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zosch · 07-04-2012, 06:30 PM

I've made 3 batches of this now with a friend and each time it ends up having a very sour taste. The first batch we followed the EdWort recipe exactly, but the other two we changed up the sugars. The result has been the same a sour tasting wine. We left it in primary for over a month. Anyone else get something sour?

**rico567** · 07-04-2012, 06:56 PM

My batch (first full batch, I did a 1 gal test batch last year) was made from 5 gals. of late season cider from a local orchard. It fermented out very dry (0.998), but no sourness. Six months after pitching, and two after bottling, it has a nice apple flavor, but would be quite dry for the tastes of many people. Some people backsweeten, but I like it the way it is. I have no explanation for the sourness in your batches.

zosch · 07-04-2012, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rico567

My batch (first full batch, I did a 1 gal test batch last year) was made from 5 gals. of late season cider from a local orchard. It fermented out very dry (0.998), but no sourness. Six months after pitching, and two after bottling, it has a nice apple flavor, but would be quite dry for the tastes of many people. Some people backsweeten, but I like it the way it is. I have no explanation for the sourness in your batches.

The only thing I can think of is the room they were fermenting in got a bit hot. Maybe that caused the off flavors? I recently moved and my basement is a stable 68 degrees F I'm going to try a batch down there and compare.

Jboyles123 · 07-05-2012, 03:56 AM

I bottled my batch after almost 7 weeks in primary, I used montrachet yeast. Final gravity was 0.999. The yeastcake was solid and it had cleared nicely. I put 5oz of corn sugar in the 5 GAL batch and bottled some in flip top bottles and some in 16oz pet bottles. It's been 5 days at 70-75 degRees and the pet bottles are still soft and have no sediment in them. Does it take a long time for apfelwein to carbonate? Will there be yeast sediment in them? Usually my beer has some sediment by this time.

Justintoxicated · 07-05-2012, 06:42 PM

Started a 5 gallon batch last night using Kirkland Apple Juice but following the original recipe in the OP. I did not see any fermentation this morning like my friend say after the first hour or so. Hope the yeast was viable, this is my first attempt at brewing anything. I set my fermentation chamber to 66 degrees, so typically the air temp seem to be a bit lower say 63-66.

chipsmcghee · 07-05-2012, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmatics

Just sampled my 1st batch upon racking to secondary to free up my better bottle. All I can say is, wow that was easy, and damn good, even at only 3 weeks or so. I have a question though. I followed originally recipe on page 1, but for only a 4 gallon batch, my original OG came to 1.052, I didn't have more sugar, so I let that go a week or so until it went to about ~1.00, I then added table sugar to bring it up to 1.022. Upon racking today it was 1.006. How should I figure the ABV for a late sugar addition like that? Is it just 1.052 + 1.022? as my new OG?

Thanks again for the community for making this so easy. Next time I will take better notes so I remember what the hell I just did.

John

3 weeks! WOW! I am getting excited. I hate waiting. May I ask, at 3 weeks had your yeast stopped working yet or were they still going?

Also, sorry I can't answer your OG question. This is my first batch and I have no idea how to calculate that. To show you how "systematic" I am, I made my 3 gallon batch by using 3 pint glasses filled with dextrose. I am pretty sure it was accurate

chipsmcghee · 07-05-2012, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justintoxicated

Started a 5 gallon batch last night using Kirkland Apple Juice but following the original recipe in the OP. I did not see any fermentation this morning like my friend say after the first hour or so. Hope the yeast was viable, this is my first attempt at brewing anything. I set my fermentation chamber to 66 degrees, so typically the air temp seem to be a bit lower say 63-66.

I used Lalvin 71b-1122 and I got airlock bubbles after 6 hours. I also accidentally put my 3 gallon bottle in an area of my house that vibrates due to the water heater. I know that doesn't make a difference but just saying. I'm a noobie.

tennesseean_87 · 07-06-2012, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jboyles123

I bottled my batch after almost 7 weeks in primary, I used montrachet yeast. Final gravity was 0.999. The yeastcake was solid and it had cleared nicely. I put 5oz of corn sugar in the 5 GAL batch and bottled some in flip top bottles and some in 16oz pet bottles. It's been 5 days at 70-75 degRees and the pet bottles are still soft and have no sediment in them. Does it take a long time for apfelwein to carbonate? Will there be yeast sediment in them? Usually my beer has some sediment by this time.

Higher alcohol may meaning longer for carbonation to occur. Less yeast from a longer primary may mean the same thing. I had a batch that took about a month before it properly carbed. At first I thought I'd messed up my sugar addition calculation, but it worked out in the end.

detlion1643 · 07-06-2012, 11:51 AM

I tested mine the other night after a month and a couple days in primary. It was really dry, actually to dry for my tastes. So, I added another 1lb of sugar to backsweeten, and noticed that there were little bubbles coming up to the top. I hope this little secondary ferment doesn't take it back to dry. I did bottle 5 that were dry so I could at least test them after a while, maybe I'll like it better after some aging.

davis119 · 07-06-2012, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by detlion1643

I tested mine the other night after a month and a couple days in primary. It was really dry, actually to dry for my tastes. So, I added another 1lb of sugar to backsweeten, and noticed that there were little bubbles coming up to the top. I hope this little secondary ferment doesn't take it back to dry. I did bottle 5 that were dry so I could at least test them after a while, maybe I'll like it better after some aging.

Id imagine you will bring it back to dry. You will need to put the yeast to feast before you add the sugar