Grapefruit Brew

Pirate_Pete · Oct 27, 2015

Well I've been really busy lately but yesterday I had an hour or so and decided to throw some things into a DJ as I promised I would in another thread.
I really have no idea how this will turn out. It's purely an experiment as I've looked to see if it's possible to ferment grapefruit juice and can't seem to find a definitive answer. Only one way to find out. I intend to prime the bottles once fermented to get a fizzy end product.

4 Litres Berri Grapefruit Juice
60g raw sugar dissolved in 100 ml water
Tannin - The juice from 2 tea bags in 500 ml water
1/4 Cup of chopped raisins as yeast nutrient in with the tea bags
Pectolase - 1/2 tsp
Champagne Yeast CL 23 - 4 grams

* Topped up with 750ml of Grapefruit after two days. Fermenting like crazy at the moment.

SG 1040

The juice was 99.9% fruit and had 13% sugar.

I'm not fussy if this clears really. I'm thinking / hoping it will turn out like an alcoholic grapefruit flavoured Orangina. It's fermenting away quite happily at the moment.

Roddy · Oct 29, 2015

sounds interesting mate, are you planning on sweetening it when you bottle ?

Pirate_Pete · Oct 29, 2015

Roddy said:
sounds interesting mate, are you planning on sweetening it when you bottle ?

I'm not sure Roddy to be honest. The reason I'm making it is that I used to drink Vodka with grapefruit. I like the sharp bitter taste of grapefruit.
I'm thinking of maybe sweetening half of the bottles so I have a comparison for next time.
It was bubbling away quite nicely for 3 days. I've just had a look and it seems to have stopped. Hydrometer says 1010. I'll have to leave it in the DJ as I don't have a syphon. Surprisingly they're quite hard to come by here. In the UK you can buy a plastic one in Wickes for 2.50. Nowhere to be seen in Australia. I've ordered a steel one for about 8 quid. I'll have to wait for it to arrive next week before I can do anything.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbPJdf4SQEQ&feature=youtu.be[/ame]

Chippy_Tea · Oct 29, 2015

I wouldn't have filled it that full, stand it on a tray just in case.

Pirate_Pete · Oct 30, 2015

Chippy_Tea said:
I wouldn't have filled it that full, stand it on a tray just in case.

It had been going berserk for a couple of days when I topped it up.
Admittedly I didn't mean to put quite that much in. It's in the garage
now anyhow, and I think it's pretty much stopped fermenting.

Pirate_Pete · Nov 10, 2015

Well the news on this is that's it stopped fermenting a couple of days after my last post. I had ordered a syphon and eagerly ran to meet the postie every day expecting it's imminent arrival.

So yesterday I wrote and asked if it had been posted. They responded by saying they hadn't received the payment

, and as soon as I paid it would be in the post. I'd already checked my paypal and the payment went through. Told them that and haven't heard back.

Roddy · Nov 10, 2015

That's a pain in the arse mate, hope it turns up soon !

Chippy_Tea · Nov 10, 2015

Where did you order it from Pete?

Pirate_Pete · Nov 10, 2015

Home brew shop in Brisbane. The one nearest me is awful. The first time I went there I realised I was better off asking on forums. I made the mistake of going there again. No more though.
I now go to the local health food store. He has a good range at a good price.

I'm just a grumpy old bloke aren't I.

chewie · Nov 11, 2015

Melbourne shop by the looks of it, http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/afawc...405/ID=1405/SID=956533646/productdetails.html . Looks like the auto syphons we get here though it seems you need to buy the hose to attach to it separately. If your needing other stuff one posting should cover you.

Chippy_Tea · Nov 11, 2015

Pirate_Pete said:
A home brew shop over here, they seem to be run by people who dont know what they are talking about and give bad service.

I'm just a grumpy old bloke aren't I.

No, not enough people complain about bad service and this is why they think they get away with it.

Pirate_Pete · Nov 11, 2015

chewie said:
Melbourne shop by the looks of it, http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/afawc...405/ID=1405/SID=956533646/productdetails.html . Looks like the auto syphons we get here though it seems you need to buy the hose to attach to it separately. If your needing other stuff one posting should cover you.

No Mate, one in Brisbane. It wasn't a fancy one.

I just need one for DJ's. My other FV's have taps.

Manxnorton · Nov 14, 2015

great read pal.
I'm looking forward to they result.
ATB
Brian

Pirate_Pete · Nov 15, 2015

Manxnorton said:
great read pal.
I'm looking forward to they result.
ATB
Brian

Thanks Brian.

I don't know the ins and outs of it but from reading your wine page I presume you've been ill and are doing rehab of some sort.

Good Luck with it all.

Manxnorton · Nov 15, 2015

Pirate_Pete said:
Thanks Brian.

I don't know the ins and outs of it but from reading your wine page I presume you've been ill and are doing rehab of some sort.

Good Luck with it all.

hello m8,
I used to quite good at home brewing...then I suffered 2 strokes past January...lost the left side and lost my leg, arm, sight, memory, writing, speech, reading and now I still battle with fathering out even simple problems or what u have told me about a subject....takes me longer to communicate the info in my head..lol
I hope it makes sense? Aphasia still there, I know what to say but it doesn't come out my mouth right!
but I'm alive and just got on with it..no time to feel sorry for myself..7 month 3 hospital and intense speech therapy and physio.
now I have exercices 7 days a week and the gym 2-3 times a week.
I can slowly move my left arm and use my finger slighty..
lol makes for a hard time around the house..broken plates & glasses are my favourites :mrgreen:
like anything our world we have to adjust our lifes accordingly, never give up!
Ive been given a second chance to live and I relish the challenge.
theres worst people than me.
btw I have not touched drop of alcohol since the strokes...:lol:
take care,
ATB
Brian

Pirate_Pete · Nov 23, 2015

Well I syphoned it off and ended up with 4 litres. I poured a bit of that out and dissolved 40grams white sugar into it and added it back to the demijohn.
Then I topped it up to around 4.7 litres with grapefruit juice. Just the right amount for 10 Grolsch bottles. Now I'll have to wait and see.

I did have a bit of a taste and as expected it's very bitter.

Pirate_Pete · Nov 23, 2015

Manxnorton said:
hello m8,
I used to quite good at home brewing...then I suffered 2 strokes past January...lost the left side and lost my leg, arm, sight, memory, writing, speech, reading and now I still battle with fathering out even simple problems or what u have told me about a subject....takes me longer to communicate the info in my head..lol
I hope it makes sense? Aphasia still there, I know what to say but it doesn't come out my mouth right!
but I'm alive and just got on with it..no time to feel sorry for myself..7 month 3 hospital and intense speech therapy and physio.
now I have exercices 7 days a week and the gym 2-3 times a week.
I can slowly move my left arm and use my finger slighty..
lol makes for a hard time around the house..broken plates & glasses are my favourites :mrgreen:
like anything our world we have to adjust our lifes accordingly, never give up!
Ive been given a second chance to live and I relish the challenge.
theres worst people than me.
btw I have not touched drop of alcohol since the strokes...:lol:
take care,
ATB
Brian

G'day Brian.

I did send you a PM, but not sure if you got it.
Sorry to hear of your woes, but glad to see you're not letting it stopping you get on with things.

BTW, are you permitted to drink alcohol now?
I know someone who had a stroke and he was told he could have
the odd glass of red wine. He didn't grab his "second chance" and
was quickly back drinking and having the more than occasional ***.
Despite this causing more problems he just carried on.

Pirate_Pete · Dec 4, 2015

Well for anyone who's wondering. Probably no one actually.

I had one of these last night and it was very nice. Not too bitter, but you can definitely tell it's grapefruit.
The top came off the swing top pretty quickly. I'm glad it was attached by wires otherwise it might have hit the ceiling.
I thought it might have been over carbonated, but tonight's was a bit calmer.

I'm definitely going to make it again. Off for a top up.

I think it might have been a mistake topping up the bottles with grapefruit juice though. Fair amount of sediment in the bottom.

cheapbrew · Dec 4, 2015

Pete, thanks for the update, glad to hear it turned out ok in after just over a month, not bad eh, you say the extra grapefruit juice made sediment, but do you think would it have had less of the grapefruit taste without adding it?

Manxnorton · Dec 4, 2015

Pirate_Pete said:
G'day Brian.

I did send you a PM, but not sure if you got it.
Sorry to hear of your woes, but glad to see you're not letting it stopping you get on with things.

BTW, are you permitted to drink alcohol now?
I know someone who had a stroke and he was told he could have
the odd glass of red wine. He didn't grab his "second chance" and
was quickly back drinking and having the more than occasional ***.
Despite this causing more problems he just carried on.

thank m8,
I don't drink, the taste made me sick...

and my left side all together just stop, with little control I have due to alcohol affection my system.
ive tried a pint of Guinness long time ago... fell sloshed!! and my walking was like Frankenstein on bad day..:mrgreen:
I miss my AG brewing....but I love the wine makin...if ever I can master it!!! my brain is getting bettin..simple tasks are getting better.
but I say the best theropy for my brain is learn.
I might try my wine (small glass) be rude not to:grin:
catch u my friend.
ATB
Brian

Grapefruit Brew

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