Well it’s the middle of winter, a slow time for me, so I’m experimenting again. I’ll call this a brew because it’s somewhere between a beer and a wine. I started with 3+ gallons of tap water and added 4+ pounds of sugar to a specific gravity of 1.055. I then added Fermax Yeast Nutrient. To get to a pH of 3.4 I added 4 1/2 tsp of Acid Blend. Next I added the flavor, Homebrew Sarsaparilla Extract, hoping for a 7% alcoholic Sarsaparilla summer time drink. I sprinkled Lalvin EC-1118 yeast on top and covered with the lid.
I plan on back sweetening this with lactose non-ferment-able sugar, and carbonating with Cooper’s Carbonation Drops.
It should be interesting, I’ll let you know how it came out sometime this summer.
Update: Didn’t work, bad taste, over carbonation. Couldn’t get it to sweeten up. Had to dump before bottles exploded. I’ll have to think about this one for awhile.
Country Fruit Wines 