Bottling Apfelwein

I made a batch for the Ed Wort's Apfelwein day back on January 24, and racked it to a secondary after I thougth it was finished in about 6 weeks (I may have racked it a little early, but it is really close) and it has been aging at about 60 degrees ever since. My "aging" room is starting to get warm during the days, so I need to get this thing moved, plus I want my corny back.

I have decided that bottling it is the way to go, but I want some to be carbed, and some not to be carbed. So my plan is to bottle about half of it in a non carbed fashion, then add the whatever I need for priming sugar and bottle.

How much priming sugar do you think I will need, and will it still prime after all this time?

OR.... I could force carb and bottle from the carboy using the BMBF method, but not sure how that will work with this and how long it will stay good???

Thoughts???

I am doing the exact same thing, I'd like to hear what other people have to do this, as well.

So the apfelwein is currently in a corny for secondary? You could use ~2.5 oz priming sugar in half and bottle the other half with no sugar, or bottle half with no sugar and force carb the other half to bottle; I don't think it would make much difference. As far as yeast viability, I would think you would still be all right, but it may not hurt to pick up another pack of Montrachet for under a buck and toss a few yeast "pellets" in each bottle. FWIW, I just kegged a back of apfelwein that has been in primary sitting on the yeast cake since 12/29 and it tastes fine, so time may not be too crucial for the transfer.

phidelt844 said:

So the apfelwein is currently in a corny for secondary? You could use ~2.5 oz priming sugar in half and bottle the other half with no sugar, or bottle half with no sugar and force carb the other half to bottle; I don't think it would make much difference. As far as yeast viability, I would think you would still be all right, but it may not hurt to pick up another pack of Montrachet for under a buck and toss a few yeast "pellets" in each bottle. FWIW, I just kegged a back of apfelwein that has been in primary sitting on the yeast cake since 12/29 and it tastes fine, so time may not be too crucial for the transfer.

Click to expand...

Yes, its sitting in a corny keg right now. Its cooled off again, and I am still involved in my little bathroom remodel, so its looking like Sunday before I get to this.

I made a 3 gallon batch and I want to say I used 5.5 ounces of corn sugar. I was going for around 4.0 volumes of co2. I didn't have any bottle bombs and it poured like champagne.