#58 Skeeter Pee

The original, inexpensive, quick, easy to make, easy to drink, naturally fermented, lemon, hot-weather, thirst quencher.

Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 2.30 gal
Estimated OG: 1.064 SG

Estimated Color: 1.9 SRM
Boil Time: 30 Minutes
ABV: 10.4%





Skeeter Pee
Ingredients:
Amt                   Name                                           
16.0 cup              Washington, DC
7 lbs                 Sugar, Table (16 cups)
0.33 cup              Lemon JuicE
Primary (Stir Ingredients)
64.00 oz              ReaLemon
0.75 tsp              Tannin
1.00 tsp              Yeast Energizer

3.00 tsp              Yeast Nutrient

Primary (~2 days)
1.00                  Yeast Slurry
Primary (~4 days - 1.050 SG)  (vigorously mix)
32.00 oz              ReaLemon
3.00 tsp              Yeast Nutrient
1.00 tsp              Yeast Energizer
Secondary (0.995-0.998 SG) (degas)
2.50 tsp              Potassium sorbate (sorbate)
0.50 tsp              Potassium metabisulfite (Kmeta)
1.00                  Sparkolliod - Clears without the Sparkolloid in 30-45 days
Bottling/Kegging (2 weeks after sparklloid)
2.30 lb               Sugar, Table (Sucrose)

After two weeks, the Skeeter Pee should be crystal clear. Rack into a clean, sanitized carboy, add 6 cups sugar, and stir to dissolve. Wait two weeks to be sure no new fermentation begins and bottle.

Notes from Lon DePoppe:
"Not a “hard lemonade” because too many people have tried the commercial versions and they tend to make a mental impression of what it’s going to taste like before trying it. When it doesn’t taste just like the commercial versions (which are usually 5% alcohol, lemon flavored malt beverages) they conclude that it’s a poor reproduction. This stuff isn’t a reproduction; it’s the original home-style without the big marketing budget and price tag. Please be advised that you need to keep an eye on those you serve this to. Because it drinks easily on a hot day and the alcohol is about double that of commercial hard lemonades and beer, it is easy to accidentally over consume; it sneaks up on you real fast."

If you don't have a slurry to start your batch.
Some people have had luck simply sprinkling the yeast on top of the must in the place of using a slurry.  Be cautioned though, that the ferment will take much longer to get started.  It helps to whip the must with a wire whisk to introduce lots of oxygen and keep the must warm.  Be prepared to wait up to a week to see signs of ferment.  An alternative method that has been successful is starting a 1 gallon batch of wine using frozen concentrate, letting it go for 5 days to a week to get good and active, and then using the whole thing in place of a slurry.