Sparkling "Hard" water recipe

[LoneTreeFarms]

I'm not really sure which topic this belongs in. But my wife really likes the taste of those Smirnoff sparkling waters. I'm looking at re-creating the recipe myself. Could it really be as simple as boiling some sugar in water and adding some yeast nutrient and energizer. fermenting to dry and then back flavoring with concentrated fruit flavor additive? Keg and carb up?

I personally think they taste awful. But I must appease swmbo.

 

[dsaavedra]

You could mix vodka and good quality drinking water to make a 4 or 5% abv solution, add whatever flavorings and carbonate.

I would think that fermented sugar water would probably taste like garbage...

 

[morbster]

I completely agree with dsaavedra. Just mix vodka with water and add your flavorings/carbonation.

I'm very skeptical of the ability of any yeast nutrient to supply all the necessary nutrients using just water.

 

[RevKev]

To my belief either these sparkling waters are carbon filtered lagers with flavoring added like zima or are water and sugar mixes fermented with clean yeast. I'm sure an addition of a filtration step well below 1 micron would help

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

appreciate all the info and feedback guys!!

 

[65C]

those alchopops are all diluted vodka etc. I understand - tbh you're better off learning some basic fresh cocktails with spirit, fruit juice, ice etc. and getting a shaker

 

[RevKev]

The issue with diluted vodka is that they cannot be sold at grocery stores, it's illegal per the liquor license we have even to sell wine above 8%. Great alternative for if you have a favorite seltzer and wanna make it alcoholic but I don't recommend pouring vodka into a corny keg with a seltzer recipe. It will likely mess with your lines

Truly seltzer and other brands are made by fermenting cane sugar, they say this all over the place and they also do list their ingredients. Truly has a residual 1 g of sugar per 12oz serving, Whitexlaw has 2 g per 12oz and Spiked Seltzer brand has 5 g residual per 12oz. If you want you can calculate that out into specific gravity for a FG and then simply do the calculations for a 5.5% ABV with cane sugar. I never tried making fermented water, but making seltzer you need to highly force carbonate at >30PSI for longer than beer

 

[RevKev]

The FG of 5g in 12oz serving is 1.014 and 1g in 12oz is 1.003. SG is measured in kg/L. If you wanna make something around the same ABV, cane sugars potential is 1.046 so adding a pound per gallon with 80% attenuation would put you at 1.009 and would be within range of the normal brands sweetness. Depending on your yeast strain and how healthy the yeast are and if you put nutrient within I'm sure it'll almost ferment completely out and you could back sweeten with stevia after use metabisulfite to kill off the yeast. I still will say that if you're going this route you would wanna filter it, as any residual yeast will be an extremely off putting flavor. Or use gelatin as a fining agent and get it cold!

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

i'm leaning towards trying to ferment cane sugar water, so i'm looking at 5.5 gallons water roughly 5# of sugar, additional yeast nutrient and energizer.

would I be better off using s-05 or a wine yeast for this? I have a few different strains of each, but being at work I couldn't say off hand what they are. I figure i'll run this on the same line I usually run soda as it's already set up in the kegerator for 30 psi.

 

[RevKev]

I would almost say wine yeast. If not champagne yeast, I know that's what a fellow HBer uses for hard lemonade, I would do a quick search for those recipes and see what the consensus is on the yeast. I think this should turn out good for you and if not it's only 5# of sugar. I would definitely start with RO water though and likely not add anything to it besides nutrient and energizer

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

Thanks Rev. this is my weekend plan

 

[RevKev]

Let me know how it goes! I likely will try a 3 gal batch of this, cheers and good luck!

 

[dsaavedra]

Yeah, post an update after it's finished! I frequently see people asking about fermenting sugar water to make such a drink but every thread ends with people saying it will taste like **** and that's that. It would be cool to see how yours turns out!

 

[jayjaytuner]

easy way for some vodka mash wish i still had my still

 

[jayjaytuner]

already been mentionted, but seems like just mixing some seltzer water, flavoriing, fruice juice etc, with some good vodka would do the trick. but this is a homebrew forum. i'm curious how it comes out as well...

 

[applescrap]

Hey did you guys make this?

I suspect it's water and sugar fermented as you guys suspected. Then for flavoring I was thinking SodaStream water Essence flavoring. It's the flavoring you use to make seltzer water.

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

never ended up brewing it up, but I've added it back to my list to try, thanks for reviving this, I bought the flavoring to add after fermentation but never put it all together.

 

[applescrap]

One of them has a little hops, i think it says mandarina on it.

 

[BadAssBrews]

Evening! Not wanting to highjack the thread, but interested! So Newb question... Is there a difference between all of the flavoring extracts? This sounds so refreshing, that I would love to have some Huckleberry Sparkling Water! TIA

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

Not really I think most of it is just boiled down concentrate. Too much liquid, and it's basically just wine.

 

[applescrap]

Not really I think most of it is just boiled down concentrate. Too much liquid, and it's basically just wine.

?

 

[applescrap]

I would think there is a difference between the flavoring extracts, sure. Not quite sure your question, but i have the soda stream water essence flavors and they are made for making flavored seltzer water. I think something like this would be perfect for this application.

 

[applescrap]

I just realized i have my old mr beer fermenters and some cheap champagne yeast, and sugar. I should give it a go. 2.5 gallons water. 2.5 pounds sugar? Im not a math whiz and i dont own a hydrometer so need a little help here. Add some yeast nutrient. Ferment, flavor and force carb.

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

That's what I was thinking. Water nutrient sugar and yeast. Then flavor.

 

[TGFV]

Look up and research "Kilju" it's what you are looking for exactly.

For the most part it tastes like absolute crap, but is often fermented with ec-118 or turbo yeast until maxed out (which is why it tastes like **** probably).

If I was making it myself for drinking, I would use sugar for 5%, water, yeast nutrient, and a massive starter of a wine yeast fermented at the very low ends if the spectrum.

As for what the Smirnoff and other alcopops are made of, it varies greatly by country do to laws.

In the US they are malt beverages filtered until tasteless and then flavoured. In Canada and the rest of the sensible world they are carbonated vodka drinks.

 

[applescrap]

Have you made it?

You say, "for the most part it tastes like absolute crap," and "this is why it tastes like poopy"

(Rant coming)

I have seen this sentiment over and over about how bad its going to taste, etc...All, literally All from people who have never made it, not a one. This bothers me, A LOT. I am sure you are a great guy, just this kind of thinking bothers me. I think it was Marshall who said this thinking is standing in the way of progress.

For the life of me, I just cant understand what compels a person (almost always male) to get on a thread where someone is interested in making something and tell everyone its going to taste awful, or they are some sort of idiot, etc...when they havent made it! Like I said I am not referring to you, and I know you mean no ill will. If you have made it please share amounts you used, fermentation notes, taste, flavorings, etc.. Sadly, these type of comments are repeated on every thread about this stuff and are getting in the way of progress. We all know this isnt a neipa. My wife likes the stuff and i like low calories. And around the pool its an easy drinker.

I think I am going to make it this morning. And hope this wasnt to personal, i dont want to not be friends with you. Cheers

 

[TGFV]

I have made kilju a few times (3), and have also tasted sugar wash before it's been used.

Two of the times I made it was with wine yeast around 8-10%, and the washes were 15&22%.

The problem with sugar washes and kilju is the complete lack of nutrients and proper flavouring .

Plenty of recipies here for wine (Skeeter pee, dandilion, hell any low sugar to volume berry) are primarily sugar fermentations, and while many people may get offended by that because of the connotation with hooch, it's the truth.

What sets them apart is what is used to flavour and in what amount.

If you want as "neutral" a flavour as possible, like I mentioned above, aim for 4-5% and use a lager, kolsch or low temp and ester wine yeast so you can ferment as cool as possible. A few finns I knew did this method and they swore by it.

Edit* and no harm done, I understand the frustration of everyone crapping on something that they haven't actually done or know of being done personally.

 

[applescrap]

This is so good to hear. I am so glad you have actually made it. Hopefully you can really help us dial this in. Literally you are the first in these threads that has experience from what I have seen.

I have noticed, with cider, and with this, and Hard Lemonade that many have made these high alcohol versions. If I understand your previous batches correctly yours were little higher alcohol as well. Before I made cider I heard about how long it takes to be ready. It makes sense that if you use sugar and get up to 15% it's not going to taste very pleasant at first and will need time to condition. That being said I'm shooting for 4/5 percent just as you said. You make a great point though. A fruit or cider might also make a low calorie light drink and be more pleasant than just sugar water. But I kind of am looking for that really neutral flavor. The Sodastream Essence will do a great job of giving it a little taste.

 

[TGFV]

While I am fully in favour of you going forward with this (I personally love screwing around with crazy recipies and ideas), I do want to warn you this may end in faliure your first few attempts.


So here goes with some questions:


1) what size batch are you making?


2)Are you wanting any flavour or as neutral as possible?


3)how are you carbonating (or are you)


4) how are you storing your drink?


5) what fermentables are you planning to use?

6) do you want sweet or dry


Myself personally If I was making a semi neutral I would go with something like this:

1 Gal
.75# sugar
1/2cup chopped raisons
1 cup lemon juice concentrate
1tbsp citric acid
Ec-1118
Yeast nutrient

I would boil 1gal water with the sugar and citric acid to properly invert it (stresses the yeast even less), cool and add to fermenter with raisons and lemon juice concentrate. Cool to pitch temp and pitch a small starter of EC-1118 and keep the temp in the 50s.

This would give you a slight bodied drink with the tiniest hint of citrus which goes with most Smirnoff style flavourings (and personally I think would go with anything) and would ferment out to roughly 4.5-5%.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I'm out of home brew, and I'm looking for low alcohol & low calorie, 4-5% ABV, hard water drink. Need to shed this beer gut.

I was thinking something like an invert but with a vanilla corn syrup and citric acid, roughly 3lbs, like an extract beer and hitting it with a few cans of pureed Oregon fruit at the end of the boil. When cool hit it with pectic enzyme and safale S-04. This yeast ferments fast and clears quickly for cask ale application.

Could be a fun experiment.

Even a slightly diluted cider with a late fruit addition could work too. Even a weak mead, or a 4-5% pyment.

 

[Schlenkerla]

While I am fully in favour of you going forward with this (I personally love screwing around with crazy recipies and ideas), I do want to warn you this may end in faliure your first few attempts.


So here goes with some questions:


1) what size batch are you making?


2)Are you wanting any flavour or as neutral as possible?


3)how are you carbonating (or are you)


4) how are you storing your drink?


5) what fermentables are you planning to use?

6) do you want sweet or dry


Myself personally If I was making a semi neutral I would go with something like this:

1 Gal
.75# sugar
1/2cup chopped raisons
1 cup lemon juice concentrate
1tbsp citric acid
Ec-1118
Yeast nutrient

I would boil 1gal water with the sugar and citric acid to properly invert it (stresses the yeast even less), cool and add to fermenter with raisons and lemon juice concentrate. Cool to pitch temp and pitch a small starter of EC-1118 and keep the temp in the 50s.

This would give you a slight bodied drink with the tiniest hint of citrus which goes with most Smirnoff style flavourings (and personally I think would go with anything) and would ferment out to roughly 4.5-5%.

This idea would allow for some visual defect of haze due the use to lemon juice....

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I'm out of home brew, and I'm looking for low alcohol & low calorie, 4-5% ABV, hard water drink. Need to shed this beer gut.

I was thinking something like an invert but with a vanilla corn syrup and citric acid, roughly 3lbs, like an extract beer and hitting it with a few cans of pureed Oregon fruit at the end of the boil. When cool hit it with pectic enzyme and safale S-04. This yeast ferments fast and clears quickly for cask ale application.

Could be a fun experiment.

Even a slightly diluted cider with a late fruit addition could work too. Even a weak mead, or a 4-5% pyment.

I love this idea, it'd almost be a weak watered down wine with the pureed fruit, but using beer yeast. keep us posted!

 

[Schlenkerla]

Gonna kick off a Hopped Peach Hydromel (Short Mead) - "Pooch" tomorrow. Pooch as in peach hooch.

http://www.stormthecastle.com/mead/articles/the-comprehensive-guide-to-types-and-names-of-mead.htm

Recipe is two pages...the last ingredient is Safale S-33.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Recipe's numeral data...

 

[Schlenkerla]

Almost forgot....Cost info

I believe I bought twice as much corn syrup as needed. I bought four, I think I only need two at 1lb 8.7 per bottle. Two weigh 3lbs 1.5 ounces.

Just under $20 dollars for the fermentables. I had the yeast and hops in my fridge. It's $3 less for the reduced corn syrup, but adding the hops and yeast add about $5. Realistically its more like $22. I'm using filtered tap water.

 

[TGFV]

There is an amazing but relatively re clusive book called "brew it yourself" (took several stores to be found but when I did the store had like 50 copies)

There have several recipies for drinks that are pretty much flavoured sugar washes, or flavoured light coolers.

I'll see if I can find a few of them when I find the book (probably in the morning after work). You might like the fruit cocktail fizzy drink recipie

 

[Schlenkerla]

There is an amazing but relatively re clusive book called "brew it yourself" (took several stores to be found but when I did the store had like 50 copies)

There have several recipies for drinks that are pretty much flavoured sugar washes, or flavoured light coolers.

I'll see if I can find a few of them when I find the book (probably in the morning after work). You might like the fruit cocktail fizzy drink recipie

Sounds cool!!!

I thought that making a low ABV mead with corn syrup, hops and fruit might be pretty dry and easy drinking. Making it like an extract beer.

I think this will be dry with all the sugar. Hopefully it's not hangover inducing mead.

After reading a bit it's a bit like Metheglin- Hydromel. Metheglin for the hops, Hydromel for low gravity with peaches.

 

[TGFV]

Sort of, just a heads up that honey, even smaller amounts, needs some more time to be at it's full potential.

I'll try and find the recipies when I get home.

Also another good quick drink is country wine coolers.

I usually have a jug in the fridge for summertime, and all you need is a large (1gal roughly) bottle of juice you like, say Cran rasberry, ferment it in a 1gal fermenter until bone dry, and either back stabalize and backsweeten ot simply backsweeten and keep in the fridge after returning to its original jug.

 

[madscientist451]

Have you made it?

You say, "for the most part it tastes like absolute crap," and "this is why it tastes like poopy"

(Rant coming)

I have seen this sentiment over and over about how bad its going to taste, etc...All, literally All from people who have never made it, not a one. This bothers me, A LOT.

It IS going to taste bad.....but that's MY PERCEPTION

How do I know? Because several years ago I did a variety of fermentation "experiments"
using many different sugar based recipes. Basically I was trying to see if I could ferment an acceptable beverage with ordinary items from the local supermarket.
Most of what I made was eventually consumed, but they all needed substantial amounts of other flavored beverages added to them to make them drinkable.
My conclusion was that getting proper wine grapes, cider apples or other ingredients to ferment WITHOUT added sugar was essential to make something I would like.
The exception would be something like a barrel aged imperial stout, where the rocket fuel alcohol note is muted/complimented by the dark malts and barrel aging.

Everyone has different tastes, what some people like, others can't stand.

 

[applescrap]

Wow, the ball is really getting rolling here. Just had a 12 pack of truly for my wife and i had a few. Egads its not very good. Schlenkerla's recipe sounds way better. The ingredients listed are here. It tasted very much like the sodastram seltzer water flavor. Made me wonder if water, vodka, and flavor could be carbed. Cant wait to hear how your recipe turns out schlenkerla and this is getting so interesting.