Eric’s “Extra Hard” Lemonade

• Start by making the limoncello (optional). Zest 20 lemons and add that zest in a mason jar (ensure that you only get the yellow rind and not the white pith). Pour 1 bottle of vodka into that jar and close. Place the mason jar in a water bath with an immersion circulator set to 135F and cook for 2 hours. After 2 hours strain the vodka through a cheese cloth and add 2-3 cups of simple syrup. This is added to taste. Once your limoncello is sweetened the way you like it bottle it up and refrigerate to use later.
• To make invert sugar take the kilo of sugar that the recipe calls for and place it in a pot on the stove top. Add 2 cups of water and turn the heat on medium high. Once the sugar starts to simmer reduce the heat to medium and add ¼ tsp of citric acid (or cream of tartar). Whisk to incorporate. Stirring often bring the temperature of the sugar solution up to 237f (114c). If sugar starts to crystalize on the walls of your pot simply take a basting brush and dip it in water, then use that to clean the walls of your pot. After your sugar solution has hit the target temperature remove it from the stove and set to the side to cool.
• Clean and sanitize all of the components of the IGulu Home Brewing Device. Add all of the invert sugar that you just made along with the juice from 20 lemons and enough water to fill the IGulu keg up to the max line (128oz). At this time, you can take the Original Gravity of your solution. It should be around 1.096.
• Place the yeast that the recipe calls for in a small cup and add some of your lemonade mixture. Let the yeast become active (30 minutes). While this is happening add the yeast nutrient to the Keg, close the keg and give it a good shake. This will help incorporate oxygen into your mixture. After the yeast is fully active, add it to the keg and close the keg off. Put the pressure ring on the keg and place the keg into the IGulu base. Using Master Mode create a recipe that looks like this
• 1 day 82.4f 16psi

  16 days 64.4f 16ps

  3 days 37.4f 4psi
• After 15 total days, take another reading (2 days before the second cycle in your recipe ends). Your final gravity should be close to or under 1.000. Once you hit that target remove the keg from the IGulu base and add 1 crushed campden tablet to your lemonade mixture. Place the keg back in the IGulu base and wait 24 hours. The following day remove the keg from the base and add ½ tsp of potassium sorbate to the keg. Stir to incorporate. Place the Keg back into the IGulu base. These two additions are to stabilize the lemonade.
• Once your recipe has finished you can now rack the lemonade into a different sanitized container. After racking, add 1 quart of your home made limoncello (optional) and the juice from 20 lemons. Taste and adjust for acidity and sweetness (if you would like it to be sweeter add a little simple sugar if you want more lemon flavor add more lemon juice).
• Once you get the lemonade where you like it, place it back in a clean and sanitized IGulu keg and return it to the machine. With cooling mode now on turn on the CO2 and set the level to 25psi. Let the IGulu force carbonate for 4 days then reduce the pressure to your final serving pressure (I prefer 12psi for this lemonade) and allow the machine to run undisturbed for 3 additional days. At this point your lemonade is finished and you can either leave it in the machine and use the IGulu as the dispensing unit or you can bottle the Extra Hard Lemonade in flip top bottles and refrigerate.

NOTES

• If you prefer to not add the limoncello then simply add the juice from 20 lemons and 1 – 1.5 cups of simple syrup (If you go this route then your final product will have an ABV that’s close to 6.25% – 7.35% ).
• Make sure that all of your equipment is cleaned and sanitized at each step through this process
• This recipe yields roughly 19 cups or 152oz (4495ml)