Man, I love Apfelwein

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Dan T said:
Does anybody know how long bottle carbonating takes? :confused:

I'm guessing 2 to 3 weeks. Don't be in a hurry, as it gets better with age. Someone who bottle conditions will chime in here soon.
 
It usually takes 3 weeks with corn sugar. Keeping it warm will help facilitate the carbonation.

You should get good results at 3 weeks with a measured 5 oz by wt or 1oz/gal.

:mug:
 
Real apple juice?

I found real apple juice from concentrate but with vitamin c additives.. This oK?

Thanks....
 
So, I have run this by others in other threads.

I am planning on priming with half a can of apple juice concentrate. This would be the equivalent to 3/4 qts of regular-strength apple juice. Sound like enough? Anyone do this?
 
dhaas66 said:
Real apple juice?

I found real apple juice from concentrate but with vitamin c additives.. This oK?

Thanks....

Yes. Vitamin C is fine. Some "preservatives" might not.
 
dhaas66 - That's fine! - as long as there is no sorbates

Beerrific - I've been following this since January. I don't think anybody has tried that yet. If you don't have corn sugar carb with 2/3 cup of cane sugar. Its best to weigh out the sugar. 1oz/gal of corn sugar is recomended. You could do the same. It might be extra carbed though.
 
Schlenkerla said:
Beerrific - I've been following this since January. I don't think anybody has tried that yet. If you don't have corn sugar carb with 2/3 cup of cane sugar. Its best to weigh out the sugar. 1oz/gal of corn sugar is recomended. You could do the same. It might be extra carbed though.

Where we talking about this in another thread?

I have corn sugar (a lot). I just wanted to use something that will impart a bit more apple flavor.

I guess I should wait for this to clear first...grr....
 
Try the lactose it will work to sweeten slightly. Sweeter is more appley.

Next time try 1 can of concentrate per 1 gal of juice. Plus one or two extra of concentrate. 1:1 ratio results in 7% abv

Trying the juice is a gamble, unless you find somebody who did this.
 
Schlenkerla said:
Try the lactose it will work to sweeten slightly. Sweeter is more appley.

Next time try 1 can of concentrate per 1 gal of juice. Plus one or two extra of concentrate. 1:1 ratio results in 7% abv

Trying the juice is a gamble, unless you find somebody who did this.

Yeah I guess I won't be the guinea pig for this one...I will just go with corn sugar. Probably no lactose, I like the taste just fine.
 
I use one qt of apple juice to prime my cider. I don't see why the concentrate wouldn't work.
 
EdWort said:
I'm guessing 2 to 3 weeks. Don't be in a hurry, as it gets better with age. Someone who bottle conditions will chime in here soon.

Well Mine has been conditioning for about a week. I will try one this weekend as well as with a PIC on it's progress

I used 1 1/3 cup of Dextrose with my 23 liter batch.
 
sAvAgE said:
Well Mine has been conditioning for about a week. I will try one this weekend as well as with a PIC on it's progress

I used 1 1/3 cup of Dextrose with my 23 liter batch.

So, others have reported using 2/3 c. for 5 gallons. If I did the math in my head right, you used quite a bit more than that.

Anyone want to comment how much they have used?
 
The general rule of thumb I like to use, is 1 ounce (by weight) for each gallon. The "One Shot" 3/4 cup packages we sell, are weighed out at 5 ounces, instead of measuring 3/4 cup.

steve
 
I think I'll be added to the list of folks that have made this recipe. I'm going to gather up the ingredients this week and get it fermenting hopefully next weekend. Camping trip to Maine coming up in August, any chance I can take some carbed Apfelwein for that trip, if not, I guess I could take it still.
 
fritz_monroe said:
I think I'll be added to the list of folks that have made this recipe. I'm going to gather up the ingredients this week and get it fermenting hopefully next weekend. Camping trip to Maine coming up in August, any chance I can take some carbed Apfelwein for that trip, if not, I guess I could take it still.

Either way, it will be a tasty treat up in Maine. Have fun and enjoy!
 
I popped one of my bottles today that has been carbing for one week.

has some tiny bubbles in it. just enough to feel on the tounge..

I'm excited for another week from now.. and a week from then too..

hope it lasts... need to go get another batch in the fermenter..

ws
 
Drank 5 bottles tonight during a bbq with friends. Wife said I was an A-hole after the first 3. Thanks Ed great stuff!!!
 
Lost Pirate said:
Drank 5 bottles tonight during a bbq with friends. Wife said I was an A-hole after the first 3. Thanks Ed great stuff!!!

Ahh, my 3 glass rule. Sweet! Did you ready my general warnings on my recipe?
 
Lost Pirate said:
Drank 5 bottles tonight during a bbq with friends. Wife said I was an A-hole after the first 3.

Sounds familar!!! My wife would have said the same thing. Its funny how alcohol effects you when it hits you at warp speed!!

My first experiment with Apfelwein was when my wife out of the house for the evening. I could bask in my a-holeness!!! :D

I moreless planned it to happen that way.

In this situation I like to call it, "Product Performance Testing!". Verification of the 3 glass rule.

:mug:
 
well, after a month wait to ferment, and a week to condition in the corney, i finally had a glass of apfelwein saturday nite. Man, I love apfelwein.

i poured a 16oz frosty mug of the apfelwein for my wife and myself. a quick toast, and we downed the first glass quickly. after the 2nd glass, we were pretty looped! i had another, but then found it difficult to climb the stairs in my house.

my wife suggested using smaller glasses next time i serve it! HAHA.

i would have to say that the 3 glass rule is entirely appropriate!
 
Chris K said:
my wife suggested using smaller glasses next time i serve it! HAHA. i would have to say that the 3 glass rule is entirely appropriate!

Yeah, it's like drinking wine out of pint glasses, like the good old Vinzerfests in the Pfalz where you would be handed a 1/2 liter glass of riesling for about 2 bucks. I drank those like I drink beer and got hammered in no time.

We drink Apfelwein at home now in true Apfelwein glasses which are 25 ml (about 8.5 ounces) so it requires motor skills to get up and wander to the tap to pull another.

I'm glad you are enjoying it. :mug:
 
Finally bottled mine last thursday, got impatent and tried one on sunday and it was awesome! Adult gatorade is totaly right...

this is also the first thing i've brewed that my fiance has asked for more of..

funny thing is i did a cider about a year or so ago and this kicks it's ass....the cider was strangly acidic

i'm a true apfelwein beleiver now...and after only the 1st glass!
 
Well my mutant apple/peach/passionfruit apfelwein (done because it was on sale and the cheapest apple juice I can find in Korea was $8/gallon) has been fermenting for two and a half weeks now. Its gone from red to a cloudy yellow and the only fruit I can taste at all is the peach. All the cloying sweetness it used to have is completely gone and its not so much dry as POWERFULLY tart. I've never had an alcohol with this kind of strong tartness before (rather like it) and I don't hear anyone on this thread talking about it so maybe this fruit is doing some funny stuff or it will taste very different after conditioning.

Anyone else had a fruit wine that tart?
 
I bottled my mini batches yesterday, one was fresh cider and strawberry preserves and the other was pressed apples and mango. Since starting those batches I've developed quite a taste for the original recipe. Both mini batches were pretty good, but definitely different from the original... I think I'll stick w/ the regular recipe...
 
I've got a batch of "by the book" Apfelwein that has been in the fermenter for a little over 12 weeks now and is still producing airlock bubbles (every 3 or 4 minutes). Anyone else have a batch take this long? Any suggestions for a way to force it to finish up? Or am I being impatient and just need to let it go? I shook it up real good a couple weeks ago, and that seemed to speed things up for a little while and now it's back to it's slow and steady pace.

Help?
 
0.998

Looks like I'll be bottling tomorrow. Thanks, I was a little apprehensive what with the airlock still bubbling. Hopefully all that gas will escape in the process of transferring to bottling bucket and stirring in priming sugar. I really don't need exploding apfelwein bottle bombs.
 
Bromley said:
0.998

Looks like I'll be bottling tomorrow. Thanks, I was a little apprehensive what with the airlock still bubbling. Hopefully all that gas will escape in the process of transferring to bottling bucket and stirring in priming sugar. I really don't need exploding apfelwein bottle bombs.

Mine bubbled for 12 weeks, however mine was at 53-57'F more the majority of the ferment. Chances are yours was done much sooner if it fermented at a higher temp. Mine was at 1.005 and it was clear at 11 weeks. The 12 week it continued to bubble slowly as it hit 1.000.

Don't worry about the extra gas. If you don't over carb you'll be OK. Carb with corn sugar, use 1 oz/gal (Oz by weight) . Same as priming beer. Wait three weeks for carbing at room temp.

The 3 weeks will be torture. Start another batch after you bottle!!!

Drink with caution, it can pack a wallop if you slam them. :tank:
 
Schlenkerla said:
Drink with caution, it can pack a wallop if you slam them. :tank:
Which is soooo easy to do...:drunk:

FWIW, I bottled mine at a reading of 1.004 mainly because I was anxious to get it in bottles. Even the half batch I carbed never really carbed up so I am guessing that my yeast died and what I was seeing was CO2 escaping from solution.

I never used nutrient either which probably would have helped my FG.
 
I jumped on board the Apfelwein train and made a batch tonight. It was super easy to make and I'm sure it will be great. Thanks Ed!
 
Well, I'm moving to a new place in about three-four weeks with a little time in there for a vacation in Florida. As a result, I decided to making some Apfelwein since it would be ready just in time to bottle before I move.

Tossed together a small two gallon batch last night with some friends and I'm glad to say that it's bubbling like crazying in my closet as we speak. I can't wait to get onto my vacation and some back to bottle this tasty stuff. =D I plan on priming mine with the recommended 1oz of corn sugar per 1 gallon of water just to get it a little fizzle ( I love a hard cider made at Thomas Family Winery in Madison, IN and I'm trying to emulate that. It has a bit of effervescences and is tasty in a nice half pint glass.) Thanks Ed for the wonderful recipe, I look forward to trying the results (before even I try my first full boil batch of beer =D)
 
As soon as my primaries are empty, I know what I am making!!!! After 160 pages of stuff, it can't be that bad...right? :)
 
98EXL said:
! After 160 pages of stuff, it can't be that bad...right? :)

Ya got that right. I have 6 gallons from 4/8/07 that I'm going to keg in my two 3 gallon cornies. They'll come in handy for parties this summer. :ban:
 
I made my first batch today after reading through the whole 160 pages of this thread. Can't wait till drinking time
 
I just finished the last of my first batch. My second batch is in a corny that is going to age till xmas. Looks Like I need to start another bactch to get me thru the dog days of summer..... Good stuff.......I love dots, don't you?
 
I made a five gallon batch Saturday. I used Cote De Blancs yeast. It started pushing out CO2 the airlock then stopped. Yesterday I'm thinking, "Why isn't this thing going?". Then it hit me, I forgot the yeast energizer!

Lesafrey Yeast says it required for this style. Per the instructions of the energizer on the bottle I add the 1/2tsp per gal. 2.5 total. I dumped into the carboy and it settled on top of the must. I put the carboy cap back on and gave it a shake or two. Just enough to slosh the must. Then.... bam it went bubbling just like I dropped an alka seltzer into the must. "Plop, Plop, fizz, fizz oh what a relief it is...." ..... Alkaseltzer's old jingle.

Its still going. If you use Cote De Blancs don't forget the energizer.

:mug:
 
I used Cote De Blancs and added concentrated apple juice and 1# corn sugar to my apfelwein. I was a little concerned about it as it never seemed to bubble more than 5-6 times/min and only did that for about 7 days. I check the gravity this weekend and had a sample. 0.998 SG and very tasty. A little hot alcohol flavor which I'm sure will mellow with time but a great apple flavor. Definitely not a neutral tasting beverage. Once it clears I will bottle with some priming sugar.

Craig

[edit] Oh yea, I also used energizer but maybe not enough as I only used 2tsp for 6gal.
 
Schlenkerla said:
Its still going. If you use Cote De Blancs don't forget the energizer.

:mug:


That's unusual you needed to add an energizer for Cote De Blancs as I'm on my second batch and neither required it. My second fermentation did stall after a week however that is because the temperature fell down to and even below 60 degrees. After resuspending the yeast and increasing temperatures it started bubbling once again and has been almost for 6 weeks now. The first batch bubbled at 70-72 degrees for about a month straight then took another 3 weeks to clear.

Can't wait until this finishes as I just killed 10 gallons of Apfelwein and all I have is this Hard Cider which doesn't quite have the same kick. One thing I have noticed is the Cider yeast doesn't cloud the must (looks like apple juice from beginning to end) and takes less time to ferment, though I did kill the yeast at about FG=1.008 to leave some residual sweetness. Wonder what it will taste like if I add 2 lbs of dextrose next time....thinkin I may need to make me another Costco trip :D.
 
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