Hard Seltzer Fermentation Tracking with EasyDens
The Hard Seltzer brewing trend has come to stay.
While fermentation is fermentation - Hard Seltzer is a totally different definition of brewing. "Seltzer" stands for sparkling water, "Hard" for alcohol. So using only sugar and water, Hard Seltzer starts out clear which gives us a free hand in choosing the flavor.
This beverage has gained popularity, not only because of its low caloric content, but also because it is a great alternative to your everyday-brewing routines. With a short fermentation time, your Seltzer only needs one to two weeks until it is ready to drink.
Sounds great, but how is Hard Seltzer actually made?
For fermentation of Hard Seltzer, all you need is:
- Glass balloon
- Airlock
- Distilled water
- Sugar
- Yeast nutrient
- Yeast
After fermentation is finished:
- Add your favorite flavor
A sugar-water mixture, yeast nutrients and yeast are added which converts sugar to alcohol during fermentation. When the fermentation is finished the typical alcohol content should be between 3% v/v and 5% v/v.
You want to keep it simple, but still understand the process?
EasyDens allows you to follow the fermentation process and determine the alcohol (% ABV) content of your Hard Seltzer.
A daily sample of 2mL is all you need to determine the specific gravity (SG) of your beverage. In order to obtain reproducible and correct measuring results, it is important to degas the sample before you start, as it gets really sparkling throughout the process.
Here you can find an instruction with methods for simple and fast degassing of your sample.
Using the associated Brew Meister for EasyDens mobile app, you can store your measuring data within a batch and track the fermentation process of your brew. Additionally, in a graphic chart, you can check how much sugar is consumed and alcohol is produced already. To determine the alcohol content of your Hard Seltzer you only have to select "Original Gravity" (SG before fermentation) and "Final Gravity" (SG during/after fermentation) and the app will calculate the estimated ABV for you. No additional calculations are necessary.
When you have found your favorite Hard Seltzer and your preferred ABV content, EasyDens helps you to recreate the same taste for every new batch.
Here you can find everything you need for an easy start into brewing your first gallon Hard Seltzer:
