Man, I love Apfelwein

I honestly found my favorite way is to keg it and carb it like a champagne almost....

louie0202 said:

I honestly found my favorite way is to keg it and carb it like a champagne almost....

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What psi are you setting it to? I'm kegging 10 gallons this weekend. 5 gallons normally, and 5 gallons like champagne. My calculator says 42 psi @ 38* for 5 gallons at 5.5 volumes of CO2. I'm just curious what others are running to make it q sparkling wine....

Can I fill the carboy as full with White Labs WLP775 English Cider Yeast as I did using the montrachet called for in this recipe? Or will it be a more foamy fermentation?

bruin_ale said:

Just bottled my first batch (1 gal). I got 10 bottles, put a half tspn of sucrose in 5 of the bottles for carbing. I got a couple ounces to taste, it was much more tart than I expected - almost lactic like a Berliner but with a nice apple flavor as well. I think I'll like the carbed version of this more, but we shall see. Using the yeast cake for skeeter pee today!
Oh, and I used Lalvin 71B - not sure if that contributed to the tartness or not.

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Drank the first still bottle last night. Tartness seems to have disappeared in the bottle... weird. Tasted like what it is, apple wine. Similar to chardonnay but more apple character. The alcohol was noticeable, but not bad - I can tell this will get better as it sits - very drinkable after 6 weeks though. Can't wait to try the carbed versions.

mastamind said:

I can bottle only problem is I still don't have the right amount of bottles yet I need to buy some more from the brew store.All my empties are being used for my beer.

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Haha. I hear that. I accidentally opened the wrong yeast and started it hydrating when I started my apple wine so I started my Mead on the same day to save a trip to the brew store to replace the mead yeast. So, 4 gallons Mead, 3 of Apfelwein. I am using a combination of Liter fliptops, 3/4 liter fliptops, and 22 oz beer bottles with oxygen barrier caps.

I happened to buy my juice in 1 gallon glass jugs though and I think I'll alleviate some bottles by just using one of those to store a gallon.

So for those who have used both, do you prefer Montrachet or Lalvin 1118? I'm ready to start my first batch, and not sure which to go with.

I drew a sample while siphoning into the keg. WOW. Quite the difference from when it was 3 weeks old. It reminds me of a dry gewerts in some way. Very clear, and was able to siphon almost all of it.

That was yesterday, and I drew a sample <24 hours, chilled with slight carbonation and EdWort is not kidding. I can see this to be a bit dangerous since it goes down far too easily. Serve in small doses

Soooooooooo, why did I not make this sooner?? Holy crap, I drew a hydro sample today, it has been in primary for 3 months minus 9 days. It's good. Very good! I won't be able to bottle until Monday, and am tempted to carb a 6 pack with priming sugar just to see what it's like. I like it still tho, and I am sure it's even better cold. It looks like I will soon be calling Ed a MF'er!

Raenon said:

So for those who have used both, do you prefer Montrachet or Lalvin 1118? I'm ready to start my first batch, and not sure which to go with.

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I haven't tested 1118, but I prefer SAF-33 to Montrachet; I feel it leaves a bit more "apfel" to my wein. If you have 33 available, I heartily recommend it.

My apfelwein I made with 1118 & there is very little apple taste, there's smell but hardly any taste, going to have to sweeten with apple concentrate to get some apple flavor back I think. After making this, my first batch, I read that 1118 sometimes strips out the fruit flavor/taste. Ofcourse not until after I made mine & let it age over 5 months now ...oh well, I've still got lots of high hopes for this recipe, going to try to track down some montrachet or nottingham around here, but might have to order them online, we'll see. Thanks again edwort!

Raenon said:

So for those who have used both, do you prefer Montrachet or Lalvin 1118? I'm ready to start my first batch, and not sure which to go with.

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I prefer Lalvin EC-1118. I find it clears faster, doesn't give Rhino Farts during fermentation (I still use Yeast Nutrient, though) and I think the taste is a little crisper. Oddly enough, a little more sweetness with the EC-1118, in the last few Apfelwein batches, though it usually takes it to dryness and beyond when measured with the hydrometer.

Recluse said:

I prefer Lalvin EC-1118. I find it clears faster, doesn't give Rhino Farts during fermentation (I still use Yeast Nutrient, though) and I think the taste is a little crisper. Oddly enough, a little more sweetness with the EC-1118, in the last few Apfelwein batches, though it usually takes it to dryness and beyond when measured with the hydrometer.

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What do you carb it too? I've been going really high and like the apple champagne taste...

made 5 gallons each of Montrachet and Safe04.. mixed it 50/50 into two kegs.. pretty dam good?!?!?

Need help! Brew day with my dad who doesn't know much about brewing. Were making Apfelwein during the mash and I give him the direction to put the yeast packet and the scissors in the sanitizer bucket before we pitch. Run upstairs to do something and come down reach in the bucket. I pull out the stopper and I'm looking for the yeast. Ask him where it is and he says it's in there. He dumped it all in. Turns out he cut the yeast and pitched it into the sanitizer. Sad and funny at the same time.

Question. Will it be ok to pitch tomorrow when I get home from work? Or is this batch lost? Thanks in advance.

Wait is this a real question? How will u get the yeast out of the bucket of sanitizer? Or am I misunderstanding? Are u going to Buy new yeast and pitch it when u get home from work?

I had a few today so bare with me

davis119 said:

Wait is this a real question? How will u get the yeast out of the bucket of sanitizer? Or am I misunderstanding? Are u going to Buy new yeast and pitch it when u get home from work?

I had a few today so bare with me

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Lol. Dad is that you? No, I will buy new yeast and pitch tomorrow. Just wondering if it's worth my time. Thanks again.

LOL!! Should be fine. Just make sure it's covered/sealed and pitch tomorrow like normal.

A few months ago, I posted in this thread that I was testing Pasteur Red on a batch of this. Someone else was trying that as well.

When I bottled, I actually thought the Montrachet yeast was going to be better. After it's had a chance to age a comparable amount of time (> 6 months for both), I have to say that the Montrachet is good, but the Pasteur Red actually has more flavor, and a richer color as well. The only drawback is that the Pasteur Red batch hasn't gotten as sparkling as the Montrachet batch. That may be because it seemed to ferment faster and the SG was a little lower at bottling. For whatever reason, the Montrachet has sparkled to champagne levels and the Pasteur Red batch is much less sparkling.

I don't dislike either, but I have to say I like the flavor and color of the Pasteur Red batch a little better.

I have another batch with Montrachet currently making. I'm going to start another batch with Pasteur Red soon.

"Brewed" some up tonight! Thanks for the recipe. I can't wait for the rhino farts to start. :rockin:

For those who won't find this because it's buried many pages back: one teaspoon of yeast nutrient/gallon prevents Rhino Farts.

america said:

What do you carb it too? I've been going really high and like the apple champagne taste...

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Absolutely carb it with about 1 oz Dextrose (by weight) per Gallon of apfelwein. Initially I left some still from every batch, but I prefer it carbonated as does my friend who pretty much drinks every batch I make.

SteveHoward said:

For those who won't find this because it's buried many pages back: one teaspoon of yeast nutrient/gallon prevents Rhino Farts.

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Dosage depends on the nutrient...so check the label. I really liked Fermax, but its been out of stock so I have been using DAP. Seems to work OK. I think the recommended dosage of the Fermax was different from the DAP. Rhino farts are also much less of a problem with EC-1118 yeast vs. Montrachet, but I still add Yeast nutrient.

Loving this stuff more and more. only have 2 more bottles I'm allowed to drink left...(30 bottles are tagged for being served at my wedding) accidently overcarbed them, but me and the fiance love them. kinda like apple champagne dry but not overly so, bottles don't gush or seem dangerously overcarbed, just when you pop them it has that cool foggey cold c02 haze around the top of the bottle

defiantly going to make this again, not sure if I should risk carbing them the way I did it before,(cup of sugar inverted with a cup of water for 3.75 gallons)

hey all my first batch of apfelwein doesn't have much apple flavor to it at all. i used 1118, so I was reading that might be the cause...can I use the apple juice concentrate to bring back some appley flavors? if so how much? I have about 4-5 gallons left in my glass carboy sitting there waiting for me to give it a good home in some wine bottles, with corks...so no bottle bombs please ...thanks.

I'm all in. Gonna do a five or six gallon batch tomorrow depending on how much apple juice I can find that fits the bill. Plan on using 1.5lbs table sugar and a half pound of light brown sugar. Yeast will be K-97 german ale. Sorta worried about the yeast selection but it's what I have and I don't have a LHBS anymore .

Mine is bubbling it away. Just finished drinking the 6th gallon I bought (for the specific purpose of drinking, which is now is killing me) I can't wait to see how amazingly this turns out.

Thank you so much for the recipe.

Started 10 gallons this weekend. Hoping to crack into 5 gallons in 3-4 months and save the other for a full year.

A homebrewing friend of mine recently had the Crispin cider product that is fermented with Trappist ale yeast ("The Saint"), and said it is very good. I wondered whether, in the nearly 1,000 pages of posts in this thread, anyone has tried a trappist ale yeast with the apfelwein. I'd love to do so, but would appreciate any thoughts on that.

Still have 2 gallons of the 5.5 gal I bottled two months ago, which was about 45 days at that point. Keeps tasting better, but won't make 6 months - I should have already started another batch. Will do this weekend; it has become my favorite etoh bev. I use Montrachet per original recipe except I use cane, not corn. Yum with a kick.

So I started a batch of my own on Sunday evening, and by Monday morning, no movement.
Ok, that's expecting too much, just because a well oxygenated wort has activity in 12 hours, using liquid yeast, does NOT mean a shake-aerated must with a 5g packet of dry yeast can do the same, even with nutrient.

It took 24 hours.

Now it's belching out more CO2 than the two beer fermenters next to it did, combined, and it makes the ol' brew closet smell like... well, rhino farts is pretty close.

It's amazing to see the must actually FIZZING from the activity. I've seen beer ferment vigorously with 5 bubbles per second, but this is a near continuous stream, but with NO krausen whatsoever, so blowoff just isn't gonna happen.
If I could hook up an airfilter and a compressor, I think I could probably refill a couple of tanks...

Didn't have time to do a full brew on National Homebrew Day, so I spent the morning getting 10 gallons of various apfelwines started off my previous 1122 cake (agitated with last batch's remaining 1/2 gallon apfelwine and 1/2 gallon fresh juice - then split proportionally amongst fermentors).

Here's the breakdown:

* Sweet and Fruity Apfelwine [5.25 gallons in carboy]

• 5.25gal apple juice
• 48oz apple juice concentrate
• 2# dextrose
• 1/4tsp pectin enzyme, 5/16tsp yeast nutrient
• 1.5# lactose (to be added later)

* Strong Apfelwine [1 gallon in bottle]

• 4qt apple juice
• 6oz apple juice concentrate
• 1/8tsp pectin enzyme, 3/16tsp yeast nutrient
• 8oz lactose (to be added later)
• 1# honey (to be added later with more nutrient)

* Cherry Apfelwine [1 gallon in bottle]

• 15oz Oregon-brand Sweet Pitted Cherries in Syrup
• 9oz cranberry juice
• 24oz apple juice
• 1/2tsp pectin enzyme
• 3/16 campden tablet
  ---------------------- 36 hours, vented ^^^
• 3qt apple juice
• 4oz dextrose
• 1/4tsp yeast nutrient
• 4oz lactose (to be added later)

* CranApfelwine [1 gallon in jug]

• 3qt cranberry juice
• 1qt apple juice
• 6oz apple juice concentrate
• 4oz dextrose
• 1/8tsp pectin enzyme, 1/4tsp yeast nutrient
• 4oz lactose (to be added later)

* Crapfelwine [1 gallon in jug]

• 2qt cranberry juice
• 2qt apple juice
• 6oz apple juice concentrate
• 4oz dextrose
• 1/8tsp pectin enzyme, 1/4tsp yeast nutrient
• 4oz lactose (to be added later)

* ApfelCranwine [1 gallon in jug]

• 1 qt cranberry juice
• 3qt apple juice
• 6oz apple juice concentrate
• 4oz dextrose
• 1/8tsp pectin enzyme, 1/4tsp yeast nutrient
• 4oz lactose (to be added later)

Ingredients were: Great Value Apple Juice (1.050), Great Value Cranberry Juice (1.050), Great Value Apple Juice Concentrate (~1.186), Lalvin 1122 yeast.

There is also 1.5gal from my last batch currently sitting on some cinnamon sticks and cloves awaiting bottling soon....

"Honey, I think a mouse died in one of the traps"

That's just the apfelwein sweetie!

2 Questions. I read 'Game meat' is a good pairing with Apfelwein and of course, pork. Luckily Texas has a wild hog infestation so I'll be able to get game pork pretty cheap (perhaps only the cost of .270 shell?) But beyond that main dish, what else would I want to serve with Apfewein if I made a ton of it and threw a dinner party? Anybody know what would be traditional fare?

Secondly. A German woman who was friends with my dad told me that every year she brewed 15 gallons in the closet and a few things she said struck me as odd. Apparently, they, or at least, she, didn't age it. Once fermentation is done she would just wait for the yeast to fall out and then it's time to drink. She said this took a few weeks. Also, she didn't bother bottling or kegging. They would grab a clean mug and dip it into the barrel. Or, they'd dip a clean pot in and heat some up for Glogg.

I couldn't beleive her but at the time, but, she was German, middle aged, a mother, a teacher, she said she'd done it like that for years. I assumed she knew what she was talking about.

I'm tempted to make a 5 gallon batch and then save the bottles, and once it's ready I'll just use the racking cane to fill a half gallon jug at a time? I guess it's no more exposure than taking a gravity reading?

Obviously I would be giving up on having it sparkling, but beyond that, would just leaving it in the fermentor ruin it?

Oh, and also, what kinds of foods would make a good feast with this stuff?

I don't know about taking it out of the fermenter, but when I was drinking a lot of it in Frankfurt I don't remember it being carbonated at all. FWIW

A50SNAKE said:

hey all my first batch of apfelwein doesn't have much apple flavor to it at all. i used 1118, so I was reading that might be the cause...can I use the apple juice concentrate to bring back some appley flavors? if so how much? I have about 4-5 gallons left in my glass carboy sitting there waiting for me to give it a good home in some wine bottles, with corks...so no bottle bombs please ...thanks.

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can anyone help me out with my apfelwein to get it more of an apple flavor?

if not the concentrate, I was also thinking about maybe adding some of the original juice I used. will that just "water" it down?

thanks,

If there are still live yeast they will ferment the apple juice you add back. You could add apple juice to taste when serving, or kill the yeast with campden and sulfites, then add juice or concentrate to taste.

FRS said:

If there are still live yeast they will ferment the apple juice you add back. You could add apple juice to taste when serving, or kill the yeast with campden and sulfites, then add juice or concentrate to taste.

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the yeast should be plenty dead now I think, its been 6+months...

thanks for the tips...I'm gonna try that out...

A50SNAKE said:

the yeast should be plenty dead now I think, its been 6+months...

thanks for the tips...I'm gonna try that out...

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I dont think that is 100% accurate. If the yeast were dead then how would you bottle carb?

Most folks trend to re-pitch before bottling for a batch that goes this long. That said, you'll likely still have viable yeast after 6 months, just not a lot of it. It's still not safe to try and back sweeten,as the resident yeast will indeed chew up any additional sugars.

I'd suggest back sweetening in the glass with a splash of Apple juice. The other options are just too risky, unless you're kegging.

EdWort said:

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You weren't joking