Man, I love Apfelwein - Page 103

Tophe · 03-08-2007, 10:51 PM

sweet....anyone else have an idea. I was going to make this tonight, unless someone tells me the Vitamin C is bad.

MikeRLynch · 03-08-2007, 11:48 PM

I'm pretty sure the vitamin c is there to preserve color. Regardless of it's purpose, I've used juice with it and had no problems.

Tophe · 03-09-2007, 01:15 AM

Oh, I tried a different yeast also. I used Lalvin D-47. They didnt have the one Ed used at the HBS

jdcoffman · 03-09-2007, 01:33 AM

I'd say Vit. C just makes it more healthy... meaning you can drink more before feeling bad about it :-)

I'll share my rocket fuel with you if you want...

jdcoffman · 03-09-2007, 09:54 PM

So... my rocket fuel should be movin and groovin by now.. but it's really not.

Here's what I've got so far (I promise I'm TRYING to be patient)...

Exhibit A) A seemingly possessed perfect circle of a ring of bubbles/krueson on the top abotu 2 inches from the sides of the carboy)

Exhibit B) A few stray 'patches' of bubbles inside the circle (none outside, am I being warned by something OUT THERE?).

Exhibit C) I've observed no airlock activity since starting my rocket fuel

So, basically, I see the two signs of some fermentation going on, but the third is a little disheartening because I'm using a brand new plug and airlock with a tight seal, so I can't imagine the air escaping somehow else... but i'm just not sure. We're on Day 4 I think since throwing this all together.

I'm thinking this weekend I might just take a sample out and test it, make sure something's happening maybe?

**BierMuncher** · 03-09-2007, 10:28 PM

Four days? Get in there and take a sample now.

Maybe your yeasties are in a sugar coma with all the dextrose you added...

It may also be (here comes an uneducated guess) that the high sugar content is really overwhelming the yeast and it may take a little longer for them to gain
"strength in numbers".

I dunno. I'm drinking a homebrew and brewing a Wit.

I dunno.

jdcoffman · 03-09-2007, 10:59 PM

Well I just took a quick hydro reading with my thief and dropping in the meter, got 1.082 adjusted (yikes!) ... however when I snuck a taste, I'm not picking up on the alcohol which I would expect at this point...

it tasted like... sweetened applejuice, with some extra 'tack' to the mouthfeel. I don't really know what to think, I suppose I could do a personal evaluation of how much/how little it's fermented out by grabbing a glass and see how many it takes to make Katie Couric look good on the news tonight ;-)

Any ideas?

**EdWort** · 03-09-2007, 11:17 PM

I'd pour half of it into another carboy and top it off with more apple juice (no dextrose this time) plus a fresh packet of Montrachet.

My stuff has never taken longer than overnight to see fermentation action.

jdcoffman · 03-09-2007, 11:23 PM

That's what I was afraid of, and alas I have no more montrachet, just a bag of muntons and some liquid ale yeasts darnit.

I guess I'll place an order for some yeast and whatnot and maybe tackle this again next week.

I'm such an idiot.

Tophe · 03-09-2007, 11:35 PM

Mine is bubbling every 35-40 seconds in the airlock. I have no foam or krausen going on.

I used Lavlin D-47 yeast, which ive never used before. Its been almost 24 hours since I pitched the yeast. Im hoping the activity will pick up in the next 12 hours. I do have another pack of yeast for back up if needed.