29/08/2023, 17:00 Learning Blog Other Drinks Hard Lemonade (Alcoholic)

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Hard Lemonade (Alcoholic)

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29/08/2023, 17:00 Learning Blog Other Drinks Hard Lemonade (Alcoholic)

This recipe makes a semi-sweet alcoholic lemonade of about 4.5%

strength. You can vary the sweetness by varying the amount of lactose in
the recipe or make it dry by leaving the lactose out altogether (see notes)

You will need:

• A 25 or 30 litre fermenter *
 • Enough bottles for 20 litres of lemonade
• A priming scoop for measuring sugar into the bottles *
• Homebrew sterilizing compound *
• Beer or screw top softdrink bottles
 
Ingredients:

• 2kg dextrose *
• 500g lactose *
• 12-24 lemons, sliced or chopped ne including peel
• up to 50g crushed or grated fresh ginger (optional)
• 5g yeast nutrient (https://www.australianhomebrewing.com.au/yeast-
 
nutrient-25g) *
• 1 sachet SAFale yeast *
• Water to make up 22 litres of wort *
* (Available from Liquorcraft)
 
Method:

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29/08/2023, 17:00 Learning Blog Other Drinks Hard Lemonade (Alcoholic)

• Heat 5 litres of water then add dextrose, lactose, lemons & ginger &
simmer for 20 minutes.

• Sterilize your fermenter according to directions on the sterilizing

compound.

• Add about 12 litres of cold water into your fermenter. Pour the hot
mixture through a straining bag (available at homebrew suppliers) into the
fermenter.

• Top up with cold water to the 22 litre mark add the yeast nutrient & stir
well.

• Make sure the temperature is 30C or less & add the yeast, t a
fermentation lock in the lid of the fermenter & half ll it with water.

 
• The fermentation should start within 24 hours although it usually ony
takes a couple of hours to start. When it starts, bubbles should be rising
through the lemonade & stream through the water in the airlock.

• Allow the lemonade to ferment until it stops then allow it to settle & clear
for 48 hours.

• Use a priming scoop (available from Liquorcraft) to add a measure of

sugar to each bottle.

• Fill the bottle to about 50mm from the top then seal it rmly with a
crown seal or screw cap.

• Store these bottles in a warm place for a week or 2 to allow them to

condition (become zzy). They will now be ready to drink.
 
Notes:
You can vary the quantities of lemons & ginger to suit your own taste.
You cannot use sugar or glucose to sweeten a bottle fermented drink like
this because it will cause the bottles to explode. This lemonade is
sweetened with lactose which is a non-fermentable sweetener. You can
add more or less lactose to suit your own taste. As a rough guide, lactose is
about half as sweet as sugar.

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29/08/2023, 17:00 Learning Blog Other Drinks Hard Lemonade (Alcoholic)

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