Adapted from a recipe from Lenore - thank you, Lenore!
13 large, yellow limes (Tahitian, maybe?) juiced to make about 8 cups
3 cups organic, raw sugar, dissolved in 3 cups warm water on stove
1/2 cup chopped organic ginger root
added 4 cups water to make about 1 gallon
Mixed in 3 gallon carboy. Put a towel around the top, secured with a rubber band.
30 April 2011 - 14 days
We were worried about the brew because almost immediately it started growing white fungusy tubules on top. It *smelled* right, though. Later, the top acquired a frothy white mat that looked yeasty, so we decided to decant the liquid and take a taste.
Using tubing obtained at the local brewing store, we decanted the clearish middle liquid into used wine bottles, netting around 4 bottles. Some of the white scum did get in the mixture. We took careful sips and - ono! At least much better than expected! It tastes only lightly alcoholic, but still sweet enough. The lime flavor is forefront, with a bit of a ginger bite. Quite refreshing. It is certainly yeasty tasting and could use a clarification step. We drank full glasses and had no adverse effects, so - success!
3, May 2011
For fun, figuring out the potential alcohol for this recipe.
"Potential Alcohol (% vol) = glucose + fructose (g/L) ÷ 16.83"
used 3 cups of sugar = ~600g (not including the sugar in the limes)
in 1 gallon = ~4L
600g/4L / 16.83 = 8.91% if fermentation went to completion
