Cheap & Simple Tropical Punch - A BBQ MUST

[cornyandy]

My three are off like good uns

 

[wheazy_joe]

My three are off like good uns

hmmmm..... nothing at all happening in mine this morning, I will check tonight after work, if still noting will pitch some more yeast. Did you make a yeast starter or just dry pitch? How about yeast nutrient?

 

[LarryF]

12hours in absolutely nothing happening, no bubbles or even pressure on lid. Will give it a wee shake to try wake those yeasties up!

Wheazy, I had this when making this tropical punch, I'd used Wilko yeast compound and it did nothing. 24hrs later I added some yeast nutrient but still no joy, I had two coopers yeasts left over from kit beers so I chucked them in and it all went off really well after that.

 

[wheazy_joe]

Wheazy, I had this when making this tropical punch, I'd used Wilko yeast compound and it did nothing. 24hrs later I added some yeast nutrient but still no joy, I had two coopers yeasts left over from kit beers so I chucked them in and it all went off really well after that.

Cheers Larry, having read through the posts it sounds like you (and me) are not the first to have this problem with this brew. I went and bought wine yeast and nutrient specifically for this, looks like a waste of time and money! Will have to crack open a coopers can I have and pinch the yeast from that if nowt going on.

 

[wheazy_joe]

Here's my plan if it doesn't start, would appreciate input:

- draw a pint glass of the wort (or is it must?) from my FV
- add a teaspoon of yeast and sugar to the glass and cover with clingfilm.
- if this starts going simply add to the FV.

Question:
I already used yeast nutrient last night, two teaspoons to two teaspoons of yeast, should I add more to this starter I am creating?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[cornyandy]

Hi Wheezy I did both ways

2 I simmered and did as the recipe with a rehydrated starter (I made up a sachet an divided the liquid between 2 ex spring water plaggys
1 I just chucked everything in although I did invert the sugar.

The house smells lovely and grapefruity at the moment. I will be experimenting more with this technique

 

[wheazy_joe]

Still nowt happening with mine, can't be bothered messing about with it tonight, will give it till tomorrow night and pitch some more yeast if I need to

 

[Southerton]

Wheezy I dry sprinkled with youngs dry yeast and nutrient. Shook it a bit and it went off well about 18 hours later.

 

[wheazy_joe]

Chucked a coopers yeast in and its started now. Hope I've not got too much yeast in there now! Would a lot of yeast just speed things up or leave off flavours?

 

[wheazy_joe]

So this has been fermenting away quite happy for 8 days now at about 20-22 degrees. Anyone any ideas on how long to leave in FV or target FG for this brew?

I used 2.5litres of robinsons plus 1kg of sugar and brewed to 10litres.

 

[cornyandy]

Mine fermented out in just over a week, and is now in bottles. It was done In ex water 5 litre bottles not under airlock or anything and seems fine. Just waiting for it to pressure up now.

 

[wheazy_joe]

Excellent, hoping mine will be ready to bottle this weekend. Want this ready in case we ever get a summer up here!

 

[wheazy_joe]

Bottled this on Saturday, got 19 x 500ml bottles. Had a sip and it has a bit of a beer taste to it, not sure if that's 'cos I had to use a Coopers ale yeast of because it was brewed in my beer FV. Either way was still quite sweet and very pink! Am thinking that mixing it with a wee bit of lemonade in the glass will help cover the beer taste.

Added two coopers carb drops to each bottle so should have a right good fizz to it.

Will report back once I try one, hopefully in the next week or so.

 

[LarryF]

I bottled 15L of this on Monday night, 1 1/2 tsp of sugar per litre. I'll try a first taste on Friday week. I'm thinking of filling a glass with ice a little bit of lemonade and top up with the punch and see how it goes. If it goes well then it's on for the BBQ season.

 

[wheazy_joe]

Off topic LarryF but could you let me know how your Youngs Harvest Pilsner turns out? I've been considering it. Is it a lager or ale yeast?

 

[LarryF]

Off topic LarryF but could you let me know how your Youngs Harvest Pilsner turns out? I've been considering it. Is it a lager or ale yeast?

Wheazy, I'm bottling my second one on Saturday, my first was really nice but I did beef it up a bit, it came out at about 7%. I used Wilko Gervin yeast on the first one and I'm using Mangrove Jacks Workhorse yeast on this one. I used German Cascade hops on the first and I've used Aurora hops on the second. I'm hoping for much the same beer, between the beer enhancer and the hops it's more a very light, fizzy ale than a lager. Given time to chill in the fridge it's a lovely and very drinkable beer. But, to finally answer your question I have a feeling that the Youngs kits come with a fairly bog standard ale yeast.

 

[cornyandy]

Experimentally I got some Lidl Fruit and barley to try this with and I have to be honest, althought it tastes fine its tends to have little flocculent pulpy bits in which are not terribly appealing if you are sharing it.

 

[Soton]

I've just stared one of these, I'm trying a apple and blackcurrant flavour to see if I can still catch a bit of drinking in the garden before the good weather leaves us for the winter months, I did it pretty much to recipe but I did add a teaspoon of bentonite to smooth the ferment as I read that the non barley ones tend to be a bit vigorous when fermenting, also maybe it might turn out a tad clearer or clear a bit faster :hat:

 

[Soton]

My apple and blackcurrant flavour punch is acting so laid back its pretending not to ferment!, its pushed the water in the airlock around the bend a bit but its refusing to bubble but when I take the lid off to check it there is a gentle fizzing sound, I think this one will call for patience and a couple of hydrometer readings to see when its done

 

[LarryF]

So, this is what I brewed: Per 8L I used 1 1/2 bottles of Robinsons no added sugar Fruit and Barley tropical juice, 800g of sugar, 1 1/2 tsp of yeast Nutrient, 2 x tsp of glycerin and Coopers yeast. I bottled it into 1L bottles last Monday week and primed each bottle with 1 1/2 tsp of sugar. I just couldn't hold out any longer. Bloody Gorgeous!!! I had it over ice with a splash of lemonade and it's a stunner, from the kick I'm thinking about 7-8%. With the lemonade you can taste no alcohol at all, on it's own you do get a slight hint. This won't be the last time I'm brewing this, in fact I might work my way through some of the Robinsons others concoctions.