I made a batch of Apfelwein a little while ago. The recipe was the standard Apfelwein recipe of Ed's with Apple Juice, Sugar and Champagne Yeast to an OG of 1068. I let it ferment down to 1017 and bottled and then I used Papper's pasteurization technique to stop fermentation when it read 1014.
It's been in the bottles 2 weeks now and seems very carbed. When I drink it it reminds me of a "light apple champagne" it is fruity and sweet with a bit of a "wine" kick, the carbonation I estimate to be around 3.0 volumes and it pours a lot like champagne with lots of bubbles especially into a flute or tall thin glass, I imagine it will only get better.
Anyways the point of this thread is that I was thinking of doing a full strength (12-15%) "Apple Champagne" starting it soon, giving it a year to age and having it ready in time for next Christmas and New Years. Search wasn't a great help as I got lots of Apfelwein with champagne yeast threads. From what I understand one problem is that Apple Juice doesn't have nearly as much sugar as grape juice, the stuff I use has an OG of 1052 whereas grapes are 1075+ I think. I figure I will either end up adding a bunch of sugar or could add some frozen apple juice concentrate to keep the apple flavor while upping the OG. So here's a starting recipe:
5 gallons of pasteurized Apple Juice not from concentrate
6-8 cans of Apple Juice concentrate
Enough corn sugar to bump it to 1.100 (Figure FG of around 1.00-.995)
Pectin Enzyme
Yeast Nutrient
Champagne Yeast
Let it ferment for 6 weeks then rack to secondary to bulk age for a long time. When bottling add enough juice and sugar to backsweeten to 1015 then pasteurize when a test bottle reads 1011. Give 6 more months of aging and drink. I want to bottle it in standard clear beer bottles and give away as gifts next christmas. So wine makers how does this look?
It's been in the bottles 2 weeks now and seems very carbed. When I drink it it reminds me of a "light apple champagne" it is fruity and sweet with a bit of a "wine" kick, the carbonation I estimate to be around 3.0 volumes and it pours a lot like champagne with lots of bubbles especially into a flute or tall thin glass, I imagine it will only get better.
Anyways the point of this thread is that I was thinking of doing a full strength (12-15%) "Apple Champagne" starting it soon, giving it a year to age and having it ready in time for next Christmas and New Years. Search wasn't a great help as I got lots of Apfelwein with champagne yeast threads. From what I understand one problem is that Apple Juice doesn't have nearly as much sugar as grape juice, the stuff I use has an OG of 1052 whereas grapes are 1075+ I think. I figure I will either end up adding a bunch of sugar or could add some frozen apple juice concentrate to keep the apple flavor while upping the OG. So here's a starting recipe:
5 gallons of pasteurized Apple Juice not from concentrate
6-8 cans of Apple Juice concentrate
Enough corn sugar to bump it to 1.100 (Figure FG of around 1.00-.995)
Pectin Enzyme
Yeast Nutrient
Champagne Yeast
Let it ferment for 6 weeks then rack to secondary to bulk age for a long time. When bottling add enough juice and sugar to backsweeten to 1015 then pasteurize when a test bottle reads 1011. Give 6 more months of aging and drink. I want to bottle it in standard clear beer bottles and give away as gifts next christmas. So wine makers how does this look?