rack it into a carboy. It usually ferments to .994 or .992, once you believe it has stopped fermenting, stabilize and backsweeten. Then it is just a few weeks and it is ready for bottling then drinking.

 

[mxsteve625]

Since I posted the reply, the airlock is going crazy again. That was just from opening the top on the primary and taking a sg reading. I went bake and introduced more 02 and its going strong. I will probably and remaining ingredients this evening. I must say this is a pretty cool and CHEAP receipe. Once done I will start another one as there are alot of Mike's Lemonade drikers around here. (young adults...so they think).

 

[IQwine]

This is a great recipe... U just need to start another batch quick!!!

I predict that soon U will have lots of friends....

 

[IQwine]

Have U figured out how U will bottle this new Skeeter ??

 

[mxsteve625]

Water Bottles maybe!!!!

 

[mxsteve625]

Another batch...immediatley

 

[IQwine]

I started with plastic 2 liter and 1/2 gal but have found I much prefer 1/2 gal glass.

 

[arcticsid]

I think you will be fine Steve, Add the nutrient etc and whip the hell out of it. Aslomg as your temerature is good it should fire right back up. If it doesn't be prepared to make a yeast starter. I will post tthe link to Lucs starter method. I think it was Wade who said to use some orang juice in the starter, I di this on th current batch and the yeastie seemed to like it pretty well.

After I pitched my 2 litres of starter, I had active, visible fermentation within an hour.

It seems to be coming right along.

You may see problems with other ferments, especially cranberry. You will for sure want a starter for that.

There is somewhat of a dispute on building a starter or not. I ALWAYS do, for everything. Especially for the PEE if you are not using a slurry.

 

[arcticsid]

here is the link to Lucs blog entry.

There are some other threads in here that talk about starters but this is pretty much the gist of it.

What the hel is a "gist" anyway? LOL

http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2007/08/gist-starter-yeast-starter.html

Good luck keep us posted. No reason to panick.

 

[bigabyte]

I added some more EC-1118 to my batch this morning, it still was doing nothing. It looks better, but still not much going on really.

 

[xanxer82]

I also added ec1118. Last night made a small starter with two packets and this morning a yeast cap is forming pretty good.
Good luck on your fermentaion bigabyte!

 

[arcticsid]

Big did you make a starter and let it grow or just sprinkle more yeast on it?

There is a reason a starter was recommended.

If you sprinkle 4 more packs o yeast on it and it doesn't work, we will still recomend a starter.

 

[bigabyte]

It's actually been going pretty good the last couple days since I started stirring it more and adding more juice.

I actually did just sprinkle them on! I know, I know. I usually do make starters (honest), but I was already testing this stuff and some lesser wise part of me wanted to really push the limits and see how it went.:: This stuff does like to fight.

Yesterday I whipped in the second 1/3 of the lemon juice and it got active again. It got quiet by evening so I whipped it again and it woke back up. This morning it was quiet until I whipped in the last 1/3 of the juice. SG was 1.03. Honestly, looking back, I'm not sure that second pack of yeast was necessary, I think it just needed more juice and air than I had been giving it.

 

[arcticsid]

It is indeed a tough wine. Cranberry and a couple others are also very tough to get fermentin good. It was a stuck cranberry that got me hooked on starters. I had one that just wasn't going to go. The gang here talked me into trying a starter and now I wn't even cnsider the sprinkle method. Now I go with the sure thing.

Yes, thispee likes lots of air. Don't stir it, WHIP it. Sounds like you are about ready for your transfer.

Glad ses going for you. If you haven't made this before you will be pleased it really is a nice refeshing wine. I would like to see what is it like with carbonation some time.

I have batch going now tat Leanne talked me adding some grated ginger too!! It is destined to be a good one.

The pee is very versitle too! You could add a couple cans or more of your favorite frozen juice cocentrate for a hint of extra flavor.

 

[jdammer]

Well I'm piggy backing on this thread. I finally jugged my skeeter last night. I'm a little disappointed. It tastes pretty good but the smell is a little off putting. A very slight egg smell. So I guess we'll drink this and I will try again. Maybe I'll only add one bottle of lemon juice to start.

When I sweetened the wine though I added a little more lemon juice. That helped a bit. I made this one from a merlot slurry. Hopefully the Sauvignon Blanc will be a little better. Wish me luck!

 

[xanxer82]

If you have the egg smell, strip some copper wire, clean it and stir the SP with it. That will help.

 

[bigabyte]

Last night I transferred my SP to a 4L secondary with an airlock, SG was 1.02.

I remembered reading something here about taking leftover SP (or maybe it was about wine in general) from primary or secondary (can't remember which) and putting it in the fridge or freezer (can't remember which), and basically deactivating the yeast so you can sample it soon after, like the next day or something (can't remember exactly).

So, with full knowledge of what I needed to do:: I took the leftover SP into a 20 ounce cup, covered it and tossed it in the freezer. Then, a little while later I realized I was up at 2am and went to bed (It's been a very busy time the last few weeks).

This morning I went to get a glass of ice water, and there staring me in the face is a frozen solid cup full of SP from the primary. Suddenly I realize that living a hectic schedule and dealing with batches of wine after midnight when you don't even realize it's that late may not be the best of ideas, because I don't remember hearing what to do with frozen skeeter pee, and frankly, I'm beginning to question if I ever heard any of this stuff to begin with!

So I set the cup out on the counter, its covered with a baggie attached with a rubber band. As it thaws, I'm going to see if the baggies balloons up.

Why did I share all this with you? I don't know. Can someone validate what the hell I was thinking last night? Should I run the frozen block of SP through the blender and make a yeasty flavored SP Slushie? Or should I have put a popsicle stick in it? Will it clear?

Gad! I need life to slow down a bit and get more sleep.

 

[arcticsid]

I shamefully admit, it was probably me who mention this method for young wine. I HAVE sampled many young wines like this..I froze it and then pour it off as it thaws. Mind you this also increases the alcohol!! Guess what thaws first!!LOL

You obviusly need to let your wine age but desperate times call for...well you get the picture.

 

[bigabyte]

I tried some, not at all bad. It would be better if it had cleared of course, but this is pretty dang good. It's good and cold, seeing as it was thawing and all. Looking forward to the rest when it's ready.

 

[arcticsid]

The pee is really good. Next time tweak it a bit, maybe toss in a can of a frozen concentrate or even some whole fruit.

It really needs to be backsweten, but so far I have drank every batch without it. It is of course very good, albeit tart.

One of these days I am going to try to carbonate it by one method or another. I just know it will be great like that.

This batch I got working now, has fresh grated ginger in it(as per a suggestion by Leanne), it is destined to be a good ne.

One of these times I would like to try it with a bit of lime AND ginger.

Pee on buddy!!!