Man, I love Apfelwein

+1 with the hydrometer, you really can't tell anything with out it.
My apfelwein has been in the fermenter for 8 weeks, and is now finally getting close to the final gravity. I had to raise the temp and re-suspend the yeast. Finally getting it down.
As for the taste, I think you have to give it a while, mine did not taste very good when the gravity was up around 1.012, it is much better now, and it only gets better with age.

First batch of Apfelwein started in my Mr. Beer to find out of I dig the taste or not. Here's hoping to a smooth process.

2 2/3 Gallon apple juice
1lbs. Dark brown sugar
4 oz. Honey
3 gram Montrachet Yeast @ 69F
2.5 tsp yeast nutrient

1.073 SG

Okay...I read the 1st 57 pages and didn't find my answer. Please forgive if it was answered somewhere from 58-488...
In terms of cleaning equipment and bottles, is Apfelwein to be treated like beer or wine? In other words, just use Star-San, C-Brite, B-Brite to clean like with beer? Or, take 2nd step after cleaners to sanitize like wine and also use sodium or potassium metabisulfite to sanitize everything? Thanks!

Wash, then star-san, then you're good to go.

Thanks! I don't have Star-San just B-Brite...I'll skip the sulfites...That's what I thought but didn't want to ruin a batch!

I've got a question. I've got a buddy heading over to the big sand pit for a 9 month tour of duty. He is thinking of leaving a carboy full of just pitched apfelwein for the duration of his tour. He plans on sticking a blowoff tube into a container of vodka. The temps will be between 50 and 90 while he is gone.

Any concerns/suggestions? It would be real cool for him to come home to just perfect apfelwein, ready to drink.

I'm currently fermenting at 68-70F ambient while the Apfelwein is 70-74F, am using the Red Star Montrachet. The reason I mention this is because I live in Central California, aka hell, or damn near a desert if you will. Due to cost of electricity I don't know if I'll be able to keep the ambient temp anywhere lower then let's say 68-72 later this spring/summer. My question, will this produce an obscene amount of off flavor, or should I just chill out, and go with the flow and monitor the Apfelwein's temperature?

Daddymem said:

I've got a question. I've got a buddy heading over to the big sand pit for a 9 month tour of duty. He is thinking of leaving a carboy full of just pitched apfelwein for the duration of his tour. He plans on sticking a blowoff tube into a container of vodka. The temps will be between 50 and 90 while he is gone.

Any concerns/suggestions? It would be real cool for him to come home to just perfect apfelwein, ready to drink.

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There is no reason to use a blow off tube with this. There will be a tiny layer of bubbles and thats it, just use an airlock and after his tour he'll be all set.

iammatt said:

I'm currently fermenting at 68-70F ambient while the Apfelwein is 70-74F, am using the Red Star Montrachet. The reason I mention this is because I live in Central California, aka hell, or damn near a desert if you will. Due to cost of electricity I don't know if I'll be able to keep the ambient temp anywhere lower then let's say 68-72 later this spring/summer. My question, will this produce an obscene amount of off flavor, or should I just chill out, and go with the flow and monitor the Apfelwein's temperature?

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68-72 is perfectly fine for apfelwein... i dont think you have to worry about off flavors too much with this as opposed to beer which has fragile hop oils in it etc. The wine yeast is a different breed. You should be perfectly ok once its done and chilled.

The blow off is there because an airlock filled with vodka would be dry by 9 months, a blow off tube stuck in a large container of vodka won't run dry in that time.

I'd guess that it would be best to do a "normal" fermentation. Then bottle it and let it bottle condition until he gets back.

That gets it off the yeast and gets it sealed in bottles, no chance for trouble. And it is good to go for the party.

I'm a week away from three weeks in the bottle and eight in the carboy.Can't wait for my first sip.

Daddymem said:

The blow off is there because an airlock filled with vodka would be dry by 9 months, a blow off tube stuck in a large container of vodka won't run dry in that time.

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Cant you leave it at your house?That would be the easiest babysitting ever.

CATFISHER74 said:

Cant you leave it at your house?That would be the easiest babysitting ever.

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I'd love to but he is in KY and I am in MA. I even offered to just get the stuff and do it here and he can get it when he visits his 'rents when he gets back but he wants to do it at his house.

Daddymem said:

I've got a question. I've got a buddy heading over to the big sand pit for a 9 month tour of duty. He is thinking of leaving a carboy full of just pitched apfelwein for the duration of his tour. He plans on sticking a blowoff tube into a container of vodka. The temps will be between 50 and 90 while he is gone.

Any concerns/suggestions? It would be real cool for him to come home to just perfect apfelwein, ready to drink.

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That will work just fine, will be nice and clear when he gets back. Only downside is that it won't be carbed or bottle conditioned, but it tastes just as good still.

With that long bulk conditioned, would there be a difference if it were bottle conditioned instead? We're talking still not carbed. I ask since my apfelwein has been bulk conditioning for 3 months now, I plan on bottling soon but I wanted a good conditioning time to make Christmas gifts out of wine bottles filled with my delicious goodness.

In the spirit of the following image:



I wish to call EdWort a Mother*&%er in advance.

I just kegged 5 gallons that I started on 3/16. Naturally I had to clear the lines and draw off a bit to make sure the faucet was pouring OK. You don't just toss that stuff, even if it is warm and uncarbonated.

Wow. Just wow.

We're having some neighbors over tomorrow and I can tell that there will be general questioning of EdWorts ancestry on Sunday morning.

Thanks for the recipe Ed!

That's going on my tap handle.

Denny's Evil Concoctions said:

That's going on my tap handle.

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That's positively inspired! Got a source for tap handles that will fit on?

I didnt use montrachet yeast for the apfelwein, I used Lalvin EC-1118 which was recommended to me by the local homebrew shop guru (he didnt have any of the montrachet). I have just started Edwort's recipe last night, but it is not bubbling yet after almost 24 hours. Should I be worried? It is in a coolish basement/garage right now. What is the best temperature to keep the applewein fermenting at?

Here is the yeast I used:
Lalvin Champagne Yeast #EC-1118 for Home Wine Making

yowyip said:

I didnt use montrachet yeast for the apfelwein, I used Lalvin EC-1118 which was recommended to me by the local homebrew shop guru (he didnt have any of the montrachet). I have just started Edwort's recipe last night, but it is not bubbling yet after almost 24 hours. Should I be worried? It is in a coolish basement/garage right now. What is the best temperature to keep the applewein fermenting at?

Here is the yeast I used:
Lalvin Champagne Yeast #EC-1118 for Home Wine Making

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Mine didn't go for three days in a fairly warm area. Give it time.

Ed, you Motherf@cker!!!

We went through an entire keg of Apfelwein last night at our national homebrew day party. Everyone loved it, but now they are probably all cursing you! I am going to try to get some pics of the party up tonight.

My head is still pounding.

yowyip said:

I didnt use montrachet yeast for the apfelwein, I used Lalvin EC-1118 which was recommended to me by the local homebrew shop guru (he didnt have any of the montrachet). I have just started Edwort's recipe last night, but it is not bubbling yet after almost 24 hours. Should I be worried? It is in a coolish basement/garage right now. What is the best temperature to keep the applewein fermenting at?

Here is the yeast I used:
Lalvin Champagne Yeast #EC-1118 for Home Wine Making

Click to expand...

My first batch took just over 100 hours to start, and it came out fine. As long as you sanitized well, just let it go on its own, maybe giving it a swirl once in a while to keep the yeast in suspension.

Just brewed a batch of Apfelwein today after finding the recipe yesterday... It really seems to have that effect on people, doesn't it?

I made a startlingly awesome discovery while ingredient searching, though. While looking for juice at the HEB Central Market on North Lamar, I found Central Market Organics Apple Juice, Pasteurized... in 1-gallon GLASS jugs. I brew some meads, so I'm forever needing more glass jugs, and these are perfect. The jugs were $6.99, and considering that 1-gal jugs on their own go for $5.49 at Austin Homebrew, that makes the juice cost (effectively) $1.50, which is a steal. So if anybody else is looking to gain a few extra gallon jugs, definitely check this out.

My recipe was pretty much normal:
1gal apple juice
approx. 6.5oz light brown sugar
Red Star Montrachet

Cheers for the awesome recipe, Ed. Can't wait to try it in a month.

Only 1 Gal?? You're going to be very sorry you didn't make more. and I would never drink this stuff 1 month from pitching yeast. I let mine go 4-6 months before drinking and it's fantastic. 1 month will not be close to what it's suppose to taste like. It may not even be done fermenting.

Yes, only 1 gallon. I'm trying it out first. And trust me, if it's good, I'll start up another gallon or more as soon as I try it.

Assuming it does finish fermenting in a month, I'll try it then, but I'll definitely save some bottles for 8 months or so.

I came across this while searching for something to do with all the priming sugar I had left over. So, called the wife who was at Sam's and picked up some apple juice. Made a batch of this stuff Friday night. Felt guilty because it was so easy to make. By Sunday morning, this stuff was bubbling like crazy. Had to take it to the garage as it did have just a little funk. Used Muntons Gold dry yeast. Now, the waiting game.

I looked in the closet and there was my batch of Apfelwein. I thought it needed another week (my time is all messed up) and checked on it and it is all clear and ready to bottle. Got my FG of 1.000 and the wine bottles are soaking in the tub as we speak.

Tasted the gravity sample... Man, this stuff is GOOD! I used Lalvin D-47 yeast (since it was what I had in the fridge from all of the mead I am making) and it came out great! It reminds me of a chardonnay in flavor right now. Nice and dry and will be really good when the temps hit the 100+ mark in another week! Hubby has already claimed about half of this batch for some SCA events we will be attending and stated that he may pass on his normal gin and just drink this!

We will be picking up another 5 gallons of apple juice at the grocery store today to start another batch tomorrow. Thank you, EdWort. This is some really really good stuff! I plan to treat this like wine rather than beer and I think the hangover will be minimal... Although I have had a few nasty hangovers from over consumption of the fermented grape beverage...

O.K. I have no will power. SWMBO and I polished off 4 bombers yesterday afternoon on the deck enjoying the nice weather.Even though it wasn't fully carbed and only 2 1/2 months old it was still very good. Got the green light from SWMBO to keep this in constant rotation as wine is more her thing than beer anyway. As I turn more people onto this I can see it being a big hit this summer in the yard.Thanks Ed!

Made a batch Friday. Didn't have corn sugar so I used 2 cups of honey, 2 cups of brown sugar and red star champange yeast. It's got a healthy case of rhino farts rolling along so I guess its working!

This might be a stupid question. I've only done a 2.5 gal batch but for my next batch I wanna do a 5 gallon. I use Red Star Montrachet. Should I use two packets now or should I still stick with one?

One package will work just fine.

Thanks dude!

Forgive if this has been discussed already, but if you carb up the apelwine, it's not really a "wine" is it? Can you drink this stuff without carbing after it's aged?

Ol' Grog said:

Forgive if this has been discussed already, but if you carb up the apelwine, it's not really a "wine" is it? Can you drink this stuff without carbing after it's aged?

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Why not?
What is sparkling wine then?

I meant wine in the traditional sense.

Well, decided to check the gravity of mine today after noticing lack of bubble action. Six days after fermentation at a constant 72-76F the gravity read at .997, after starting at 1.073. Super cloudy, however I am not one to shy from tasting my craft through it's process. Very dry, tons of apple and a bit of caramel coming through from the dark brown sugar. Tastes very young of course, but is good right now. Can't wait to try the slightly carbed bottled version of it here in 10-12 weeks.

I've started to drink some of my old apfelwein lately. It is the awesome. I've got a few bottles from batches that started like 2 years ago. They are amazing. Aging this s**t works wonders. Trust me. Thanks Edwort.

CATFISHER74 said:

Why not?
What is sparkling wine then?

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So, I started a 3 gallon batch today. Ya, I know...I'll be totally p.o.'d that I only made 3 gallons...Just hate to throw stuff out unless I'm sure...

Anyway, 2 questions: 1st, as asked above: Does Apfelwein have to be carbed or can it be "uncarbed" and then like wine?

Second, other than hangovers, is there any other way that Apfelwein adversely affects the body? How can I put this delicately??? I guess I can't..."hershey squirts", "bad poops"??? I know that cider sometimes affect some this way. I know that this isn't cider but I'm just checkin'!

I split 4 bombers the other day with SWMBO and had no problems.Regarding the carbing I think it's personal preference really.