How long is too long?

I made a batch of Apfelwein with my wife during the last week of April. We planned on bottling it after letting it ferment for two months. However, I ended up getting a 2nd job around that time so it had to go on the back-burner for a little while. Long story short, it's still not bottled.

That's partially due to the fact that we didn't have enough bottles. There simply hasn't been enough time during the day to sit back and enjoy a brew. I've finally been able to get my schedule set between the two jobs and I'm ready to test this stuff out.

I went on Midwest's website tonight to order a recipe kit and found an awesome deal on bottles (case of 24 for $7); so I bought two. I'm expecting them to be here sometime next week, hopefully. Can Apfelwein ferment for too long? I'm not sure if that's possible, but I'm hoping it's not and that this is just one of those things that gets better with age.

The BB with the Apfelwein has been sitting in the spare bedroom in our house this whole time, temps never getting above 75, and it still looks the same as it did around the time we originally planned to bottle it. I just want to make sure it's not wasted. Thanks for the help.

I'd taste it. If it tastes good, I'd bottle it. I personally have a batch of Apfelwein sitting in the brew room that's been in the same better bottle for 3 months now. I don't stress about it. I typically do all of my beer 4 weeks in primary and then straight to keg. Heck, I have a porter that I transferred to the secondary about two weeks ago that had been in the primary for 7 weeks or so. Modern yeast strains don't have the tendency to leave behind a yeast flavor as much as they used to. My guess is that it you'll be fine.

So, give it a taste. If it tastes fine, bottle it. If it tastes like crap, I'd still bottle it and let it sit for a few months to mellow. I'd imagine that bad flavor would be gone. After all, this stuff is a wine and like all wine, is significantly better with age.

J

Thanks, that's what I figured. I just had a hunch that it'd be best to consult the experts as I'm still learning.

injendsm said:

Thanks, that's what I figured. I just had a hunch that it'd be best to consult the experts as I'm still learning.

Click to expand...

<----no expert, but does like to drink and is lazy for long periods of time. Therefore, I have let stuff sit in the primary for a looooong time.

J

Your Apfelwein will be better for the long wait.

Nurmey said:

Your Apfelwein will be better for the long wait.

Click to expand...

Very good to know. As soon as the bottles get here, I'll sanitize the bottling bucket, test the Apfelwein, and hopefully bottle. I'll be sure to post an update here on the progress.

injendsm said:

Very good to know. As soon as the bottles get here, I'll sanitize the bottling bucket, test the Apfelwein, and hopefully bottle. I'll be sure to post an update here on the progress.

Click to expand...

I'm not hating on Ed's recipes by any means and I think that the recipe is great (with proper factors in place,) but I think that this stuff needs time. It is by no means in my opinion drinkable after a month. It's very thin and quite harsh. I like mine at a minimum of 3 months. and I typically only rack it over either to keg or bottle at this point.

J

That's the thing that made me think the 7 months it's been in there may not be too big of a deal. I remembered reading in Ed's thread that it can be bottled after a month but that an extra month or so would make for a better drink.

Yeah, extra month or 12?

LOL, the 7 was far from expected.

I have a batch that spent 233 days in primary, and it tastes great.

jeffmeh said:

I have a batch that spent 233 days in primary, and it tastes great.

Click to expand...

Awesome. About a month or so longer than mine so that bodes well for my batch. I really need to get this stuff bottled, too, because some of my co-workers have been pestering me since late June for their bottles.