When life gives you lemons, you make hard lemonade of course! Summer is coming to an end, but I still want to hang on. I dug up an old homebrew recipe on making hard lemonade, also known as skeeter pee. I thought I’d share my recipe with you. I added a lavender tincture to this version, but you can opt out or add a different flavor. Here’s how to make tinctures.
What You’ll Need
- 1/2 Gal Lemon Juice
- 1/2 Gal of Water
- (2) 1 Gal Jugs
- 1/8 tsp Wine tannin
- 1/2 tsp Pectic Enzyme
- 1/4 Yeast Packet
- 20 oz of Sugar
- Airlock
- Star San sanitizer
If you choose to backsweeten:
- 6 oz of Lemon Juice
- 8 oz Sugar
Directions
- Sanitize all items (including measuring cup, utensils, etc that you may use). Follow the instructions on the sanitizer bottle to mix the proper amount.
- Boil water and 20 oz sugar together and allow to cool room temperature.
- Pour this mix and lemon juice into sanitize jug.
- Add wine tannin.
- Pour yeast into juice. Many folks use wine yeast, but I use Safale S04 or S05. I measure out the correct amount (1/4 packet). You can experiment, but be sure your hard lemonade is at the correct temperature listed on the yeast packet for healthy fermentation.
- Add pectic enzyme to drop down the haze in your lemonade.
- Cap with airlock filled with sanitizer.
- Put the jug in a temperature controlled environment (suggested on the yeast packet) to ensure healthy fermentation.
- Let the jug sit 2-3 weeks.
- Using a siphon, transfer the cider into the second sanitized jug without siphoning the yeast on the bottom.
- You may choose to backsweeten, add your tincture, or enjoy as is!
If You Choose to Backsweeten:
- Once fermentation is completed. Add potassium sorbate and wait 24 hrs.
- After 24 hrs, you may backsweeten with 6 oz lemon juice & 8 oz white sugar.
If You Choose to Carbonate/Bottle:
Once the hard lemonade has completed fermentation, you can enjoy it as a still or transfer into sanitized bottles and carbonate.
What You’ll Need
- 8-10 12 oz bottles
- Bottle caps
- Siphon
- 1/8 cup Sugar or Dextrose
- Star San sanitizer
Directions
- Sanitize all equipment (bottles, caps, capper, siphon, measuring cup etc.).
- To make priming sugar, dissolve 1/8 cup of sugar into water
- Add priming sugar evenly into the bottles.
- Fill the content to the neck of the bottles.
- Cap bottles.
- Leave in dark, cool environment for 2 weeks.
- Crack bottle open and enjoy! If you’ll be storing them, place them in a fridge.
Tips
- Have a bucket and spray bottle of sanitizer readily available to keep everything sanitized.
- Check on your hard lemonade to make sure it’s fermenting, look for the krausen (thick layer of yeast formation) at the top.
- Once you get the hang of making hard lemonade, you can add more/less sugar to create the ABV you’re looking for. Purchase a hydrometer so you can take the OG/FG reading. Readings help achieve the sugar content in your homebrew and distinguish when it is ready.
