Mapfelwein

Cheesefood · 02-15-2007, 07:59 PM

Recipe Type: Extract
Yeast: Champagne
Yeast Starter: Yes
Batch Size (Gallons): 5+ Gallons
Original Gravity: ???
Final Gravity: ????
Boiling Time (Minutes): 00
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 12 weeks

5 gallons of apple juice
2-3 pounds of honey
1 quart of REAL maple syrup

Mix together, add yeast, let sit for 12 weeks before bottling or kegging. Let it age for a month or two prior to drinking.

STRONG STUFF.

**the_bird** · 02-15-2007, 08:02 PM

Cheese, do you pasterize the honey or maple syrup at all?

**Kayos** · 02-15-2007, 08:08 PM

I can't even imagine what this would taste like. Sounds like a high abv apfelwein. Can you taste the syrup or is it totally fermentable?

Cheesefood · 02-15-2007, 08:13 PM

BIRD: no.

Kayos: At first the maple is strong, but it tones down with age. It ends up tasting like candy.

I had 1.5 pints last night before I passed out. Usually it takes twice that amount to get me lit, but I think some of the water is iced in the keg so it might be stronger.

Rhoobarb and Rdwj have sampled it, so you can PM them for their real opinion.

**the_bird** · 02-15-2007, 08:21 PM

Last question, Cheese; what grade syrup did you use? Extra-fancy grade A, or did you use some of the Grade B stuff (which has a lot more flavor, actually)?

I have a couple 3-gallon carboys that have been awful lonely for too long...

MriswitH · 02-15-2007, 08:32 PM

Damn, Cheese!

This sounds rather tasty, I might have to make some here in the near future!

You said you kegged it, what PSI did you hit it with? Also, what type of apple juice did you use?

rdwj · 02-15-2007, 08:37 PM

Cheese brought some of this stuff over when we were building manifolds.

I wasn't sure how I felt about it when drinking the first one, but somewhere along the line, I became a big fan. It's hard to describe the taste. You can definately taste the maple and it's kinda sweet, but you still really feel the warmth of the alcohol.

Oh, and trust me, this stuff will turn you into a drooling mass of flesh REAL quick!

Cheesefood · 02-15-2007, 08:45 PM

I got whatever grade of syrup they had at Costco. It was like $15 for a quart. Same with the juice - some Costco 100% organic juice. And SueBee honey, also from Costco.

At first sip, it's not the best drink ever. By the bottom of the first glass, you'll be feeling it and probably liking the flavor.

The recipe I posted tones down the maple.

I put it at 15 psi. It doesn't carbonate well.

Jester4176 · 03-08-2007, 10:56 PM

So did you use a Champagne yeast, or the 3068 Heffe yeast for this? You have the heffe listed in your sig, but Champagne listed in the recipe.

Cheesefood · 03-08-2007, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester4176

So did you use a Champagne yeast, or the 3068 Heffe yeast for this? You have the heffe listed in your sig, but Champagne listed in the recipe.

Champagne. The hefe in my sig is reffering to a hefeweissen I made.