Started First Skeeter Pee

[Xandra]

Back from FLETC so it's time to start something new. Since Skeeter Pee is on my bucket list, I figured that'd be the one. Following the recipe from the Official Skeeter Pee site as closely as I possibly can:

Skeeter Pee Recipe (for a 5 gallon batch)

3 bottles of 32 oz 100% lemon juice (e.g ReaLemon in the green plastic bottles or equivalent)
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
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.

Started a 5 gallon batch today, 1/16/14. I have to divide the must into two containers, as I only have 2 5-gallon buckets and filling one would leave no room for fermentation.

Learned that invert sugar is REALLY sticky!

Filled each bucket appropriately to end up with 5 1/2 gallons of liquid. Added ¾ tsp Tannin, 3 tsp Yeast Nutrient and 1 tsp Energizer, divided between the two buckets. Aerated and covered both buckets with clean cloths. Will leave for 24-48 hours before adding yeast. Will have to use fresh yeast, I have no starters from other batches of wine.

1/16/14 starting SG: 1.087


Excited to see this batch through!

 

[dangerdave]

Lon's recipe is very good. Good luck!

Was the training pretty harsh, or just routine?

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

fresh yeast will work fine, i'll warn you ahead of time when you goto aerate and add the last of nutrient and lemon juice, do it in the sink because in a carboy it'll foam everywhere...messy

 

[Xandra]

Pretty routine overall, with its "moments" of course, Dave... Actually, Georgia in the winter lends itself to one easily being able to do more than in the summer

 

[Xandra]

fresh yeast will work fine, i'll warn you ahead of time when you goto aerate and add the last of nutrient and lemon juice, do it in the sink because in a carboy it'll foam everywhere...messy

Whee! Thanks for the head's up on this one, much appreciated!

 

[Xandra]

Hmmm... Need some info... 1/27, SG is only down to 1.075. I've aerated the must daily, and have been keeping it probably around 72 degrees... house is a bit drafty and I don't have a lot of places to try for warmer, with only 560 sq ft total. It doesn't smell bad, just seems to be going slower than I'd have expected. Thoughts? Is it OK to take this long in primary? Thanks!!

 

[REDBOATNY]

Hmmm... Need some info... 1/27, SG is only down to 1.075. I've aerated the must daily, and have been keeping it probably around 72 degrees... house is a bit drafty and I don't have a lot of places to try for warmer, with only 560 sq ft total. It doesn't smell bad, just seems to be going slower than I'd have expected. Thoughts? Is it OK to take this long in primary? Thanks!!

What strain of yeast did you choose? I have always done mine with champagne yeast (Red Star, or 1118). I make a starter with 1 can of concentrate (apple or cranberry) 2 cans of water, enough sugar to make 20 brix, and a pinch of yeast neutrient This starter goes in the primary 23L bucket and gets a 2 day head start. The lemon mix is left to detox in another bucket during this time. When I have good fermentation, I add about 4 cups lemon mix. The next day the remainder goes in.

 

[Xandra]

What strain of yeast did you choose? I have always done mine with champagne yeast (Red Star, or 1118). I make a starter with 1 can of concentrate (apple or cranberry) 2 cans of water, enough sugar to make 20 brix, and a pinch of yeast neutrient This starter goes in the primary 23L bucket and gets a 2 day head start. The lemon mix is left to detox in another bucket during this time. When I have good fermentation, I add about 4 cups lemon mix. The next day the remainder goes in.

I used what I had from my other wines, Lalvin Bourgovin RC 212. Made the starter like I do with other wines... warm water, some sugar, let it bloom and put it in the buckets that had detoxed for 48 hours. Added the nutrient and the energizer and the tannin per the recipe.

 

[REDBOATNY]

I used what I had from my other wines, Lalvin Bourgovin RC 212. Made the starter like I do with other wines... warm water, some sugar, let it bloom and put it in the buckets that had detoxed for 48 hours. Added the nutrient and the energizer and the tannin per the recipe.

You may want to re-start. Mine are usually worked out in 4 or 5 days. Yours seems very slow for the conditions you described.

 

[kryptonitewine]

Use 1118. That lemon is tough on yeast. Make a starter!!!

 

[derunner]

Looking back at my first skeeterpee, here is my experience.

My starting sg was 1.078 when starting. 24 hours later, I added my slurry from a piesporter kit with elderberry flowers. I had a little less than a quart of slurry. Fermentation went well the first couple days, stopped at 1.062. 5 days later it had stopped going down and was still 1.060. I added the rest of the yeast nutrient and energizer plus an extra tsp of each. I added some EC-1118 yeast to the top and did get some action, but sg did not going down the first day. 2 days later it was foaming some and churning was at 1.046 so I added the last 32 oz of lemon. SG continued to keep dropping and hit .995. temp has been constant 75 via brew belt throughout this whole time.

So I don't think a stall is unusual. you might try some additional yeast nutrient and energizer and more yeast just in case it has died. I have almost finished drinking this batch of skeeterpee. It was very good and I am going to make 2 batches this time in a week or 2.

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

when did you start the batch? sometimes mine takes a day or two to show active fermentation, to warm the batch up you can try wrapping it with blankets, or set it in a hot bath. both of which have worked for me to renew a stuck fermentation. of course pitching another packet of yeast on top works as well.

 

[Xandra]

Started the batch 1/16. Moved it to what might be a better location for temperature, don't have a ferm belt. Aerated tonight and SG prior to aeration was 1.070, so it's going down some. Added a bit of energizer and nutrient... I'm out of yeast, have to replenish. We'll see how it goes... Have to say, it smells pretty good even at the stage it's at. This isn't the best house to try to maintain warm temps in the winter... size, layout, where the heat source is, drafts, etc. I tossed a wool afghan over the cloth-covered buckets tonight, maybe that'll help keep them warm enough for the yeast to get happier. Foams up pretty good when I aerate it, though. Nothing like my beet, pineapple and rhubarb did, but not bad either.

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

1.070 or 1.007? if it's the first I'd try and repitch some yeast (try and use the same kind as before) to get it moving along faster, I started my last batch maybe a week earlier and mine is now stabilized and ready to back sweeten. hope this helps let me know if you need any more info.

 

[Xandra]

Well, the SG has finally managed to drop to 1.050. A few days ago I added 1/4 tsp of nutrient and 1/4 tsp of energizer to each bucket, along with splitting a packet of yeast. I do think the ambient temp of the house has a lot to do with this slow fermentation. It smells amazing, however, under the yeasty fermentation smell! So in a couple days I'm going to rack it into secondary and add the other bottle of lemon juice and final amounts of energizer and nutrient. Now my question is... because the starting SG was 1.087, somewhat higher than the recipe's 1.070 recommendation, I'm wondering if I can stabilize it at a higher SG for sweetness rather than letting it ferment dry then backsweetening? I did NOT intend to deviate from the recipe one iota, but circumstances have required that I adapt on the fly. Still trying to remain true to the recipe, however, as much as humanly possible. What do you think?

 

[derunner]

let it ferment to dry, a sg of about .995. And then backsweeten to your preference. I followed the instructions and it came out about 1.015.

You are not likely to be able to get fermenting to sop at 1.015 to avoid back sweetening. The k-meta and k-sorbate you add after ferementation is to prevent refermentation after your fermentation has stopped. It is doubtful they would stop an active fermentation.

 

[Xandra]

You are not likely to be able to get fermenting to sop at 1.015 to avoid back sweetening. The k-meta and k-sorbate you add after ferementation is to prevent refermentation after your fermentation has stopped. It is doubtful they would stop an active fermentation.

Even as slowly as the fermentation has gone thus far? At this rate, it will be forever before it drops below 1.000...

I will definitely try this recipe again once temps warm up a bit, and I'm able to keep the house at an appropriate ambient temperature. I'm certain that's my problem this winter. However, I'm equally certain that this batch is going to be scrumptious, despite the slowness of the process.

On another note... I sampled my beet wine today, and it's much smoother than before. It's been aging in bottles for a couple months. Nowhere near as hot on the throat, subtle flavors are coming through and it's warm on the tummy. I think this wine will be excellent around Thanksgiving of this year. Pretty pleased