Background Context

• I wanted to see what would happen.

Experiment Structure

• This process consisted of two experiments, a general feasibility of fermenting Prime hydration drink (will it ferment?), and a more involved true fermentation of Prime to a respectable ABV (how much will it ferment?)

Experimental Procedure - Will It Ferment?

• Several of the 355 mL Prime Hydration Ice Pop flavor bottles were used, because they were on sale at the store

• Regular ACTIVE yeast was used for the initial experiment

• Prime is sugar-free – most likely will need to add sugar for noticeable fermentation (covered below, BUT negative control and Prime-only treatments also included to confirm or reject this assumption)

• Additional concerns involved determining if the acidity of Prime (approximately 3.3 when tested with litmus paper) would impact yeast activity, which was covered in the experiment by including treatments treated with baking soda (assuming 1 tsp of baking soda raises pH of 240 mL of water by 1.0)

  • pH testing was conducted before the main experiment, by which it was determined a 1:3 ratio of Prime to distilled water would yield a “green” (neutral) result on a litmus paper test

• Treatments containing Prime treatment were treated in the following way, hereafter referred to as “the solute”:

  • Mix half of a bottle of Prime Ice Pop flavor (approx. 127.5 mL) with 1.5 teaspoons/tsp of sugar in a dish
  • (ONLY FOR BAKING SODA TREATMENTS) Add 3 tsp of baking soda, if this treatment is one of the +Baking Soda ones
  • measure to 15g of the solute

• Six treatments total:

  • Negative control bag, containing:
    • 50 mL of distilled water at 100°F-110°F to activate yeast
    • 5g of yeast
  • Positive control bag, containing:
    • 50 mL of distilled water at 100°F-110°F to activate yeast
    • 5g of yeast
    • 1.5 tsp of sugar
  • “Prime+Sugar” bag, containing:
    • 50 mL of distilled water at 100°F-110°F to activate yeast
    • 5g of yeast
    • 15g of the solute (see above, without baking soda step)
  • “Prime+Sugar+Baking Soda” bag, containing:
    • 50 mL of distilled water at 100°F-110°F to activate yeast
    • 5g of yeast
    • 15g of the solute (see above, with baking soda step included)
  • “Prime+++Sugar+Baking Soda” bag, containing:
    • 50 mL of distilled water at 100°F-110°F to activate yeast
    • 5g of yeast
    • 15g of the solute (see above, with baking soda step included and double sugar from 1.5 tsp to 3.0 tsp)
  • “Prime” bag, containing:
    • 50 mL of distilled water at 100°F-110°F to activate yeast
    • 5g of yeast
    • 15g of Prime, no sugar nor baking soda

Observations

• Experiment officially began at 9:02 PM my time. No visible activity, as expected.

Additional Notes from Observations

• Adding distilled water almost certainly raised the pH level enough to where the baking soda treatment wasn’t necessary (indeed, probably undesirable if fermenting this to drink, due to effects on flavor)
• Actual fermentation for consumption would strongly require brewer’s yeast– active bread yeast produced fermentation, but strong bread-like smell that, qualitatively and subjectively speaking, gross.
• Adding too much sugar might actually inhibit yeast activity, as seen from the Prime + 2x Sugar + Baking Soda treatment underperforming when compared to the Prime + Sugar + Baking Soda and Prime + Sugar treatments.

Photographic Evidence

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

Conclusions

• Our results clearly indicate not only is it possible to ferment Prime hydration drink into a consumable alcoholic beverage, but that it is not difficult to do so given the appropriate measurements of yeast, sugar, and distilled water hot enough to activate the yeast.
• The lack of activity in the negative control treatment proves there was no contamination that could’ve led to false positive yeast activity (eg if there was sugar residue in the bags, if the yeast packet itself was contaminated, etc)

Follow-up: Fermenting To Respectable ABV

• This one is a lot less in-depth/rigorous than the previous.
• Took a SANITIZED half-gallon mason jar and filled it with Prime (still the Ice Pop flavor)
• Added enough sugar to reach a 1.045 reading on a hydrometer (6% ABV assuming healthy fermentation– weak but I’m doing this for the meme, add more sugar if you want stronger shit)
  • This worked out to approximately 1.5 cups, but highly recommend going by a hydrometer’s readings for accuracy
• Did NOT raise pH with baking soda due to concerns of bacteria growth if pH level wasn’t acidic enough (this is the killer for things like kombucha, and other fermentables that don’t produce enough alcohol quick enough to stop bacteria. Always sanitize your gear no matter what you’re brewing)
• Used champagne yeast due to agreeable ABV range (about 6%-15%) and lack of additional flavors added to final beverage (no weird ale/lager/wine taste, just bubbly)
  • Used between a quarter and half of the bag (small individual packet bought at a fermentation shop)
• Added all the above together and hid it in a closet for about 10 days
• Hydrometer reading of the final product read about 6%– weak but acceptable for purpose of experiment
• Taste was very pleasant– sipped a small amount, bubbly effervescence like real champagne, with nice playful flavor of Ice Pop
• Dumped the rest because I’m 6 years sober and had no use for it after proving it’s possible

Photographic Evidence