Man, I love Apfelwein

Also just one question more if I may. I wanted to use regular crimp cap style bottles like for beer but the gent in my LHBS said that i should consider using champaigne bottles and corks if i planned to prime....could anyone else elaborate on that.
I would like to use regular bottles...thanks
anthony

Preliator said:

Also just one question more if I may. I wanted to use regular crimp cap style bottles like for beer but the gent in my LHBS said that i should consider using champaigne bottles and corks if i planned to prime....could anyone else elaborate on that.
I would like to use regular bottles...thanks
anthony

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You're good with the regular bottles - just be careful not to use too much priming sugar - else you'll have gushers that may blow the cap straight off of the bottle. In light of the fact that this is your first foray - get it done right!! If you have gushers going off in the middle of the night - the wife may abort your brewing career. Cheers!

Chimone: what yeast did you pitch with and how far along is your ferementation ?

The sulfur is probably caused by dead yeast accumulations. Can you see any in the bottom of the ferementor ? If it were mine and I saw some, I'd rack it to a secondary.

Wines can be ruined by sulfurous gasses. I wouldn't chance my apfelwein, but maybe I am too picky.

I'm on day 5 and my airlock smells yummy.

Just cracked my second bottle (probably been four weeks since I bottled), and this is much improved. I'm still doing it EdWort's way next time (bought the right yeast and some extra corn sugar this weekend), but this is pretty tasty. Still hasn't carbed very much, and I used a bit more corn sugar when I primed than I usually would have with beer. I can feel a little bit of carbonation, but there are no visible bubbles. Grr, guess I need to start kegging!

brewman ! said:

Chimone: what yeast did you pitch with and how far along is your ferementation ?

The sulfur is probably caused by dead yeast accumulations. Can you see any in the bottom of the ferementor ? If it were mine and I saw some, I'd rack it to a secondary.

Wines can be ruined by sulfurous gasses. I wouldn't chance my apfelwein, but maybe I am too picky.

.

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Well from what I read, everyone that used Montrachet yeast experienced the sulfur smell for a couple days. I'm on day 4 , fermenting at 68*. Kind of funny, but I brewed a hefe using Wyeast 3333 that had the same sulfur smell for 2 days before it cleaned back up. Characteristic of that yeast too. I'm not seeing any yeast on the bottom, its just pretty cloudy atm.

Mine's been in the bottle for two weeks and there is almost no carbonation. Why?

Is it possible that (for those of us using ale yeast) four weeks in the primary is too long? I may bottle after 3 weeks after hearing all of these no carb stories. Although I may order kegging equipment so it might not matter.

EdWort,

Awesome recipe, awesome Apfelwein. I bottled last night and had my first drink and it blew me away. Very smooth, crisp but not too dry, slightly effervescent.

I was suprised how compact how little and how compact the lees were. The Apfelwein was perfectly clear. I had it in primary for around 5 1/2 weeks and bottled it right out of the primary. There were still small bubbles coming up from the lees, but not very many (fermented between 65 and 75). I am sure this will result in only mild (if any) carbonation...but I do not think it is going to last very long in the bottles.

Thanks again, EdWort, for this simple, inexpensive, tasty recipe. This one is going to be a regular for me.

Prost!

BrewStef

okay got home today and was wondering all day if things were going to be cooking in the carboy....well to my pleasant suprise they were.....i have this nice ring (i think its nice....you'll let me know if it isn't i am sure) and the air lock is throwing 1 bubble per minute give or take....the process has begun......a few more weeks and we'll be enjoying this batch....
thanks
anthony

Put my first shot at this stuff together this weekend too. So far so good on the sulpher smell, I'd say it probably took about 20 hours before i got any good Airlock activity at around 68 degrees. And about that ring....I was pretty worried myself but everything looks good now.

Does anyone who's cracked one open yet have any indicators of what the final product tastes like....As in a commercially available alternative i.e. Hornsby's?

okay it thought i was only one i didnt see it in any of the posts about the ring....this is what it looked like when i got home
anthony

I was directed to this thread by my inquest on how to start making hard cider. My main concern is whether or the cider I can get from from my local farmer shop will work to make hard cider. I know that it is not hard cider and it is unpasturized. Does this make a difference in making hard cider?

OK, I'm curious.

What exactly is cider ? How does it differ from juice ?

Did the farmer happen to sulfite it strongly to preserve it ? (If so, it might not ferment...) What sort of gravity does it have ?

As far as pasteurization goes, you could boil it and cool it like wort prior to pitching it.

The Anderson book has directions for making wine from cider.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0156970953/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Fuggles said:

Is it possible that (for those of us using ale yeast) four weeks in the primary is too long? I may bottle after 3 weeks after hearing all of these no carb stories. Although I may order kegging equipment so it might not matter.

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I kegged a 6 week batch and it was the 6 gallon Better Bottle pictured at the beginning of this thread. I put the extra gallon into a sanitized Apple Juice Bottle. It's still fermenting cause the bottle is swelling from the pressure buildup of CO2, so 4 weeks is still fine IMHO.

Petey said:

Does anyone who's cracked one open yet have any indicators of what the final product tastes like....As in a commercially available alternative i.e. Hornsby's?

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It tastes just like this stuff.


But's it's hard to find outside of Central Germany.

Scrumpy Jack's comes close but my recipe is a bit more dry and higher in abv.

Well... having wasted part of my afternoon reading this thread, and talking to SWMBO (and getting an enthusiastic MAKE IT!) we'll be taking the Apfelwein plunge soon.

Hmmm... since we're bottling this weekend (our first brew, a bock) and we'll have sterilizing solution and the corboy will be empty ...

A friend of mine solicited my advice and equipment after she found a few gallons of delicious, unpreserved apple cider.

I haven't had time to read the whole forum, so hopefully I'm not repeating too much...

Here's what we did :
4 gallons of cider had been sitting around for a few weeks and despite pasturization, appeared to have begun spontaneously fermenting. We kept the 3 gallons that smelled, tasted and looked good and threw out another 3 gallons.

Since the stuff was obviously fermenting, and one had failed already, we did a 15 minute boil to sanitize it and then force cooled it with an immersion chiller to about 65 deg F and poured it (aerated) onto about a half gallon yeast cake of Nottingham Ale Yeast that had been resting for 2 days after an all grain squash ale. I also added a dry packet of Munton's Ale Yeast to be really sure.

It started bubbling the airlock after only a few hours, albeit slowly.

=== Summary So Far ===

3 gallons Buckland Farm market pasturized apple cider (VA, USA)
Nottingham ale yeast cake + packet of Munton's Ale


After about a week, it had quit bubbling, and since I hate sanitizing bottles, I decided to go grab another 3 gallons of cider and make it a 6 gallon batch to make bottling really worth it.

I ended up with the following after buying out every grocery store I tried :

1 gallon 365 Galverstein Apple Cider (Whole Foods)
.5 gallon Murphy's Apple Juice (really a cider, from Roanoke VA)
1.5 gallons pasturized cider from Carter's mountain orchard (VA)

Cider prices here are at least $6/gallon for some reason.

I boiled the above ciders with

2 lbs of honey
1 lb brown sugar
.5 lb white sugar

force cooled it to about 65 F and poured it on the first 3 gallons.

Much to my surprise, bubbles began to rapidly rise from the airlock within about 5 minutes and about 2 hours later it had blown the airlock off, so I installed a blowoff tube. It bubbled through the blowoff tube for about 5 days at between 55 F and 65 F (my attic room is cold!).

The whole batch has been in the fermenter for about 10 days now and it still bubbles occasionally. I kind of wonder if I've killed most of the yeast with alchohol. I plan to prime the bottles whenever I bottle it, so I'll report back about what happens. The batch smells great, so I have high hopes.



Apparently, honey and sugar aren't uncommon in use. Also, hard cider used to be an all-American fermented beverage. From what I've read it's incredibly important to properly blend apple varieties in the cider or else the taste isn't ideal, which is why I didn't mind blending together all the various ciders available to me.



I read somewhere that in the USA "apple juice" means the apples are filtered and/or otherwise processed beyond simple pressing. "Apple cider" means pressed but basically un-processed apple juice. "hard cider" means apple cider that's been fermented to less than 8% ABV. "apple wine" means apple cider that's been fermented to between 8% and 14% ABV. I also saw a site with a whole slew of defined categories of cider that are officially recognized "styles" for cider competitions.


Here's some readings/resources (thanks Google):
a guy with his own orchard! http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/andrew_lea/frameset.htm
yeast selection - http://mars.ark.com/~squeeze/yest-cdn.html
http://hbd.org/brewery/library/CidYeast091595.html
history - http://mason.gmu.edu/~drwillia/cider.html
http://www.sallys-place.com/beverages/beer/hard_cider.htm
suitable apples - http://mtvernon.wsu.edu/frt_hort/ciderapples.htm

Numerous sites that I have read suggest that "real" cider should ferment for months and age for longer, so some people believe it's a good idea to age it for a long time. One site specifically said that you should start drinking last year's batch a year later, preferably while you are working on the next batch. I've got no practical experience with it (yet).

ok, elephant farts are gone, and its starting to smell sweet again. Man that was a stinky 3 days. Bubbling has really slowed down, so Hopefully it will start clearing soon.

I opted to pitch onto a yeast cake because I had read over and over that apple cider doesn't have proper amounts of lipids and minerals and other nutrients nessesary for yeast reproduction and I wanted it to go fast because I don't have enough fermentors to sacrifice one to a multi-month fermentation, as the things I read suggested would happen. Additionally, my yeast cake was from a lightly spiced squash ale (supposed to be pumpkin ale for my girlfriend, but there wasn't any pumpkin to be had and a former chef told me that squash is often substituted for pumpkin in kitchens), so I figured it would work well. It certainly doesn't smell bad, although I thought it smelled fairly intensely of beer for the first couple days. That has subsided into a rich cinnamon/baked-apple/fresh-sour-apple aroma with some spicy undertones. There aren't any homebrew shops around here for 40 miles, so I have to be creative about my brewing sometimes.

EdWort said:

Scrumpy Jack's comes close but my recipe is a bit more dry and higher in abv.

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Edwort, I've ignored this whole thread after I mentioned 'cider' (sorry - apfelwein ) but you've referred back to Scrumpy Jack again. It's not a good cider i'm afraid. What other ciders in the UK have you tasted?

I think I am missing out!
Going to start amassing the gear to make this.
Got too many empty bottles lying around

Just made mine today.. Used 5 gallons juice, 1lb brown sugar, 1lb cornsugar. My O.G. was 1.070.

Im very excited!

oznozz said:

I opted to pitch onto a yeast cake because I had read over and over that apple cider doesn't have proper amounts of lipids and minerals and other nutrients nessesary for yeast reproduction and I wanted it to go fast because I don't have enough fermentors to sacrifice one to a multi-month fermentation, as the things I read suggested would happen. Additionally, my yeast cake was from a lightly spiced squash ale (supposed to be pumpkin ale for my girlfriend, but there wasn't any pumpkin to be had and a former chef told me that squash is often substituted for pumpkin in kitchens), so I figured it would work well. It certainly doesn't smell bad, although I thought it smelled fairly intensely of beer for the first couple days. That has subsided into a rich cinnamon/baked-apple/fresh-sour-apple aroma with some spicy undertones. There aren't any homebrew shops around here for 40 miles, so I have to be creative about my brewing sometimes.

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Curious to see how this turns out...please report back.

does cider skunk like beer does and do you have to be careful about what kind of bottles you put it in or does just about anything work to bottle it?

tron said:

does cider skunk like beer does and do you have to be careful about what kind of bottles you put it in or does just about anything work to bottle it?

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The skunking in beer comes from hop oils isomerizing under certair frequencies of light, and in cider there are no hop oils. I'd say you've nothing to worry about.

I was planning on using some clear 20 oz plastic soda bottles, still no foreseeable problems?

Hey there,

I tried this recepie, with only minor deviance, using the brown sugar instead of dextrose. It fermented out nice, a bit dry but not too bad. I have one gal cold stabilizing as i type and the other is sitting around. Both cleared very quickly and have a nice red color to them. My question is this, has anyone gone back and added another flavor to this? I have some strawberry extract that has no fermentable sugars, and a pomegranate simple syrup that does. Any idea's or suggestions?

Well it'll be a week tomorrow and my apfelwein made with natural apple juice, brown sugar, and English ale yeast is still fermenting steady steady. There still remains a large foam layer on top and the airlock is popping every 5 seconds or so. Man I have never seen this much action a the week mark.

Well, I'm finally at 4 weeks. Followed Ed's recipe to the letter. Can't wait to bottle just having trouble finding the time with everything going on for the holidays.

JimiGibbs said:

Well, I'm finally at 4 weeks. Followed Ed's recipe to the letter. Can't wait to bottle just having trouble finding the time with everything going on for the holidays.

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I run into that problem almost every time I brew - it is all well and good that you have it fermenting, but then you basically have to clear another day to get the bottling done. "No honey I can't go to the birthday party with you and the kids because I have to bottle my hooch". Always goes over real well!

Fuggles said:

I run into that problem almost every time I brew - it is all well and good that you have it fermenting, but then you basically have to clear another day to get the bottling done. "No honey I can't go to the birthday party with you and the kids because I have to bottle my hooch". Always goes over real well!

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HA!

My wife is taking Cassie to one of her little friend's second birthday party this Saturday. She tells me about it, and says "Maybe you can do your brewing while we're gone."

EXCELLENT! I LOVE YOU, DEAR!

(she's great about this stuff anyway - she's covering for my nighttime duties tomorrow so I can get the altbier bottled).

the_bird said:

HA!

My wife is taking Cassie to one of her little friend's second birthday party this Saturday. She tells me about it, and says "Maybe you can do your brewing while we're gone."

EXCELLENT! I LOVE YOU, DEAR!

(she's great about this stuff anyway - she's covering for my nighttime duties tomorrow so I can get the altbier bottled).

Click to expand...

Sounds like you have it pretty good. All in all, I can't complain too much either - my wife is not an enthusiastic supporter of brewing but she will "disappear" to the mall or for wine with the girls on brew day. She was much cooler about it before the two kids. Some of my friend's wives though - wow look out! That is why we typically end up at my house for the brewing.

My wife is pretty good too. First, she likes drinking the stuff. I made a brown ale that she loved and she wants more of that. And I think she'll like the apfelwein too. And then there was the peach champagne... what a lot of fun that was !

I get her to help me bottle. Its something we do together. Yeah, its a menial task, but it gives us "together" time. We can "talk" while we work, or that is what I say. I turn her helping me bottle into I'm being a great husband. You have to know how to work it !

Doing wines is always fun because you have to do a lot of taste testing until you get the sweetness right.

I also do a lot of my work at night when everyone is asleep or busy. I like it when its quiet. Or really early on Sunday mornings.

Now if she ever gives me heck about brewing expenditures, I make a list of my favorite, most expensive micro brews and ask her to pick up a dozen of each. Or I ask her for her credit card so me and guys can go to the local bar or better yet, Hooters. Suddenly, me staying home and being around the house, playing with my beer stuff doesn't seem quite so bad.

huge thread! when you bottle it, do you prime like a beer? or just bottle like you would wine?

t1master said:

huge thread! when you bottle it, do you prime like a beer? or just bottle like you would wine?

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I primed half of my bottles with carb tabs and did not prime the other half at all. The primed bottles are basically over-carbed.

Ed said he bottles without priming which sounds like the best way, you can always mix it with club soda or seven up to add carbonation.

As easy as this stuff is to make, you should try both ways and see which you would like best.

Cheers.

I was hoping I could ask a couple of questions. We started our Apfelwine a week ago and I think all is well, Keep in mind this is my first attempt to brew anything at all, figuring this was a great recipe to get my feet wet. With that I'll ask my questions.
1. In the primary, things look great, but I am noticing cycles (I'll call it) where there are mini foam build ups, not like the inital build up of foam that was approx 2 1/2" in height but more like 1/2-3/4 of an inch. It occurs maybe 1 every hour or so. during that time the bubbler increase slightly but not drastically maybe one or two bubbles more per minute... Is this normal?

2. I was curious about some bottles. I have gotten lucky, my local beer distributer needed some wire and such for his house. Being in the construction trade I come across all sorts of stuff and was able to get him everything he needed and more. In exchange he gave me 2 cases of Grolsch Green flippies and 2 cases of these other bottles. they are a 1 pint 9.4 oz. amber cork set bottle. they (the beer dist.) sells these belgium blonde ales. they have a champaigne style cork and wire closure. He also will be holding both of each for me for the future for no charge....he gets approx 2-3 cases per week of each. I wanted to bottle up some of the apfelwine in each of these for us and then some in regular crown cap bottles to give off as tasters to friends. my question would be are all 3 of these bottles good.....I know thhat the flippes are good but the cork set bottles is what i am concerned about. The owner of the LHBS here told me right off to consider champaigne bottles for this project but if i have these what is the differece? any help would be great....
sorry for the noob questions, but i want to make sure all is done correctly.
thanks again
anthony

Well all I can say is #1 it does appear that the fermentation comes in waves.

Im making a batch right now (Not quite like the apfelwein). And it has a sulfur smell every other hour.

Its pretty stinky (im glad I dont have a wife) but the smell comes in waves and the bubbler goes faster every other hour too....

Well mine has been underway for 8 days. The initial 3" foam head is down to about a 1/2" head. The airlock is belching about every 8-10 seconds. I used 2 lbs. brown sugar and English Ale Yeast so it is a little different than the original (which I will try next). I had absolutely zero sulphur smell at all throughout the 8 days.

Fuggles said:

Well mine has been underway for 8 days. The initial 3" foam head is down to about a 1/2" head. The airlock is belching about every 8-10 seconds. I used 2 lbs. brown sugar and English Ale Yeast so it is a little different than the original (which I will try next). I had absolutely zero sulphur smell at all throughout the 8 days.

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I never noticed the sulfur smell (using S-04), either. Musy be a wine yeast thing. I dunno what mine looks like as it is in a bucket, but I pitched around the same time as you. Fuggles.