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**tuckferrorists** · 09-11-2012, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solbes

Taste report on that 4 yr old keg please!! If you purged the O2 out in '08, I bet it will be out of this world fantastic. Makes me wish I had starting hiding away kegs of brew like a squirrel back when I started this hobby.

About to start my annual fall batch. This time I am adding 2 cans of frozen concentrate & 1 lb brown sugar to the 5 gallons of apple juice. Hopefully just a little extra apple flavor from the concentrate as it ages. Once its ready for bottling, I will likely carb with a can of frozen concentrate also.

It is truly fantastic. It's so smooth and not as bone dry as I'd remembered. It was gassed, but not carbed for those 4 years. It has been in a spare bedroom for nearly all of and into the attic for about 3 months because that spare room became another nursery.

Vox · 09-11-2012, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcp197

Made my first batch of this today and I'm excite to have it on hand in 1 month!! I followed this recipe exactly. Are there any other versions out there that have gotten rave reviews to consider for next time?

If by on hand you mean drinkable, I would advise you do not count on that. I bottled at six weeks and it tasted like rocket fuel. From reading hundreds of posts in this thread. Aging three to six months sounds like the minimum suggested time frame.

BikeAndBrew · 09-11-2012, 10:16 PM

I am considering adding some chamomile in with my apfelwein after I transfer it to a secondary to help bring out the apple flavor. Anyone tried this? Anyone have suggestions as to how much I should put in? I am brewing a 5 gallon batch. Thanks.

**chumpsteak** · 09-12-2012, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vox

If by on hand you mean drinkable, I would advise you do not count on that. I bottled at six weeks and it tasted like rocket fuel. From reading hundreds of posts in this thread. Aging three to six months sounds like the minimum suggested time frame.

Make it without the added sugar and control your ferm temps in the mid 60's and you can easily drink it in about a month or so. Still gets better with age but no fusels or other nasty stuff this way.

Vox · 09-12-2012, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chumpsteak

Make it without the added sugar and control your ferm temps in the mid 60's and you can easily drink it in about a month or so. Still gets better with age but no fusels or other nasty stuff this way.

By added sugar, do you mean that you don't add any of the sugar in the recipe beyond the natural sugars in the juice?

**BrewerBear** · 09-12-2012, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vox

By added sugar, do you mean that you don't add any of the sugar in the recipe beyond the natural sugars in the juice?

I believe that is exactly what is meant.Less sugar = quicker turnaround time.

**Sippin37** · 09-12-2012, 12:46 PM

Yes I did the same thing, just 5 gallons of Apple juice and yeast. Took about a month for it to clear and then bottled it, tasted great 4 weeks later carbed up. I fermented in mid 70s and there were no esters from the yeast.

Vox · 09-12-2012, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrewerBear

I believe that is exactly what is meant.Less sugar = quicker turnaround time.

Does this leave a dry, low abv cider?

**Sippin37** · 09-12-2012, 04:10 PM

It's really not so dry, definitely leaves more residual sweetness. About 6-6.5% ABV. I believe my FG got down to 1.002 whereas the people adding extra sugar were getting down to 0.098 or so.

I just wish I carbed mine a little more, it was only at like 2 volumes when I wish it was closer to 3. It's more like a sweet apple wine with slight carbonation.

jab007 · 09-12-2012, 06:26 PM

Bottled 9/10/2012. Age approximately 3 1/2 months in carboy.