Man, I love Apfelwein

I've made 1 gallon batches and I have to say it is even easier than JAOM to put together. I dig it.

L-Town Brewing (N8 and I) have made 5 batches including three variants. The first two were standard.

The third was 2 gallons standard treetop and 3 gallons of three apple treetop. As you can guess, tasted pretty much the same.

4th batch I went with 3 gallons standard and 2 gallons Orange PassionFruit Treetop. I think this stuff is awesome but its only 3 months old so waiting to see how it matures. Scary how much like Juice it tastes like. Also think I might have measured the sugar wrong so this might not be quite as strong as my other batches.

Final batch is still fermenting but I used Langdons instead of Treetop and a slightly different yeast because the store was out of Monachet. I also accidentally ended up with 4 containers of juice and 1 container of cider. And topped the thing off with a half gallon of some generic apple juice when I realized the langdons were not gallon containers after dumping them all in and not having a full carboy. Also had to add sugar a week after initial mix when I realized I had measured sugar wrong, which is when I realized I might have measured the OPFApfelwine sugar wrong. So this last batch has just about as mistakes as I could possibly make, and my guess is that it will still turn out awesome.

Love this receipe. And looking forward to making more flavors. Thanks Ed!

My wife and I make a lot of cider using Ed's methods. I have been told by several people that it is the wrong way to make cider, that it will spoil, that it will taste like vineger after a week, that all the bottles will explode. I say to those people that, after 1077 pages of people making cider this way, it is not wrong. I also felt obligated to post on what is the longest thread I have ever seen!

Made a batch last night followed the recipe to a T, except added 1 gal of cranberry juice. I never realized making wine is so easy.

In all I think it took 10 minutes including sanitizing the carboy and cleaning up. I didn't even finish drinking my beer. Guess I am use to brewing all-grain and catching a nice buzz by the time I finish brewing.

I am contemplating making a batch, but instead of using the champagne yeast, using bacteria like lacto or brett, anyone ever try this, heard of it, or have any suggestions?

I made 10 gal and bottled, now six months + later it is kinda flat meaning almost no carbonation. How do I save it?

Mellow52 said:

I made 10 gal and bottled, now six months + later it is kinda flat meaning almost no carbonation. How do I save it?

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I drink mine without carbonation. You save it by drinking it!

I haven't seen Ed for nearly 500 pages. Is he even around anymore?

Who's used apple juice with ascorbic acid in it? I know it's just Vitamin C, but it still scares me....

mattd017 said:

Who's used apple juice with ascorbic acid in it? I know it's just Vitamin C, but it still scares me....

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I have and it seems to be working fine so far!

ComcastWineRookie said:

I am contemplating making a batch, but instead of using the champagne yeast, using bacteria like lacto or brett, anyone ever try this, heard of it, or have any suggestions?

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I can't say that I've ever heard of that for cider. Seems like it would be a bit acidic though.

Mellow52 said:

I made 10 gal and bottled, now six months + later it is kinda flat meaning almost no carbonation. How do I save it?

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Yeah, you can drink it flat. If you've got forced carbonation equipment you could do that instead.

You could pour it all back together, repitch yeast, add priming sugar, then rebottle. That would seem to be more work then it's worth though.

mattd017 said:

Who's used apple juice with ascorbic acid in it? I know it's just Vitamin C, but it still scares me....

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I have too. It works just fine. The ascorbic acid is used to change the PH of the juice so it can be pasteurized at a lower temperature that isn't so damaging to the flavor of the juice.

Adrenaline-Junkie said:

So im gonna give this a go. Im looking to get a slightly higher ABV than what the recipe is designed for. Does anyone have any suggestions on how much sugar to add to a 5 gallon batch if i want to get like 12-15% ABV? Should i double pitch because of the high abv or will i be fine if i use a yeast that can handle the higher abv well?

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I have used frozen apple juice concentrate to really bump it up. I can't remember exactly. I think I used 6 cans in 6 gallons of juice to get around 10%. Get 8-10 cans of concentrate, 5 gallons of juice and measure your gravity. If it is still low add sugar. You need to start between 1.090 and 1.110 to be in the 12-15% ABV range.

Nice! I'm going to make this as soon as a carboy frees up!

Mine has been in the carboy for exactly one month today and the suspense is killing me.

Luckily, I have a batch of beer that will be drinkable in a week and another batch going into the secondary Saturday. I have an empty carboy sitting in my spare room right now, thinking of going ahead and getting another batch of this in the makings...

In the original post it says there's no need to rack to a secondary. Is that for the three months or can you literally let this sit for 8 months on the yeast cake?

Thread covers that probably several hundred times. I remember reading many, many posts saying you're good until six months at least.

Just bottled 4.5 gallons using 3/4c brown sugar. It seems like a bit much for bottle priming doesn't it?

mike_in_ak said:

Thread covers that probably several hundred times. I remember reading many, many posts saying you're good until six months at least.

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I figured it did, I just didn't feel motivated enough to browse through 1000+ pages lol

I just started a 5 gallon batch per the instructions.

So how long is it recommended that you let this sit on the yeast cake before kegging or bottling? I am at just over a month, and getting anxious. I have noticed that it is clearing up quite a bit.

Edwort has stated that you can go up to and beyond 6 months in primary.

just made and bottled my first Apfelwein but I noticed moisture/water droplets on the underside of the bung after it was racked and stabalized. Is this normal?

I did use a water cooler bottle so I am not certain it was airtight?

Anything to worry about?

Quick question. Is there an ideal fermentation temp for Montrachet in this recipe? I could control it in the ferm chamber but if it is fine at an ambient of 68'ish I can just put it in the closet for a little while. Going to put my first batch (3 gallon) in the carboy this weekend.

Thanks, but my question is how soon does it become drinkable (good)? I think its been six weeks, but I don't want to start too early if letting it sit is better.

Read first post in thread. It literally tells you that very thing.

I know that Edwort says that you don't need to rack to secondary, but cider people seem to swear by it, saying that leaving it on lees for too long makes for some bad flavors.

So how come the apfelwein is different from the cider when it comes to racking to a secondary?

Thanks.

Because they're wrong.

Well, I'm 27 days in on the first 5g batch. Pitched on MLK Jr Day. OG 15.2 Brix, right now at 5 Brix (1.0047 corrected, 99.2% attenuation). Used EC-1118. Been at 68-72F the entire time. No blowoff tube activity for weeks. Have a second 5g batch using cider (sans dextrose) about 10 days behind it that stopped about shortly after.

Tastes like... very green wine to me. I'm not really a wine drinker, but I can tell this needs to age. I don't particularly enjoy the soured bite that's present still at room temperature. Wife loves it; said I should be glad I married a wine drinker. Never seen her pop a bottle of wine. I think she means "wine cooler drinker".

Will let this ride out to about 8 weeks before bottling.

I'm 4 weeks in to the day and just had the first look in a while (had it covered with a black plastic trash bag). It's cleared, but still some bubbling visible coming up the sides of the jug/bottle. Haven't taken a SG reading but that seems sorta moot if I still see bubbling in the jug/bottle, isn't it?

Trying this recipe this week!

LoudounBrew said:

I know that Edwort says that you don't need to rack to secondary, but cider people seem to swear by it, saying that leaving it on lees for too long makes for some bad flavors.

So how come the apfelwein is different from the cider when it comes to racking to a secondary?

Thanks.

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I left mine on the lees for over a year - I can't detect any off flavors. Racking wont hurt, but isnt necessary with this recipe. Just had one last night from the same batch which was 3 years old, and it was very tasty.

zilch said:

I left mine on the lees for over a year - I can't detect any off flavors. Racking wont hurt, but isnt necessary with this recipe. Just had one last night from the same batch which was 3 years old, and it was very tasty.

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Jeeze. This makes me wish I had a garage or basement.

LoudounBrew said:

cider people seem to swear by it, saying that leaving it on lees for too long makes for some bad flavors.

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They have never tried it. They are just repeating what they were told by someone who was also just repeating what they were told by someone...

I'm actually going to make a batch with a coworker AT work tomorrow. It'll be saved for some company event in the future. Ah I love working in a fermentation lab.

Hey guys. First post. I have read about 400 pages and wow there is a lot of info here!!
I brewed two 5 gallons batches on thanksgiving day. The first I used 2.5 lbs of dextrose and montrachet yeast and just cheap apple juice. The second I made the same, but added an extra 1 lb of brown sugar I had lying around. The second fermented much more than the first, with the aforementioned rhino farts. I bottled both after 12 weeks in the primary. I used about 3/4 of a cup of dextrose per 5 gallons to prime.

Will I have bottle bombs?

I am storing in a freezer with the controller set at 36 degrees. I see a lot of people age these for a long period. I am in florida and have no basement or cellar. The house averages 78 in the summer and 73 in the winter.

Can I store these for a long period at these temps without any side effects?

I am looking forward to sampling these in a few weeks. They have been in the bottle for about one week.

ordpete944 said:

Hey guys. First post. I have read about 400 pages and wow there is a lot of info here!!
I brewed two 5 gallons batches on thanksgiving day. The first I used 2.5 lbs of dextrose and montrachet yeast and just cheap apple juice. The second I made the same, but added an extra 1 lb of brown sugar I had lying around. The second fermented much more than the first, with the aforementioned rhino farts. I bottled both after 12 weeks in the primary. I used about 3/4 of a cup of dextrose per 5 gallons to prime.

Will I have bottle bombs?

I am storing in a freezer with the controller set at 36 degrees. I see a lot of people age these for a long period. I am in florida and have no basement or cellar. The house averages 78 in the summer and 73 in the winter.

Can I store these for a long period at these temps without any side effects?

I am looking forward to sampling these in a few weeks. They have been in the bottle for about one week.

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Shouldn't have bottles bombs, the proportions were correct. Assuming of course that it fermented fully over the 12 weeks, which it should have, unless there was some unexpected problem with your fermentation.

They probably won't carb while in the freezer, because all your yeast is going to drop out.

73 degrees sounds ideal to bottle prime in. Someone else will have to chime in about 78 degrees.

Would I be able to bottle this in my used, cleaned and sanitized whiskey and scotch bottles with the cork cap?

mpride1911 said:

Would I be able to bottle this in my used, cleaned and sanitized whiskey and scotch bottles with the cork cap?

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I have used corked whiskey bottles to store mead before in the past with no issues. I am sure with a still Apfelwein it would be fine as well. If you carbonate though the corked caps may not seal well enough to hold pressure.

I put 3 gallons of this in the carboy yesterday. Not a ton of activity yet but I can see the yeast starting to build a thin small krausen so things must be going ok.

Just tasted my first batch. It has been in bulk for several months, however, I am not sure if I should let it age a little longer. Any tips?