# Skeeter pee



## Randy Rooster (Dec 14, 2004)

I thought this would make a good recipe to share and hadnt seen any mention of it here. Basically it is hard lemonade- not really like other ones that are store bought which have a more malty taste, this tastes like plain old lemonade with a kick of about 10 % alcohol - its a great summer treat, but be careful because they go down quick and easy. A full batch of 5 gallons only costs about $ 12 to make. Go to the top of this page for the recipe. 

http://skeeterpee.com/Skeeter_Pee/Recipe.html/


As far as how to make hints I always make a starter the evening before starting a batch of skeeter pee - I use one packet lalvin EC 1118 yeast and about 1/2 can of frozen pineapple concentrate and water for the starter. The EC 1118 will be going well the next day and ferment your pee to complete dry condition usually in just a couple of weeks. Your local home brew store if they carry wine supplies will have tannin and the other ingredients. I back sweeten mine with artificial sweetner and do not use the potassium sorbate and have no worries about restarting fermentation when it is in the bottle - and I think of it as a diet drink. :shocked:


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## Guest (Feb 25, 2013)

I've just got to try this out, sounds killer! Next time I go to town, I'll get some lemon juice at the dollar store. You know, using the 1118, you could make it a lot stiffer, then cut with water for women and girly-men. But, that might entail adding back in some lemon juice or something. And next thing you know, it would be too complex to keep up with.


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## ben70b (Jan 15, 2013)

funny, i mixed a smaller batch last night, this is my first skeeter pee. i picked up a 5 gallon glass water jug from the junkyard the other day for 10 bucks, i'm gonna try a 4 gallon batch when i get it cleaned up and get some more real lemon


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

ben70b said:


> funny, i mixed a smaller batch last night, this is my first skeeter pee. i picked up a 5 gallon glass water jug from the junkyard the other day for 10 bucks, i'm gonna try a 4 gallon batch when i get it cleaned up and get some more real lemon


I have 3 carboys.... seems like I need 5. I'll try this as soon as I can find a carboy.


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## Randy Rooster (Dec 14, 2004)

lonelytree said:


> I have 3 carboys.... seems like I need 5. I'll try this as soon as I can find a carboy.


 
Keep in mind this is only about a 6 week fermentation- I ferment mine in a 6 gallon bucket with a towel over it for about the first 10 days- and then put it in one of those 5 gallon plastic water carboys like you can get at wally world for about $10. No need for an expensive glass carboy. I also do not do any of the hydrometer readings as the directions call for but add the 3 rd bottle of lemon juice and other ingredients when I think its about 3/4 way done fermenting in the primary ( bucket) . 

I try to keep my winemaking and brewing as simple as possible. Been making wine for over 20 years and havent made a batch that has killed me yet.


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## ben70b (Jan 15, 2013)

i like the idea of keeping it simple, i am new to wine/cider making so i am trying to reseach as much as i can and it seems like people really like to turn it into a complicated science.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Randy Rooster said:


> Keep in mind this is only about a 6 week fermentation- I ferment mine in a 6 gallon bucket with a towel over it for about the first 10 days- and then put it in one of those 5 gallon plastic water carboys like you can get at wally world for about $10. No need for an expensive glass carboy. I also do not do any of the hydrometer readings as the directions call for but add the 3 rd bottle of lemon juice and other ingredients when I think its about 3/4 way done fermenting in the primary ( bucket) .
> 
> I try to keep my winemaking and brewing as simple as possible. Been making wine for over 20 years and havent made a batch that has killed me yet.


I do a little wine and am trying to discover what fits my budget and taste. My first batch of Welches Grape juice wine is actually quite good and has a huge kick. I have Moscoto and another batch of Welches going now. I want to start a mead and a SkeeterPee for the summer because it is my busy season.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

I hatched a batch today. SG is 1.16...... is that bad?


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

My batch isn't perking? Any ideas? Day 5. No bubbles at all. Lavin 1118.


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## BrianK (Aug 29, 2007)

The yeast should be going to town with all all the sugar called for the recipe.

Did you add the yeast nutrient and yeast energizer?

Did you rehydrate the Lalvin 1118 dry yeast or did you dump it directly into the batch?

What is the temperature in the room where the batch should be fermenting? The temperature might be too cold for the yeast to work.

Did you swirl the contents of the carboy/brewing bucket after adding the yeast to aerate?

I hope this helps,


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

BrianK said:


> The yeast should be going to town with all all the sugar called for the recipe. *That is what I thought.*
> 
> Did you add the yeast nutrient and yeast energizer? *YES*
> 
> ...


I may have let the yeast out at 70 degrees overnight...... did I kill the yeast?


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## Zilli (Apr 1, 2012)

Randy Rooster said:


> I thought this would make a good recipe to share and hadnt seen any mention of it here. Basically it is hard lemonade- not really like other ones that are store bought which have a more malty taste, this tastes like plain old lemonade with a kick of about 10 % alcohol - its a great summer treat, but be careful because they go down quick and easy. A full batch of 5 gallons only costs about $ 12 to make. Go to the top of this page for the recipe.
> 
> http://skeeterpee.com/Skeeter_Pee/Recipe.html/
> 
> ...


I really want to make this (after I start my jalapeno wine) but I was concerned about the potassium sorbate after I did a little googling about it and was glad to see that you don't add it.

But what about the potassium metabisulfite? Can I skip that, too?


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## Randy Rooster (Dec 14, 2004)

Zilli said:


> I really want to make this (after I start my jalapeno wine) but I was concerned about the potassium sorbate after I did a little googling about it and was glad to see that you don't add it.
> 
> But what about the potassium metabisulfite? Can I skip that, too?


You can leave out the bisulfite if you want but doing that leaves your pee open for infection by unwanted bacterias and yeasts.

Lonely tree

just saw your post- I hope its going by now- did you make up the starter the night ahead of time from the yeast ? I always make a starter the night ahead of time and let the pee also stand overnight before adding the yeast starter - also make sure you whip plenty of air into the pee when you add the yeast starter.


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## Zilli (Apr 1, 2012)

Randy Rooster said:


> You can leave out the bisulfite if you want but doing that leaves your pee open for infection by unwanted bacterias and yeasts.
> 
> Lonely tree
> 
> just saw your post- I hope its going by now- did you make up the starter the night ahead of time from the yeast ? I always make a starter the night ahead of time and let the pee also stand overnight before adding the yeast starter - also make sure you whip plenty of air into the pee when you add the yeast starter.


Thanks for getting back to me on that - I will go ahead and add the bisulfite (after I buy it).

I'm getting the rest of the stuff together; I was able to find lemon juice at my local Dollar Tree yesterday. It was funny because, the checker - a young girl - picked up one of the bottles of the juice, looked at it, and asked me, "What do you do with this? Drink it?" She obviously doesn't do much in the kitchen. lol

I tried to find a carboy at Walmart yesterday but couldn't find one. I asked a couple of Walmart workers but neither of them had a clue what I was talking about.

So, I came home and checked Amazon. I figured if I could find one that qualified for Amazon Prime (free shipping) that it would probably be cheaper than buying from my local wine shop but none of them qualified for the free shipping and all shipping was between $20.00 and $25.00. Eeek!

So, I'll have to see how much they are at the wine shop.

My other option is to use five empty gallon Carlo Rossi wine jugs, or as my son suggested, just make one fifth of the recipe, using one gallon jug. I've actually been doing that with the other wine I've been making - just making one gallon at a time to make sure I do it right and that I like that particular recipe - but the pee is a little more involved than the easy recipes I've been making, and like I told my son, it's just as much work to make one gallon as it is to make five, so I'd prefer to go ahead and make the full recipe. Besides, if it doesn't turn out, there really isn't that huge of a monetary investment - what? maybe ten bucks or so for the entire five gallons? It looks like the biggest expense is the sugar.

Anyway, as I get closer to making it - probably next week by the time I buy the bisulfite and the sparkolloid (whatever that is) and either buy a carboy or drink a couple more gallons of Carlo Rossi - I will have more questions about the technique.

I know there are a few terms there that I'm unfamiliar with (I'm a newbie at wine making - not counting the dandelion wine I made last year that doesn't smell so good and probably should be dumped). I did order a book ("Winemaker's Recipe Handbook") that might help me understand a little better - it should be here tomorrow.

So, thanks again for getting back to me with an answer to my question. I'm sure I will have more.


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## Zilli (Apr 1, 2012)

One of my older sons was over today and I was talking to him about the carboy issue and he said I can just use the food grade bucket and lid that I bought at the wine supply store - that we can just drill a hole in the lid for the plug thingy and airlock.

I think I'll do that - easier to clean, too.


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## champ7ac (Sep 7, 2010)

I have been making skeeterpee for about 2-3 years.
I try to follow the guidelines, but I also have made it without a slurry.
Just make it like you would any batch of wine. 
Last batch I made, I added a #10 can of cling peaches in a fruit bag. I included the syrup too. Voila, a batch of peach pee!

you will like this wine come summer time. Remember though, it is higher alcohol content than a usual hard lemonade. So it does sneek up on you!!

I had mentioned this recipe before in an earlier post. Am glad to see that everyone 
has embraced this. m 
For those looking for a carboy, try your grocery store water bottles. THEY work good, you just have to find the right rubber stopper for it. 

Remember, if you have a five gallon container, make sure that it is full to the top almost. 
You don't want any room for air void. Once your wine has reached 1.020 s.G. air is no longer your friend.

Good luck


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

After a week no action.... added another yeast that was hydrated..... nothing after 2 weeks. It went down the drain.


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## Zilli (Apr 1, 2012)

champ7ac said:


> I have been making skeeterpee for about 2-3 years.
> I try to follow the guidelines, but I also have made it without a slurry.
> Just make it like you would any batch of wine.
> Last batch I made, I added a #10 can of cling peaches in a fruit bag. I included the syrup too. Voila, a batch of peach pee!
> ...


Ok - I have a couple of questions; please bear in mind that I'm a newbie at making wine.

What's a slurry?

And what is S.G.?

I was at the wine supply store yesterday and got my tannin and potassium metabisulfite but forgot the sparkolloid.

I have to be back in town tomorrow for an appointment and will be within a block of the wine supply store, so if there's anything else I need to make this (like whatever the thing is that has to do with S.G.), I can pick it up tomorrow.

I'm ready to make pee!


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## Randy Rooster (Dec 14, 2004)

Zilli said:


> Ok - I have a couple of questions; please bear in mind that I'm a newbie at making wine.
> 
> What's a slurry?
> 
> ...


I think what champ means is using the old yeast from another batch of wine as the yeast for the pee- that is a recommended method and so is making up a yeast starter as I suggested. You do not want to just take your dry yeast and dump it in there- you need lots of living growing and viable yeast to kick this stuff off.

SG - specific gravity is a way of measuring the density of your wine both before and after fermentation that lets you know how close to being done with fermentation it is. You use a hydrometer and do before and after fermentation readings - I dont use one - never have. If you want to be more consistant with your results and or scientific then learn how to use one.

the sparkaloid is not a necessity if you dont mind waiting for the pee to clear on its own - the sparkaloid just hastens the process.


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## champ7ac (Sep 7, 2010)

What Randy said! Well done.


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## markcollette (Jan 31, 2005)

Hi, new to this, but I am not a big fan of tannin in my wine, would it ruin it to leave the tannin out of this recipe?


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## BrianK (Aug 29, 2007)

markcollette said:


> Hi, new to this, but I am not a big fan of tannin in my wine, would it ruin it to leave the tannin out of this recipe?


The acidity of the lemon juice and the sweetness of the sugar should balance each other enough that you can probably leave out the tannin.


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## markcollette (Jan 31, 2005)

Brian,

Thanks for the fast response, I brewed up a batch today and it is now resting, tomorrow I will pitch the yeast. I do have another question for you, I do not usually bottle my drinks as I have a tap system available, have you tried this with Skeeter Pee? I figure I do have a month or so to get ready, so I can start collecting bottles if I need to, but would rather use my 5 gallon Corny kegs.

Thanks,

Mark


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## raken (Mar 8, 2011)

If you don't use a hydrometer how do you know when it's done...do you just wait for it to quit gassing (for lack of a better term)? Do you just leave it sit as is to clear or do you pour it off leaving the sediment? Very curious and liking the idea of home brew, but not the science. I have this flaw, the harder I work at being precise the more confused I become. Thanks for all the information. Some other comments included mention of other makings. How 'bout posting more recipes. My curiosity has been peaked!


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