Why won't my porkfelwine ferment!

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Donasay

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I followed the recipe for porkfelwine (Pork + Apfelwine) that you guys mentioned on Tuesday. I dried out about 4 pounds of bacon in the oven and removed most of the grease then put it in my carboy along with the traditional apfelwine recipe and 2 packets of montrachet wine yeast.

Usually the apfelwine is going by now 2 days after the start, but still no fermentation, this is getting frustraiting, additionally, there is a ton of coagulated pig grease floating at the top of my carboy, could this be affecting the yeast growth.

Help I don't want to wast 4 pounds of bacon and 5 gallons of juice.
 
that montrachet takes awhile to start, don't worry...your brewhouse will smell like a smokehouse soon enough :D

Let me know how it turns out. I'm usually very averse to putting animal products into beer, but I could make an exception for bacon. Chewy yummy smoky BACON!
 
Typically with porkfelwine you get the dreaded 'pig farts' as opposed to the traditional apfelwein rhino farts.

When your carboy smells like pig $hit, you've got fermentation.
 
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Donasay said:
I followed the recipe for porkfelwine (Pork + Apfelwine) that you guys mentioned on Tuesday. I dried out about 4 pounds of bacon in the oven and removed most of the grease then put it in my carboy along with the traditional apfelwine recipe and 2 packets of montrachet wine yeast.

Usually the apfelwine is going by now 2 days after the start, but still no fermentation, this is getting frustraiting, additionally, there is a ton of coagulated pig grease floating at the top of my carboy, could this be affecting the yeast growth.

Help I don't want to wast 4 pounds of bacon and 5 gallons of juice.

Use the search feature
 
bit of a de-rail here, but here is great great pork/apfelwein recipe:

what you need:
(4) porkchops (big juicy rib chops about 1 1/2" thick"
(2) tblsp minced shallot
(6) tblsp unsalted butter
(1) cup apfelwein
kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper

what you do:
-season the porkchops with salt & pepper on both sides and let sit for 1/2 hr to come to room temperature
-over medium/medium-high heat, melt 2-3 tbsp of the butter in a large stainless steel frying pan (don't use non-stick)
-add porkchops and let sit on one side without moving until you get a nice brown crusty thing going on, don't burn, but pretty brown
-flip and repeat on side 2
-transfer porkchops to plate when brown on both sides
-reduce heat to medium and add 1 tbsp of butter and shallots and saute until translucent
-increase heat to medium-high and deglaze the pan with the cup of apfelwein
-using a wooden spatula, scrape up all the crusty brown bits of porky goodness off the bottom of the pan and let simmer until mixure has reduced by half.
-reduce heat to low, and slowy add the remaining butter into the mixture while stirring
-transfer the porkchops back into the pan to let the "warm up" in the mixture
-serve with apple sauce & saurkraut (or braised cabbage, braised in well apfelwein of course) and enjoy. A side of German potato salad made with bacon grease goes rather well with this dish too!!

Hope you don't mind the de-rail, just thought I would add a tasty Porky Apfelly treat that a recently enlightend apfelhead dreamed up the other night!
 
McSwiggin' said:
bit of a de-rail here, but here is great great pork/apfelwein recipe:

what you need:
(4) porkchops (big juicy rib chops about 1 1/2" thick"
(2) tblsp minced shallot
(6) tblsp unsalted butter
(1) cup apfelwein
kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper

what you do:
-season the porkchops with salt & pepper on both sides and let sit for 1/2 hr to come to room temperature
-over medium/medium-high heat, melt 2-3 tbsp of the butter in a large stainless steel frying pan (don't use non-stick)
-add porkchops and let sit on one side without moving until you get a nice brown crusty thing going on, don't burn, but pretty brown
-flip and repeat on side 2
-transfer porkchops to plate when brown on both sides
-reduce heat to medium and add 1 tbsp of butter and shallots and saute until translucent
-increase heat to medium-high and deglaze the pan with the cup of apfelwein
-using a wooden spatula, scrape up all the crusty brown bits of porky goodness off the bottom of the pan and let simmer until mixure has reduced by half.
-reduce heat to low, and slowy add the remaining butter into the mixture while stirring
-transfer the porkchops back into the pan to let the "warm up" in the mixture
-serve with apple sauce & saurkraut (or braised cabbage, braised in well apfelwein of course) and enjoy. A side of German potato salad made with bacon grease goes rather well with this dish too!!

Hope you don't mind the de-rail, just thought I would add a tasty Porky Apfelly treat that a recently enlightend apfelhead dreamed up the other night!


McSwiggin,

I tried following your directions and my pork/apfelwein isn't showing any signs of activity. I decided to make a larger batch that your one cup recipe. I went with five gallons. I cooked the meat, added the butter & S&P, added the shallots, and sauted everything. I added this mixture along with saurkraut, German potato salad, and bacon grease into my 6.5 gallon carboy. I then added enough apple juice to top off the carboy. Once the temp was down to 70 degreess I pitched the yeast. I haven't seen any sign of activity. Frankly the mixture in my carboy looks like $hit. I'm not so sure your recipe is that good.
 
rh348877 said:
McSwiggin,

I tried following your directions and my pork/apfelwein isn't showing any signs of activity. I decided to make a larger batch that your one cup recipe. I went with five gallons. I cooked the meat, added the butter & S&P, added the shallots, and sauted everything. I added this mixture along with saurkraut, German potato salad, and bacon grease into my 6.5 gallon carboy. I then added enough apple juice to top off the carboy. Once the temp was down to 70 degreess I pitched the yeast. I haven't seen any sign of activity. Frankly the mixture in my carboy looks like $hit. I'm not so sure your recipe is that good.

I hope this is a joke.
 
rh348877 said:
McSwiggin,

I tried following your directions and my pork/apfelwein isn't showing any signs of activity. I decided to make a larger batch that your one cup recipe. I went with five gallons. I cooked the meat, added the butter & S&P, added the shallots, and sauted everything. I added this mixture along with saurkraut, German potato salad, and bacon grease into my 6.5 gallon carboy. I then added enough apple juice to top off the carboy. Once the temp was down to 70 degreess I pitched the yeast. I haven't seen any sign of activity. Frankly the mixture in my carboy looks like $hit. I'm not so sure your recipe is that good.

HA! This thread is great! It's Peanut Butter & Jelly Time! :ban:
 
Big,

I'm having the same problem with my Brainfelwine. It cleared nicely but haven't had any airlock activity. Maybe I she add some yeast nutrient?

cows_brain_specimen_jar.jpg
 
Denny's Evil Concoctions said:
Don't give 'em any ideas! All we need. A Testikelwein thread.:drunk:
Here in Colorado,,,we call'em Rocky Mountain Oysters. or RMO's

AND... I wouldn't waste a good nut trying to brew with them...They just need a little beer batter and mustard.
 
If you've ever had Black/Blood Pudding, you read that and seriously contemplated whether or not it should be done for a second.
 
I thought this was serious for about 2 posts.... Then I started laughing and still havn't stopped....
 
deathweed said:
I thought this was serious for about 2 posts.... Then I started laughing and still havn't stopped....
WTF Dude.
I have a 2 gallon jar of apple juice...a 2 headed Baby pig...Born right here on our farm, and Corn sugar on top of the fridgerator. Who the hell is laughing at me?
 
So as an update, the porkfelwine actually fermented out quite dry and after being carbed has zero head retention I think mostly due to the oils from the bacon grease. The taste leaves somethign to be desired, think dry apfelwine plus salt plus a little something greasy. On the up side the bacon I fished out of the bottom of the carboy tasted delicious after sitting in the apfelwine for a few months, unfortunately I think it made me sick, so I am a little hesitant to drink any more of this stuff.

Another bad thing that happened, it was very difficult to get the grease out of my carboy, so I don't recommend making porkfelwine to anyone.
 
so I don't recommend making porkfelwine to anyone.

Thanks for being the guinea pig, yo. Like I said, animal products in beer (other than gelatin/isinglass) is almost never a good idea. But I applaud you efforts in the name of science!!!

Have you tried a PBW or oxyclean soak for the grease?
 
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