Man, I love Apfelwein
- Thread starter EdWort
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Thanks, Recluse. My FG was a little below 1.00 on my cheap hydrometer, but i wasn't sure how mucyh to trust that reading.
Hows it taste? Hows the gravity?
Sometimes raw juice takes a long time to clear.
Did you use a few campden tabs and wait over night before pitching the yeast? Or did you use the wild yeast from the raw juice?
If its fermented all the way out, then yes you could bottle.
Hows it taste? Hows the gravity?
Sometimes raw juice takes a long time to clear.
Did you use a few campden tabs and wait over night before pitching the yeast? Or did you use the wild yeast from the raw juice?
If its fermented all the way out, then yes you could bottle.
I will be pulling a sample this weekend. I didn't uses a campden tablet.
I used Montrachet as the recipe calls for.
Put your hydrometer in the test tube filled with distilled water at the temperature that your hydrometer is designed to read at. If your hydrometer reads 1.000, your hydrometer is calibrated. If it doesn't, you're going to have to adjust for the difference every time you use it.
It will not carbonate (well, only in negligible amounts) in your carboy, regardless of how long you let it sit. The carboy allows CO2 to escape. In order to carbonate, you need to rack it into a bottling bucket on top of priming (corn) sugar, bottle and let sit for a minimum of 3 weeks.
Letting it sit for 4 weeks ensures that the yeast have finished doing their job and that they have cleaned up after themselves. The extra time also allows the yeast to settle and for the entire batch to clear up and letting it sit on a flocculated yeast cake will allow it to condition.
khiddy
Well-Known Member
JonGoku
Well-Known Member
Just a thought...
In theory, if this doesn't finish as dry as you want it, couldn't you repitch with the montrachet or other wine yeast with a higher alcohol tolerance and drop the FG a few more notches?
Hegh
Well-Known Member
Repitching with the same yeast is unlikely to make any difference at all; you could do better by just swirling the carboy to get some of the settled yeast back into solution, or by raising the temperature.
Adding some fresh yeast of a different strain may work, but almost completely fermented wine is not an easy environment for them unless you made a starter. You'd probably be best off just bottling that batch and changing something for the next.
JonGoku
Well-Known Member
The comment was made in regards to repitching wine yeast after the ale yeast had done it's thing.
No fear, halfpint, I broke it he night I bottled that batch!
apologeticus
Well-Known Member
what are the consequences if I get non-pasteurized apple juice? I have 5 glass gallon jugs of organic apple juice that I want to use, but they're not pasteurized.
apologeticus
Well-Known Member
I made 1 gallon of Edwort's recipe to try it out 24 days ago. Here's the thing: I actually just pitched the whole packet of Montrachet! Bad idea? (yes, I did make the appropriate dextrose reduction, though)
It's still pretty cloudy in the fermenter here on day 24. Should I be concerned?
It's still pretty cloudy in the fermenter here on day 24. Should I be concerned?
Dry yeast packets are good for 1-5 gallons. For gallon batches you just pitch the whole packet and scale back the rest of the ingredients, exactly as you did.
Perfectly normal to still be cloudy after 24 days in the fermenter. Also perfectly normal for it to have dropped clear by 24 days. There are way too many variables in making apfelwein to generalize. Cloudiness of the juice, fermentation temp, overall speed of the fermentation, presence of pectins, etc, etc. The only two ingredients you don't scale back to make small batches are yeast and time
It'll clear...There is a chance of wild yeast from fresh pressed apple juice.
Make a good starter or use a couple crushed campden tabs and wait overnight to pitch the wine yeast.
It seems hard to screw up a batch of this stuff though.
I've made quite a few batches now, maybe 20 or more and not had an un drinkable one yet.
Most are gone before there fully carbed.....
I have to hide them from the Ol Lady if I want any to get ripe!
Just make it!
(crossposted similar message in the GRAFF thread)
Thus far, I have only subjected myself and some other Homebrewing colleagues to my creations. Last night I brought 4 bottles of Graff, 4 bottles of Apfelwein, 2 bottles of Mugwort Ale and 2 bottles of my 3 Herb Gruit Ale to a Christmas party.. Everything disappeared to the last drop and people wanted MORE! The GRAFF was especially popular. People who swore they hated cider loved it! People who loved cider loved it. People who were mainly beer drinkers loved it. One guy who wasn't going to drink polished off half a Graff and a pint of Apfelwein. One friend who is partial to Cider polished off about 2 pints and a 12 oz of Apfelwein. Hope he didn't call me a Mother Fu&*er this morning!!
Nothing says JOB WELL DONE to a homebrewer than seeing the stuff disappear down the gullets of friends!
Thus far, I have only subjected myself and some other Homebrewing colleagues to my creations. Last night I brought 4 bottles of Graff, 4 bottles of Apfelwein, 2 bottles of Mugwort Ale and 2 bottles of my 3 Herb Gruit Ale to a Christmas party.. Everything disappeared to the last drop and people wanted MORE! The GRAFF was especially popular. People who swore they hated cider loved it! People who loved cider loved it. People who were mainly beer drinkers loved it. One guy who wasn't going to drink polished off half a Graff and a pint of Apfelwein. One friend who is partial to Cider polished off about 2 pints and a 12 oz of Apfelwein. Hope he didn't call me a Mother Fu&*er this morning!!
Nothing says JOB WELL DONE to a homebrewer than seeing the stuff disappear down the gullets of friends!
Check the label again. If they came from a store rather than a farm, they're pasteurized.
ReeseAllen
Well-Known Member
Does this always ferment out to about 1.000? I've had my batch fermenting in the 62-66 F range for 43 days and today it read 1.006. Two weeks ago it was at 1.010, so it's only dropped four points in two weeks. Is this thing gonna need 2-3 months in the carboy?
apologeticus
Well-Known Member
came from "Earth Fare" (read: hippie organic store). Didn't say it was pasteurized. Looked it over well to be sure. Who knows though.
It's a moot point now since I already mixed it up yesterday though!
wcarter1227
Well-Known Member
came from "Earth Fare" (read: hippie organic store). Didn't say it was pasteurized. Looked it over well to be sure. Who knows though.
It's a moot point now since I already mixed it up yesterday though!
it will be fine as the cultured yeast will take over any wild yeast that is in there.
it might have been interesting with wild yeast. i made some cider with wild yeast that actually came out quite well, as well as a few that came out pretty rancid.
About 48 hours after I pitched this, and the airlock is going crazy. Constantly bubbling right now. The kitten is fascinated by the airlock, and the bubbling noise. She will sit there for 5 minutes and just watch the airlock. Wants to attack it, but is scared of the noise. (Also scared of me, since I'm making sure she doesn't do anything.)
Hmmm I am sure this has been discussed somewhere, but I don't recall seeing it.. Anyone try starting a new Apfelwein batch by just adding juice/sugar to the lees of the previous batch after racking/bottling? How easy would THAT be to keep the rotation going!!
Dalarast
Well-Known Member
Edwort - I HATE YOU! We have only four bottles left in my last batch of apfelwein! Drinking some good ol grog to warm me up right now.... so 3 bottles. What happened to them all? Gift boxes to all of my employees? Why I hate you? Cause my next batch of apfelwein will not be ready till mid January! AHHH! Now I have to go buy more fermenters to have a steady supply going!!! HA!
Now if I could only get a flux compasater so I could travel back and make more batches....
Now if I could only get a flux compasater so I could travel back and make more batches....
Niederhofer
Well-Known Member
Edwort - I HATE YOU! We have only four bottles left in my last batch of apfelwein! Drinking some good ol grog to warm me up right now.... so 3 bottles. What happened to them all? Gift boxes to all of my employees? Why I hate you? Cause my next batch of apfelwein will not be ready till mid January! AHHH! Now I have to go buy more fermenters to have a steady supply going!!! HA!
Now if I could only get a flux compasater so I could travel back and make more batches....
Just strip a Sanke, and make 15g at a time. Super easy since there's nothing to cook. Then stuff a #10 (I think) stopper in with an air lock and let it run. That's what I did...
Effington
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I used 2 cups of corn sugar to carb mine and... wow! Just tried it over the weekend and everyone loved it. I'm glad I took EdWort's advice and started a second batch soon after the first. It's as bubbly as champagne and delicious.
fuzzyham
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Checked a 1-gallon apple-juice batch started Oct 31 / SG 1.060. Has been completely inactive to the naked eye for weeks, with no action from the airlock for just as long.
Tested today at FG 1.001, which after many years of government service I can confidently call "close enough". Bottled into three 1.25 liter ceramic-top bottles.
Tried quaffing the contents of the sample tube... now I know why everyone is so emphatic about letting it age and giving it more than just one chance! Certainly nothing remarkable about it at this point, but the bottles are now at the back of a cool, dark utility room where I'll make a point to abandon them for a month or three.
In the meantime, I've got several other 1-gallon batches processing at weekly intervals to play with. Still looking forward to switching to 5-gallon batches once I figure out what I'm doing (aka: how closely I'm following EdWort's recipe).
Tested today at FG 1.001, which after many years of government service I can confidently call "close enough". Bottled into three 1.25 liter ceramic-top bottles.
Tried quaffing the contents of the sample tube... now I know why everyone is so emphatic about letting it age and giving it more than just one chance! Certainly nothing remarkable about it at this point, but the bottles are now at the back of a cool, dark utility room where I'll make a point to abandon them for a month or three.
In the meantime, I've got several other 1-gallon batches processing at weekly intervals to play with. Still looking forward to switching to 5-gallon batches once I figure out what I'm doing (aka: how closely I'm following EdWort's recipe).
Sure, you definitely could. I was just saying you won't get any carbonation in your primary or secondary; only from natural priming sugar induced carbonation in a keg or bottle, or force carbonation in a keg or in bottles as you suggested.
The alcohol level won't change appreciably. The amount of priming sugar is tiny compared to the total volume. The extra 3 weeks of aging/conditioning will improve the flavor, though. If you like the taste already, then go for it!
NeonBrew
Active Member
Hey guys, I've got 5 gallons that's been sitting in a primary since July. I was going to bottle one of these days, but I want to get at some to make some grog for Christmas Eve. Would it be ok if I poured out what I want, put the stopper back on, and then bottle maybe boxing day or so? I'd bottle it now, but have got too much else going on right now. What do you think? Don't want to ruin it after sitting patiently for this long!
I do have some graff bottled though. Anyone done a grog with that?
I do have some graff bottled though. Anyone done a grog with that?
norwegiangeek
Well-Known Member
I just did my first batch (but only 2 gallons). Looking forward to drinking this over the July 4th weekend.
khiddy
Well-Known Member
You might want to consider topping that off, you have quite a bit of headspace in that carboy (I assume it's a 3-gallon carboy). If it were me, I'd add at least 2/3 of a gallon more cider, and 1/2 cup more dextrose/table sugar, just to get the headspace filled. Apfelwein doesn't make much krausen, so you don't really have to worry too much about blowoff.
You will want more than that!
I just sampled mine (in the fermenter since 10/28), and its awesome. Much better than I expected. Dry, but not as much as I expected. Still has faint apple taste and some sweetness. This stuff will be dangerous.
NeonBrew
Active Member
Help! Time's running out! Anyone?!
RandalG
Well-Known Member
Anyone see any reason why I can't use this stuff for my next batch? I forgot if the ascorbic acid is a problem or maybe even the orange oil.
http://www.rwknudsenfamily.com/products/natural_juices/cider_and_spice
http://www.rwknudsenfamily.com/products/natural_juices/cider_and_spice
Dude,
It's worth trying out. The ascorbic acid won't be any problem. The oils shouldn't be a problem either. Try it--you'll like it. And let us know how it turns out!
Cheers,
Michael
No problem to thief some out. I wouldn't POUR to avoid aerating and disturbing the yeast cake on the bottom, but if you siphon some out or pull some with a wine thief or turkey baster, then cap it up again, it should be OK. Better if you could top off with some CO2 to keep it away from the air but I doubt it will make a difference since you probably don't have much headspace.
khiddy
Well-Known Member
I just put my batch that I started on 11/18 out in my unheated part of the house to cold crash it. The carboy had naturally started to clear from the top down (this batch was made with Premier Cuvee yeast), so I thought I'd help it along and take advantage of the chilly weather. It's about ~35*F in my inside patio and temps are topping out at 38 through the holiday weekend, so I'll probably be able to keg this batch on Sunday or so. I'm looking forward to starting another batch!
