More Brewing - Making alcoholic lemonade or squash

Tim C

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Got the "Hard" lemonade in yesterday.-15 of Mrs. Holloways enormous lemons, zest removed with potato peeler, then juiced with my dump-shop special juicer, which I had to ream out the holes, to get to the security bit screws, to dis assemble and fix. The switch wouldn't engage, because the mechanism inside had come loose-so much for Aussie quality control...
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So, zest and juice, simmered for 20 minutes in 3.5L water.
Place in fermenter and add 2kg sugar and 5oog Lactose(otherwise it would be too bitter once fermented)
Topped up to 22.5L
The yeast was Stillspirits Turbo, a white wine yeast with the nutrient already in it. This will make 22.5L up to 14% alcohol, but as I'm going for 4.5%, I only used 1/3 packet.
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Not sure if I will prime bottles with sugar or bottle, cool and gas with the soda-stream adaptor (still haven't made that yet).
Also here's my new 60L brewer- a wheelie-bin from the cheap shop ($13). Drilled and tap fitted, wheels removed so they don't punch up through the bottom when I fill it, ready to go..:)
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And yes Mark I succumbed to modern new-fangled machinery and bought a dehydrator-($49).
Not top-of-the-range, but I should be able to utilise it all right..
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Also got 2 tins of Coopers Malt and some oak chips for a Malt whiskey, 15kg of sugar, and finally got onto a fodder store with Molasses for Rum-$2/litre- 6 litres (9kg) plus 6kg of sugar will make about 23x750ml bottles at 40%!!:cheers:
This fodder store is the Barmera dog boarding kennels. He has Cider vinegar, Garlic and Curry powder, Chia seed, Flax and Sunflower, Brewers yeast by the kilo, Himalayan pink rock salt by the kilo, Sulphur powder(for the garden-also used to fumigate fruit prior to drying) and heaps and heaps of other bulk stores, and stock feeds, dirt cheap- an absolute gem of a shop for the self sufficient ones!:twothumbsup: And a top bloke to-boot!
20kg of horse poo for $3,
Also he gets them Big Black chooks, as pullets, for $12 each. An absolute Gold-mine!
 
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Mark

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So is this "hard" lemonade alcoholic lemonade at about 4.5% - does it taste similar to lemonade?

5oog Lactose - is this stuff in powder form and can you get it anywhere?

How did you work out the 2kg of sugar is it a 2/3rd rule for the amount of liquid after the simmering?

I'm keen to know how this turns out because I grow heaps of lemons and I'd like to try and make my own beverage out of them. It's just my total lack of experience and knowledge that scares me :) Like I've got this fear of exploding bottles because of not knowing when to bottle etc.

Rum-$2/litre- 6 litres (9kg) plus 6kg of sugar will make about 23x750ml bottles at 40%!!
Crikey! That's saves just a little :twothumbsup:

Also he gets them Big Black chooks, as pullets, for $12 each. An absolute Gold-mine!
12 bucks is very cheap for any hen let alone an Australorp (they're one of my favourites).

Good luck with your dehydrator - you won't regret it!
 

Tim C

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The recipe was basically the Liquorcraft recipe. The O.G (original gravity) was 1040., which, taking into account the 1/5th non-fermentable lactose, sounds about right. If you used all sugar/fermentables it would just keep brewing until it was too bitter to drink. The original recipe had optional ginger, which may interest you. I may put a 2L bottle of passiona in it at the end if it's too funky....but I can't see why it would be.....I think it will be more like what we here in Oz call squash.

Yes. Australorps, that's them!:feedchooks:
The Ex and I used to borrow her sisters dehydrator for jerky, so I'm sure it will get well used. Have you ever done semi-dried tomatoes? After semi-drying,you preserve them in oil with a bit of basil, a sprinkle of salt and capers? No vinegar, otherwise they just turn to mush.

$2/litre is the same as I was paying for molassses in Broken Hill. If you like Bundy, then this is the way to go, just add a bit of back-set out the still afterwards. Alternately, don't and you have a good white rum. That's what I'll use to flavour up with Carob to make Carubba.:)

He had so much good stuff there. Next will be 20kg of corn($20) for another sour mash/white lightning/bourbon...:cheers:
 

Tim C

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Those juicers are dynamite on citrus, for sure!
 

Tim C

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5oog Lactose - is this stuff in powder form and can you get it anywhere?
I'm keen to know how this turns out because I grow heaps of lemons and I'd like to try and make my own beverage out of them. It's just my total lack of experience and knowledge that scares me :) Like I've got this fear of exploding bottles because of not knowing when to bottle etc.
Lactose from the brew shop. Yes, powder.
It's ready when it stops bubbling. A day or 2 after won't matter, just means it will have settled all the floaties out. 4 or 5 days, and you risk infection.
 

Mark

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Have you ever done semi-dried tomatoes? After semi-drying,you preserve them in oil with a bit of basil, a sprinkle of salt and capers? No vinegar, otherwise they just turn to mush.
Yes, love them! I do mine almost the same as you but never tried them with capers (that'd be nice though). I like semi-drying the cherry tomatoes they are full of flavour and great on pizza etc. A couple of cloves of garlic and some peppercorns is usually my basic quick mix.

The recipe was basically the Liquorcraft recipe. The O.G (original gravity) was 1040., which, taking into account the 1/5th non-fermentable lactose, sounds about right. If you used all sugar/fermentables it would just keep brewing until it was too bitter to drink. The original recipe had optional ginger, which may interest you. I may put a 2L bottle of passiona in it at the end if it's too funky....but I can't see why it would be.....I think it will be more like what we here in Oz call squash.
You've lost me a little bit talking about gravity etc and the non-fermentable lactose but I get the gist. If I could make alcoholic squash I'd be happy :cheers:
 

Tim C

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Yeah, garlic too. I forgot that. It's been a while. Not alzheimers, just some-timers.
I'm sure the good lady of the house would like it too, alcoholic squash, sometimes known as panty-dropper!:sneaky:
The O.G. of beer(and 4-6% brews) is usually 1034-1046, dropping to S.G.(specific gravity) of1004-1008. There is a formula for working out the alcohol content from this drop. Wines and distilling mashes can be up to 1070-ish O.G., brewing out to 11-17%,depending on the S.G. reading. I have a hydrometer for beer, another for wine/mashes, and an alcometer for unadulterated,finished, white spirit. Most of the time I forget to take the original reading though....:facepalm:
 
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Mark

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I'm sure the good lady of the house would like it too, alcoholic squash, sometimes known as panty-dropper!:sneaky:
I'll just tell her it's squash softdrink :D
The O.G. of beer(and 4-6% brews) is usually 1034-1046, dropping to S.G.(specific gravity) of1004-1008. There is a formula for working out the alcohol content from this drop. Wines and distilling mashes can be up to 1070-ish O.G., brewing out to 11-17%,depending on the S.G. reading. I have a hydrometer for beer, another for wine/mashes, and an alcometer for unadulterated,finished, white spirit. Most of the time I forget to take the original reading though....:facepalm:
Okay, I get it now... sort of :)
 

Tim C

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But make sure the kids don't get hold of it!:eek:
You could do 24(normal) lemons, 2kg sugar,500g lactose, any yeast+ 2 vitaminB tablets(nutrient). Beer yeast or bread yeast may taste a bit yeasty/different, but the lemon/lactose(sweet) should over-ride it anyway. Just make sure the mix is back below 30C before adding the yeast. Or rehydrate some sultanas(natural white wine yeast is already present), with or without the nutrient, and let the natural yeast multiply for a day or two(covered,18- 30C) prior to making the lemon brew. More than one way to skin a cat.
 
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Tim C

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Well, it turned out OK. After 3 days I bottled it at 1010 gravity, but it was not very sweet, so I put 2 tspns of lactose in each 700ml bottle. A total of 800g lactose. Only left overnight before the beer keg ran out, so I'm into it tonight. I'm only a one sugar in my tea/coffee person, but it could have done with the whole kilo of lactose, plus more lemons. So next time it's 20 ginormous lemons + zest and a kilo of lactose- the lemons are a mild variety, I reckon. It already has fizz, but I topped up the gas (after cooling) with the soda-stream--buurrp-excuse me!:cheers:
So the up-dated recipe is 20-24 lemons, 2kg sugar, 1kg lactose. Probably 1045 O.G., bottled at 1010-1015(?) to avoid priming. This last one was 3 days at 27C., 1/3 packet of Turbo Gold yeast (I think I said Stillspirits Turbo) Same difference anyway.
That makes Ya alcoholic squash! The pre-edited version with 800g lactose and low lemon count is still very good, just a bit anaemic, first swig. If you were to add ginger or passionfruit, the lemon count would be OK.:popcork:
So Cheers, Beers, and Aborigine spears. ( I'm allowed to say that aren't I?. No offence Bruz!)o_O
 

Mark

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So after all it sounds like you're happy with it? Does it taste pretty close to regular squash?

I'm surprised at how fast the fermentation process actually is - learning a lot about fermentation lately, and your brewing is a real eye opener! Still, you've had plenty of practice obviously and I'm only at the fermenting pickled vegetable stage at the moment so I have a long way to go IMO before progressing onto making grog.:readit: :)
 

Tim C

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Don't be so hard on yourself/ act so dumb, Marko. It ain't rocket science. Not that that's so technical anyway!. Just observing. Observing the fizz/chemical reaction, sniffing the smell, and, like cooking, knowing when it's done. Them little yeastie-beasties are hard little workers in the right environment- maybe we should put them in government?!!
Pickling I have never even considered a fermentation process, although technically it is. I really think you are reading too much into it! K.I.S.S. ! Honestly, you are the first person I ever came across who uses an airlock on their pickles.
My Southern Giant Curled Mustard is ready for a-pickin'. It's halfway between mustard and horseradish in taste, so I will break all tradition and pickle it.- Sort of a Wasabe-Horseradish.
Mum gave me some (bloody) Silverbeet the other day, and I though, what-the-hell to do with it??
I had just made potato salad (mint,parsley,B&G mayo), so it was blanched and garlic buttered, then added.
Now instead of buying 3 bean mix(cheap anyway) , I cook up dried beans-cook,cook,cook-and there-you-have it!
More than one way to skin a cat Mate.
But I would never cook a cat- they meow too much!
Old Stan Holmes, an ex-Guinness book of Records Woolpresser was our shearers cook. One night a week he'd do Chinese-Chicken Chow Mein, Doggy Bow Mein and Pussy Meow Mein.:) But at the end of the night there was always a "beagles buffet". :)
Anyway, enough rambling for one post-my 35 other personalities are telling me.....what....oh shut up....:crazy:
 

Tim C

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Off on a tangent, that should be in another post, That bloody lemonade I made! It must be 6%! Kicks like a mule. Totally simple! 20 normal size lemons. Peel the zest(potato peeler). Juice the juice. Boil in 3.5-5 L of water for 20 minutes. Have your fermenter sterilised. 2kg sugar and 1kg lactose or Splenda(800g-1.2kg). Mix while hot. Add cool/tap water to 22.5L. At 21-28C add yeast/nutrient(White wine). 6-7 days@ 24-27C. Bottle at day 4 to avoid carbonating with sugar, as this will lengthen sampling time, and create a larger sediment in the bottle./as long as the process started on time.(smelled winey in 12 hrs,and had correct initial temp,)
 

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I have always wanted to make ginger beer. Is it the same process? Has anyone tried it?
 

Mark

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Tim C

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I have always wanted to make ginger beer. Is it the same process? Has anyone tried it?
Years ago....Yeah pretty much. The Liquorcraft lemonade recipe I adapted to make mine actually included ginger. All the old cook-books had ginger beer and cordial recipes in them- my Mum still has her grandmothers cook-books, though they are falling apart from use.
I had another thought yesterday about avoiding lactose or artificial sugars for sweetening. Brew it, then re-cook it to kill the yeast before adding the(normal) sweetening sugar, but all or some of the alcohol will evaporate out. Or brew,sweeten, bottle, then boil the bottled liquor to kill the yeast- a bit like old-style preserving.
 

Tim C

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On the second batch of lemonade now. This one I did with 20 Big lemons, 2kg sugar and 125g of Splenda (artificial sweetener, sugar derived, non-fermentable), which is equivalent to a kg of sugars. Got more flavour out of this lot-3Lwater and lemon boiled 40mins- until the zest was transparent. I also dangled 4 tea-bags in it to get the tannins-hopefully for a better mouthfeel. Then dissolve the sugars in it before topping up with cold water(to 22.5L), then the second third of the Turbo Gold yeast sachet. Let this lot go till it stopped working-6 days. Decanted and refrigerated, flat. Fizzed up on the sodastream......Nup, the original was better. 125g of Splenda is too much-you can taste the "artificial" bit. Oh well, I'll try 75g next time. Probably would be ok for sweet-tooths. Lemon taste was spot-on. The tea-bags definitely reduced the stringent acidity in the taste.:tea::cheers:
 

Tim C

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Yeah, absolutely. I don't think this lot has as much kick as the last one though, which makes me suspicious about the purity of the lactose I used last time- I contacted the supplier and suggested they try to ferment some, (it shouldn't ferment at all), for their own peace of mind. By the way, Splenda is very light-spoon for spoon you use it like sugar, but the equivalent size to a kilo of sugar is 125g.
 
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