How long does it take to carbonate this? 1-2 weeks like beer or have some experienced longer times? (I have 12 and 22 oz beer bottles and 1 liter soda bottles.)
I started a 3 gallon batch on 5/06 and I want to take some to a party on 7/10. The original directions state: "After at least 4 weeks, you can keg or bottle, but it is ok to leave it in the carboy for another month or so."
I have a total of 9 weeks: I have 7 weeks to leave in the carboy if it only takes 2 weeks to carb. Should I bottle at 6 weeks just to be safe? Am I compromising a lot of flavor in that one week? As always, your thoughts and input are most appreciated!
I'm drinking one right now that is two months old, about one month bottle conditioned. the carbonation is just now noticeable, but I think the future I wont carb it unless i keg it. I'm pleasantly surprised at how different it tastes after letting it sit. from first month to second month there is a noticeable difference.
I think I"m going to do another batch next week and let it sit until the wife and I get back from switzerland and rome. I'm thinking about doing brown sugar this time just for something different.
Ok, go with me here, Just finished off a batch of EW apfelwine, LOVE IT, but the wife would like it a bit sweeter and Maybe make it pink!! Ok, I think I get the sweet thing, Add 1lb of Non fermentable sugar and it should sweeten up, but I have also read that you can add one or two cans of apple concentrate. this both adds to the sugar levels and but helps make the wine taste more like apples. So how about this, ill add the 1lb of NF sugar, but also add a Razberry or cherry concentrate to give it an apple/Raz or Cherry taste. This should make the wife happy and fix my sweet problem correct?
Has anyone added another concentrate to change the taste a bit? Kinda like an woodchuck cherry cider. Has anyone done this? Can you help a brewer out?? Thoughts?
I used a half gallon of blueberry pomegranate juice to 4 gallons of apple in mine. It didn't really affect the color much, even though the bluberry/pom was really dark purpley-red. You get a hint of the flavor, but not much. You might need to move closer to 1/3 to 1/2 to really get the color to come through.
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I'm drinking one right now that is two months old, about one month bottle conditioned. the carbonation is just now noticeable, but I think the future I wont carb it unless i keg it. I'm pleasantly surprised at how different it tastes after letting it sit. from first month to second month there is a noticeable difference.
I think I"m going to do another batch next week and let it sit until the wife and I get back from switzerland and rome. I'm thinking about doing brown sugar this time just for something different.
So is your Apfelwein a total of 2 months old or two months in the carboy and one month bottle conditioning for a total of three months? Thanks for your help! (I'm starting another batch of 5 gallons this weekend. Envy your going to Switzerland and Italy!!! Have fun!)
I like to let mine sit for several months. I have one I made in march still in the carboy. Will probably transfer it in a few weeks and let it sit in a keg for a couple more months. It gets sooo much better the longer it sits! I'll most likely transfer it to keg, and dump more sugar and applejuice on the yeast cake.
Seriously.... (or srsly?)... this stuff is cheap as hooch. Make up a metric ton, and let it sit. You'll thank me later. You wouldn't drink a bottle of wine in a restaurant that was dated 'March 2009' tonight, would you?
I am drinking a keg from 7/08 right now, and I have a keg from 12/08 which is aging that will go in after that. I will start a new batch very soon now... since my kegs of apfelwein last me about 5-6 months. (Yes, it's just me that drinks it, and I don't drink it every day )
My last batch of Apfelwein was great! I just started another batch but I used 3.75 gallons of White grape-peach juice, a half gallon of white grape-cherry, and only about a gallon of apple juice. I hope it turns out alright!
Last edited by spriggan486; 05-20-2009 at 05:12 PM.
You know this stuff is amazing when you have some left in the bottling bucket, pour it over ice, and get slowly hammered on a Wed. afternoon. I'm toying with the idea of spiking mine with a little pomegranate or blueberry juice on the next batch for color.
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