# Tannins Help



## SuiCIDER (6/12/10)

Hi guys, just went up to my LHBS this arvo looking for tannins to make a skeeter pee. They told me they are out of season and I'm unlikely to find any, is there something else I can use in place of tannins? 

What are tannins?! Help!


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## bradsbrew (6/12/10)

Chappo has them in all his beers...........but he is gay. h34r:


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## brando (6/12/10)

SuiCIDER said:


> Hi guys, just went up to my LHBS this arvo looking for tannins to make a skeeter pee. They told me they are out of season and I'm unlikely to find any, is there something else I can use in place of tannins?
> 
> What are tannins?! Help!




WTF does that mean?


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## manticle (6/12/10)

tannins, tannic acid- bitter astringent type thing found in tea and wood and grain among other things. 

I know nothing about skeeter pee but you could get tannins from some oak or some tea leaves. I have no idea whether you may get other flavours unwelcome in skeeter pee. I once knew a dog called skeeter so am understandably cautious about trying to replicate his urine for my own consumption.


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## SuiCIDER (6/12/10)

Skeeter pee is a lemon-wine, like a lemonade. Just wanted to try it over the summer months. I was thinking about using tea leaves, but I don't think that'd taste too good in a lemonade. Think I'll just have to wing it without using it.


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## manticle (6/12/10)

Try oak then.


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## Muggus (6/12/10)

Anthocyanins?
Which is essentially the astrigent, bitter reddish compound found in leaves, stalks, wood and fruit of plants; skin of red grapes contain alot, as do the seeds and stalks, all of which combine to add texture, flavour and tannin to a red wine.
I can imagine tannin would come in handy in preserving your brew due to their anti-oxidant action, but these are certainly things that can easily be overdone.


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## Tanga (7/12/10)

Damn, if only I had my wine book. In there there are instructions for using tea to add the tannins (with amounts) and oak as well (though I'm not sure if the amounts are available for that one - even if you can get it). It's Berry's wine-making book. Hit Chookers up - I think he's got it around. Although according to wikipedia those in tea are 'pseudo-tannins'. Just googling for quantities now - though the black tea may add colour you don't want. It seems raisins add tannin too - but they also add sugar and flavour, so not sure if you want to use them?


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## [email protected] (7/12/10)

Tannins are in grain. I don't know what skeeter pee is but if it involves mashing grains you could try doing the sparge at around 90-95 degrees. This should extract some tannins.


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## SuiCIDER (7/12/10)

I don't mind about the colour, I'm more concerned about the flavour that a black tea might impart. Raisins sound like a plausible solution, I might have a look at using some of them.


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## Tanga (7/12/10)

What do you think of sultanas? They will have tannins too, more sugar though, but a good flavour. I know a dude who made sultana wine and it was freakin' awesome! Tasted like brandy. Whichever you use you will have to look out for the sulphites otherwise it'll retard your ferment. Here's a way to get around it without losing too much flavour (hopefully).


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## Kai (8/12/10)

SuiCIDER said:


> Hi guys, just went up to my LHBS this arvo looking for tannins to make a skeeter pee. They told me they are out of season and I'm unlikely to find any, is there something else I can use in place of tannins?
> 
> What are tannins?! Help!



Out of season??

That's a good one.


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## praxis178 (8/12/10)

SuiCIDER said:


> I don't mind about the colour, I'm more concerned about the flavour that a black tea might impart. Raisins sound like a plausible solution, I might have a look at using some of them.



Tea turns a pale yellow/brown when you add lemon juice to it, so it shouldn't make too much difference to the over all colour of the finished pee...... Look for the blandest blend of leaf tea you can find (but not old or oxidized) and make a strong pot of it and go from there.


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