I really like Twisted Tea. So I am trying to make my own version of it. I started out with 3 gallons of fresh brewed tea. I then dissolved enough sugar to bring the O.G. up to 1.08 (actual adjust reading was 1.087) that was almost 5 lbs. I added 3 tsp. of DAP and pitched my yeast (lalvin EC1118). That was on 6-9-10 it bubbled away ever since. Today 6-19-10 the bubbling has slowed considerably and I am going to take another gravity reading here in a little bit. I am aiming at 16 - 18% then I will back it down to 7% - 8% after I add some strong full flavor tea and lemonaide for flavor.
spirits Hard Iced Tea
- Thread starter Dyce51
- Start date
ok I took a gravity reading of 1.01 (after flavoring). (not too sure what my final gravity was after ferment. My hydrometer goes down to 0.99 and the hydrometer sunk way past the .99 mark.) Did the math (o.g. 1.087 - 1.01 = .077 * 129 = 9.93 abv) I racked it into my secondary to let it clear for a couple of days. I added some potassium sorbate to stop the fermenting and put on the air lock. To my surprise it is bubbling away again (a couple of bubbles every 6-7 seconds)...so I am not too sure why it started fermenting again since the sorbate should have killed the yeast.
When I tasted it right out of the fermenter it tasted like Dry tea wine (actually not bad at all) then I added 2 gallons of black tea, a couple of cups sugar to sweeten it up and a couple of cap full of Country Time Lemonade Dry Mix for a nice lemony flavor. IMO it tastes better then Twisted Tea!!! Now I have 5 gallons in the Carboy that I am waiting to bottle.
When I tasted it right out of the fermenter it tasted like Dry tea wine (actually not bad at all) then I added 2 gallons of black tea, a couple of cups sugar to sweeten it up and a couple of cap full of Country Time Lemonade Dry Mix for a nice lemony flavor. IMO it tastes better then Twisted Tea!!! Now I have 5 gallons in the Carboy that I am waiting to bottle.