Grumpybumpy
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davis119 said:
That is correct. You should use 6.4 oz of dextrose if you're scaling down
Man, I love Apfelwein
- Thread starter EdWort
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Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
That is correct. You should use 6.4 oz of dextrose if you're scaling down
BrewinHooligan
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I need some help from the pros... My first batch of apfelwein will have been in the fermenter for 1 month this friday. My OG was 1.070 and I just took a gravity sample and am only at 1.020. I used 2 gallons Tree Top juice, 1 cup table sugar, and 12.5 oz Mr Beer booster (corn syrup solids according to package). How do I bring the gravity down where it needs to be??
Grumpybumpy
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OClairBrew said:
What is the temperature? Which yeast did you use? You may need to warm it up or re-pitch. .02 is way way high. Of course it takes a while to get down, but after a month it should be lower than that...
BrewinHooligan
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The temp is around 75 in the closet where it is currently but I could move it upstairs to get closer to 80. I used a whole packet of Montrachet.
Grumpybumpy
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OClairBrew said:
Someone else should step in. that's plenty warm already
Chuckabrewski
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Gear101 said:
It's been done but not recommended. Yeast only cost like $.65 so your not saving much.
CreamyGoodness
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Thanks guys, I appreciate your help.
bruin_ale
Well-Known Member
Sucrose is ~46ppg, dextrose is ~36ppg.
So if he's got 2lbs of dextrose in a 5G batch that's:
36ppg*2lbs = 72 points total for a 5G batch
72points/5gal = 14.4points/gal of dextrose
14.4pg/36 = 0.4lbs per gal = 6.4oz dextrose
Sub in 46 ppg for sucrose:
14.4pg is still the amount of sugar we're looking to add so:
14.4pg/46 = 0.313lbs * 16oz/gal = 5oz sucrose
Kampo
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that is entirely to much math.....thats prolly why I cook better than I bake, I go by the "close enough" measuring method.
we'll see how that method serves me int his hobby lmao
bruin_ale
Well-Known Member
haha, looks more complicated than it is - I successfully avoided learning the brew math for a number of years and did just fine. As long as you have beersmith or something you can get by without knowing how it's actually calculated out.
Looks right to me :fro:
So If I made a 5 gallon batch with 2 pounds of sucrose and it fermented dry, what would my alcohol percent be?
How to make the wine shown in the photos? They look very good taste!! I really want to drink them! I never brew wine myself before, I just saw my freind brewed the grape wine.
Apfelwein - Fermenting
Award Winning Apfelwein Recipe (German Hard Cider) Apple Wine Recipe
Placed 1st in the Cider & Apple Wine category at the BJCP sanctioned Alamo Cerveza fest (out of 11 entries) and took 2nd place for Best of Show for the main category of Meads & Ciders (out of 50 entries).
Ingredients
5 Gallons 100% Apple Juice (No preservatives or additives) I use Tree Top Apple Juice
2 pounds of dextrose (corn sugar) in one pound bags
1 five gram packet of Montrachet Wine Yeast
Equipment
5 Gallon Carboy (I use a Better Bottle)
Carboy Cap or Stopper with Airlock
FunnelTheres no need to worry about filling up a carboy so full when you use Montrachet wine yeast. There is no Kreuzen, just a thin layer of bubbles (see here). I'm able to fit all but 4 oz. of my five gallons in the bottle. Ferment at room temperature.
- First sanitize the carboy, airlock, funnel, stopper or carboy cap.
- Open one gallon bottle of apple juice and pour half of it into the carboy using the funnel.
- Open one bag of Dextrose and carefully add it to the now half full bottle of apple juice. Shake well.
- Repeat Steps 2 and 3, then go to step 5.
- Pour in the mixture of Apple Juice and Dextrose from both bottles into the carboy.
- Add all but 1 quart of remaining 3 gallons of apple juice to the carboy.
- Open the packet of Montrachet Yeast and pour it into the neck of the funnel.
- Use the remaining quart of juice to wash down any yeast that sticks. I am able to fit all but 3 ounces of apple juice into a 5 gallon Better Bottle. You may need to be patient to let the foam die down from all shaking and pouring.
- Put your stopper or carboy cap on with an airlock and fill the airlock with cheap vodka. No bacteria will live in vodka and if you get suckback, you just boosted the abv.
It will become cloudy in a couple of days and remain so for a few weeks. In the 4th week, the yeast will begin to drop out and it will become clear. After at least 4 weeks, you can keg or bottle, but it is ok to leave it in the carboy for another month or so. Racking to a secondary is not necessary. It ferments out very dry (less than 0.999, see here)
Apfelwein really improves with age, so if you can please let it sit in a carboy for up to 3 months before bottling or kegging, then let it sit even longer. Here's what some folks think.
If you want to bottle and carbonate, ¾ cup of corn sugar will work fine. Use as you would carbonate a batch of beer.
Remember to reserve judgment till after 3 glasses. It grows on you.
DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND START ANOTHER BATCH 2 WEEKS AFTER YOU START THIS ONE.
YOU WILL THANK ME LATER!
GENERAL QUESTIONS
compiled by Dammed Squirrels from the first 37 pages of this thread. Thanks DS!
How does it taste?
It ferments quite dry. Some people have tried different yeasts in order to achieve a sweeter taste. It may take you a few glasses to get a feel for the flavor. It is very reminiscent of a sort of apfelwein produced locally in Germany. There really is no comparable product in the United States. It's drier and less sweet than commercial hard ciders. It gets better with age and at 6+ months, the apple flavor really comes out.
How do you sweeten it?
Many folks back sweeten it with Wine Conditioner. Wine Conditioner is a blend of sucrose and sorbic acid. The addition of 2-4 oz. per gallon adds sweetness and prevents renewed fermentation. It can be purchased as any LHBS that caters to wine makers. Others will use Splenda or lactose (other non-fermentable sugars). Germans who prefer it sweet (or Suß as they say) will add a splash of Sprite or 7up to a glass. This is the easiest method as you don't have to make a whole "sweet" batch that way.
What is the difference between Apfelwein and hard cider?
EdWort says, Most ciders are a bit sweeter. Ciders and Apfelwein are about 6% abv, but I like the little boost I give it with 2 pounds of Dextrose. It adds no body or flavor and still tastes like Possmann's Apfelwein, only it will kick your butt much quicker.
Is this like Apfelmost / Apfel Korn?
No. Apfel Korn is a german liqeur made from wheat spirits. Apfelmost is spontaneously fermented with fresh-pressed apples or apple juice. It is probably similar, but the results may vary as a result of the spontaneous fermentation. Either way, Apfelmost is most certainly has a lower alcohol content since the initial gravity is not increased by the use of concentrate or corn sugar.
Whats the difference between apple juice and cider?
Cider is made by pressing apples. Juice is then filtered to remove all of the stuff that makes it cloudy.
Can I use apple cider instead?
Sure! You can use whatever you want. However, there is not enough information in this thread to give you any better details as to how it will turn out. I recommend starting a new thread or ask more experienced cider-makers.
What kind of Apple Juice should I use?
Ideally, you want to use 100% natural apple juice with no preservatives. The only acceptable preservative is ascorbic acid, which is a source of vitamin C and does not affect fermentation. Pasteurized juice is preferred, since it will have less bacteria.
How much will this recipe cost me?
5 gallons of Apfelwein can be made for between 20 and 25 dollars.
What else can you do with this recipe?
EdWort says, "this makes a great Grog in the winter time. Take a quart in a sauce pan, add some rum, turbinado sugar, and float a cinnamon stick in it and simmer for a while. Serve hot in mugs. It'll warm you right up."
Drink a quart of water and take 3 aspirin before going to sleep tol help reduce the effects of excessive Apfelwein consumption as well as the urge to call EdWort a M'F**kR the next morning!
guscampag
Well-Known Member
I just checked my batch (original recipe) that I started approx 2 months ago. The SG is now at 1.002. How about putting it in beer bottles now and letting the rest of the sugar carb it up? Would this be asking for bottle bombs?
Thanks,
Thanks,
Kampo
Well-Known Member
Just got done checking my batch also. I didn't take an OG but guessing it was pretty much per recipe. its about a week into fermenting (can't remember if I made this last sat or sunday)
here is what is in it:
10 cans Meijer Apple Juice Concentrate
3 "heaping" cups of Brown sugar
water to 3.75ish gallons (was going for 2 gallons but for some reason I thought 1 can = 1/2 gallon and thats not true)
sg is now 1.0ish (you getting a sence of my measure accuracy here )pretty clowdy still and still the occational bubble.
might rack off tommrow or might just forget about it till after I get married and go to flordia end of next month. although that is 5 weeks away prolly 7 by the time I get back and settled in before I can bottle
I didn't intend to serve homebrew at the wedding but could be cool to have a case of this stuff avail since ferment is about done would this clear quicker if I racked to a glass carboy? any chance I could bottle say a month from tommrow and be in good shape?
here is what is in it:
10 cans Meijer Apple Juice Concentrate
3 "heaping" cups of Brown sugar
water to 3.75ish gallons (was going for 2 gallons but for some reason I thought 1 can = 1/2 gallon and thats not true)
sg is now 1.0ish (you getting a sence of my measure accuracy here
)pretty clowdy still and still the occational bubble. might rack off tommrow or might just forget about it till after I get married and go to flordia end of next month. although that is 5 weeks away prolly 7 by the time I get back and settled in before I can bottle
I didn't intend to serve homebrew at the wedding but could be cool to have a case of this stuff avail since ferment is about done would this clear quicker if I racked to a glass carboy? any chance I could bottle say a month from tommrow and be in good shape?
It will take 3 more weeks for it to clear and 3 weeks to carb unless your kegging.
Grumpybumpy
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Farts usually come before the poop out... Eww
Jimbob904
Active Member
My 4gal batch pooped out after 4 days, and not wanting to have a mentos & coke reaction from pitching dry yeast, I made a starter from a juice box. When I opened up and dumped it in, I had a yeast and apple seltzer fountain anyway. I left it alone for 2 1/2 more weeks, but couldn't stay away, so I racked to a secondary.
After 3 1/2 weeks, my 1.066 apple juice has dropped to 1.002, but is still cloudy. SWMBO wants me to brew some low gravity stuff for her, but I don't think this will be it. I'm just happy that after all my fooling around the stuff didn't go septic on me. Only 2 more months to go (ish)!!
After 3 1/2 weeks, my 1.066 apple juice has dropped to 1.002, but is still cloudy. SWMBO wants me to brew some low gravity stuff for her, but I don't think this will be it. I'm just happy that after all my fooling around the stuff didn't go septic on me. Only 2 more months to go (ish)!!
good, 65-75 seems pretty ideal. It will take a little longer at 65 than 75 but develop a little more flavor.
thanks
its been 24hours and no signs (i know the air lock isnt a sign)
but im not getting any of the bubbles on the surface like edwort showed......
ill give it another 14 then take a reading if it didnt change ill repitch
{im already having a hombrew }
Jimbob904
Active Member
I think just plain juice is more likely to reach 5ish percent. A little more than the 3.2% she is shooting for.
Also my airlock was going strong for a few days and just kinda stopped. I think my fermenter developed some kind of leak, 'cuz I could push on the top causing the airlock to bubble, then as I released, instead of bubbling back thru it would equalize without making co2.
Also my airlock was going strong for a few days and just kinda stopped. I think my fermenter developed some kind of leak, 'cuz I could push on the top causing the airlock to bubble, then as I released, instead of bubbling back thru it would equalize without making co2.
thats weird
so let it go for a week and check gravity? if its less than the 1.060 i started with then im good i guess
DrewBrew08
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I was wondering this myself. I just whipped this up Saturday. I've read through most of the thread, but not all 900ish pages lol. I think, and dont take my word for it, but the Red Star Montrachet yeast said 55 - 85 degrees. I think mine is about 75 degrees right now and fermenting like crazy! I dont know if i can wait 2 months
DrewBrew08 said:I was wondering this myself. I just whipped this up Saturday. I've read through most of the thread, but not all 900ish pages lol. I think, and dont take my word for it, but the Red Star Montrachet yeast said 55 - 85 degrees. I think mine is about 75 degrees right now and fermenting like crazy! I dont know if i can wait 2 months
Yeah thats what I saw too that was a broad margin so I was jw what was ideal. Mine is at 65. And finally started to go steady. Nothing crazy
Mellow52
Well-Known Member
Ok made my first two 5 GAL batches and I am as excited as a kid in an apfelwein store. I stuck 100% to the original recipe with zero deviation (other than the apple juice brand).
My OG was just under 1.060, sound right? I used the Organic Apple Juice from BJ's.
My OG was just under 1.060, sound right? I used the Organic Apple Juice from BJ's.
tennesseean_87
Well-Known Member
You get to enjoy the farts, cause you know they mean apfelwein is coming! So long as they're only in the basement, that is. I have community basement space, and I wonder what my neighbors think of the stacks of bottles and tons of apple juice i have stockpiled.
Steelie211
Active Member
I'm thinking about racking my 3 gallons of apfelwein (using a 3 gallon carboy) on a can of raspberry puree. My question is would it be ok to rack to a 5 gallon carboy for secondary or would this leave too much head space?
jaytizzle
Well-Known Member
I brewed up a batch of this today but at the last minute I realized my LHBS had given me the wrong yeast. I thought the package was Red Star Montrachet but it was Red Star Pasteur Red.
Not that I can change anything but any thoughts as to whether this will make a difference?
Not that I can change anything but any thoughts as to whether this will make a difference?
no need for secondary.
