Ice Ice (Tea) Baby

[Laurin]

I finally could use my mates fermenting bin and made the iced tea I wanted to. I made a 5 gallon batch and the calculated OG was 1.053. I could use the hydrometer because peach bit were floating round everywhere.


Ingredients

24 cans of Tesco Value sliced peaches
250g PG Tips loose tea
200g instant lemon tea from Lidl
2kg granulated sugar
5tsp each of malic acid, pectolase, yeast nutrients
Gervins English ale yeast
water


With the loose tea I took a bit of a hopping approach and used 1/3 for bittering and 2/3 for aroma. The bittering tea was simmering for 30 min and the aroma tea was just brewed normally for about 2-3 min.
All the tea was added to the peaches (they made up 2 gallons) in the fermenting bin, as well as the malic acid, pectolase and the yeast nutrients.
The sugar and the instant tea mixed with water was brought to a quick boil and added as well.
Cold water was added to make it to 5 gallons and then I mixed everything properly and aerated as well. I could use my new 18v drill so much easier.
Then I pitched the hydrated mini yeast starter and mixed everything thoroughly.

 

[Laurin]

Almost forgot I wanted to ask if anybody ever tried to make any "wine" with this instant tea? It doesn't have any preservatives or sweeteners. If the instructions are followed it would make 4l with 95g sugar per litre which is about 1.037. They have them at Lidl in Lemon and Berries and they cost £ 1.29.

 

[alanywiseman.]

Sounds interesting, where did you get the recipe?

 

[Laurin]

I looked around online and then kind of made it up.

 

[alanywiseman.]

Im interested to hear how it turns out. Sounds like a lovely summer tipple!

 

[Laurin]

I was just thinking if I should brew it for a bit at higher temperatures (22C-23C) to get a bit of fruity esthers in there or is that a bad idea?

 

[Laurin]

Started bubbling now slowly but steady. I might wrap it in a blanket or so I think the temperature might be a bit too low.

 

[Laurin]

I opened the bin today and took of the layer of peach mush it was about an inch thick.

 

[Laurin]

Took another gravity reading and it is down to 0.995. Will rack soon when I have time and add finings and then treat it with campden tablet and potassium sorbate and sweeten to taste.