Lemon Juice

[WalkingWolf]

I had a bunch of lemons come my way and decided I'd try for a lemon vodka. I think the general concensus here is that citrus don't do that great in the fermentor. But I thought I'd try all the same. (ya' hear'n me on this Cornbread )

Smelled good while it was bubbling and had a slight lemon smell after the first strip run. Used 100% backset and sugar, pH adjusted and had SG 1.080. Second time it smelled even better in the fermentor and finished in 3 days (added DAP to the second wash). I ran a strip run last night and you can't smell one bit of lemon. Thumbs down on this one for the work involved. What I ended up with was a sugar run that was a lot more work. I'll run the mix and pull the alcohol and make a gin or possibly Absinthe.

During last night's run I pulled out a couple ounces @ about the 63% mark and watered down. MIx with some orange Kool-Aid and I must say this was a nice tasteing little tody. Definetly not the full bodied drink that you sit and sip (a'la Bourbon and the like) but an enjoyable drink all the same. I guess along the lines of a hard lemonade concept.

WalkingWolf

[lacedspirits]

Whenever I have an abundance of citrus, I zest them and way the peel out and then throw them into a high proof spirit, 120+ proof, and let it sit for a month. After that, strain out the zest and you have a nice citrus essence that will last indefinately. Just my 2 cents.

[kiwistiller]

I think there is a good lemon lime wash recipe around somewhere. Punkin's I believe?

[LWTCS]

Whenever I have an abundance of citrus

Haha lacedspirits,
I would imagine that you get lots of good "hand me down" fruits and such from the cooks clearing away the cold bins. And at good prices too as the restaurant realizes the benifit of enconomy of scale.

I think that is a dern good business plan.

[blanikdog]

I think there is a good lemon lime wash recipe around somewhere. Punkin's I believe?

Yep, it was punkin's but I couldn't find much on it. Thai Terror rings a bell.

blanik

[kiwistiller]

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6098&start=0
there it is.

Also, limoncello is an awesome option if you've got free lemons.

[rednose]

I have a lemon plantage and tried this week a lemon mash but the result was disapointing.

First cause the PH is very low and cause of that the fermentation is very slow, second the taste isn't "fresh" if you know what I mean.

I had to add a lot of sugar what made it more a sugar run than anything else.

If I want a lemon likker I will use the zest or selfmade lemon essential oil to flavor a neutral.

It's really not worth the efforts (in my opinion).

I will make more investigations on lemon/limes with the time and let you all know if there is a good result.

[Dnderhead]

Iv said the same about other fruits as well, when fermented they just do not taste like "fruit".
The only way to git real fruit flavor is to "back sweeten" that does not mean it is sweet it is a term
used in wine, meaning to add back to the finished product after fermenting.
this can be done a number of ways with distilling ,its up to you.
1) add some undistilled "wines" to finished product
2) add juice to finished product
4) add juice to boiler/thumper when distilling.
each way will give you a different "profile" you choose.as one way mite work with one type and not another.

[rednose]

Something to work on, thanks DH.

1) add some undistilled "wines" to finished product
2) add juice to finished product
4) add juice to boiler/thumper when distilling.
each way will give you a different "profile" you choose.as one way mite work with one type and not another.

[WalkingWolf]

The original ferment recipe was in fact the recipe from Punkin's Lime Vodka. The fermentation went fine and the smell was nice but little more than a lite trace remained after the first distillation. After the second distillation there was no flavor left. I have done more reading since I made this recipe and I will do spirits with citrus profiles in the future but with significant changes. I think my next attempt will be a run with a neutral with zest and juice incorporated in copper mesh in a thumper.

WW

[blanikdog]

Iv said the same about other fruits as well, when fermented they just do not taste like "fruit".
The only way to git real fruit flavor is to "back sweeten" that does not mean it is sweet it is a term
used in wine, meaning to add back to the finished product after fermenting.
this can be done a number of ways with distilling ,its up to you.
1) add some undistilled "wines" to finished product
2) add juice to finished product
4) add juice to boiler/thumper when distilling.
each way will give you a different "profile" you choose.as one way mite work with one type and not another.

This could be the answer to my problem here. viewtopic.php?p=6828851#p6828851

blanik

[rubber duck]

lemon juice is very useful in when your sugar level is low.

thanks
david

How so? Would you care to elaborate?