Apfelwein as Newbie First Brew?

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biglips31

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Big cider fan and thought I would start with a Apfelwein
for my first batch and get it bottled to sit.

Can someone direct me to a killer receipe, looking for the
highest Alcohol by volume.. :rockin:
 
I think that apfelwein would be a good first batch, It's really easy to make and comes out great. You're gonna have to be patient though. Give it a good month of fermentation and some time to age after fermentation.
 
agreed.
Edwort's Apfelwein is EXTREMELY popular around here. Most people generally have it around.
It would be a good first brew because you need proper sanitation and fermenting conditions. Other than that no brewing. So it would break you into those aspects by themselves before throwing in brewing aspects. I don't count apfelwein as brewing though. Just pouring.
 
I'll save you the search (but please do look up the epic thread!)

5 gallons apple juice
2 lbs dextrose
1 package Montrachet yeast

mix together - ferment until clear (at the very least 6 weeks); bottle (carb or not) and age for a couple months.
 
I'll save you the search (but please do look up the epic thread!)

5 gallons apple juice
2 lbs dextrose
1 package Montrachet yeast

mix together - ferment until clear (at the very least 6 weeks); bottle (carb or not) and age for a couple months.

Sweet thanks.. I'll look it up..

Newbie question... Can I take this directly into the Carboy?
What is the bucket for?
 
Yes, you can mix it directly into the carboy. Ed Wort uses a 5 gallon Better bottle for this. Because it doesn't make a krausen layer, no need to put it in a larger container.
 
Here's the link

Make sure to take heed of the "General Warnings."

GENERAL WARNINGS

Excessive consumption of Apfelwein WILL get you drunk at warp speed.

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!
 
apfelwein was my first batch. It turned out awesome.

Now I have a batch going that I made with grape juice instead of apple. I have no idea how it will be. anyone else tried this?
 
I see mention in the original directions about storing at room
temp of 75 deg. First off the house is around 68-70deg but
I was actually planning on leaving in the garage. I live in
Northern California but it does get chilly in the garage.

Is this a problem?
 
I see mention in the original directions about storing at room
temp of 75 deg. First off the house is around 68-70deg but
I was actually planning on leaving in the garage. I live in
Northern California but it does get chilly in the garage.

Is this a problem?

If it gets below 62-65 degrees, the yeast may go to sleep and not ferment. If your garage is over 62 degrees, or you have a way to warm it up, it'll be fine. If not, it should go in the house at room temperature.
 
I see mention in the original directions about storing at room
temp of 75 deg. First off the house is around 68-70deg but
I was actually planning on leaving in the garage. I live in
Northern California but it does get chilly in the garage.

Is this a problem?
 
I see mention in the original directions about storing at room
temp of 75 deg. First off the house is around 68-70deg but
I was actually planning on leaving in the garage. I live in
Northern California but it does get chilly in the garage.

Is this a problem?

Not sure why you posted this twice? But here's the answer again :D

If it gets below 62-65 degrees, the yeast may go to sleep and not ferment. If your garage is over 62 degrees, or you have a way to warm it up, it'll be fine. If not, it should go in the house at room temperature.

The optimal fermentation temp is ~72-75 -- but if it's cooler (but above 62 like Yooper says) it will just take longer...bring it in the house and cover it with a shirt or blanket if you can.
 
i fermented mine at aobut 66-68 degrees, just cuz it was fall here....i started it before halloween and just drank my first sip this weekend. and it was great. FG of .998 so def. done fermenting. it tasted amazing, i added cinnamon sticks so it had a hint of that. it was glorius
 
Somewhere around page 40-50 of the original apfelwein thread has an email from redstar. Long story short, Montrachet will ferment into the low 50's and maybe cooler. It will just go slower than when warmer. I went nuts looking for cold-tolerant yeast before reading that thread.
 
I would suggest going and finding a #1 water bottle. use the water to brew a batch of beer and while its boiling/steeping mix up the cider. or you can go to the local grocer if they have a bakery and pick up an icing bucket and lid. drill a whole for a stopper and add the airlock. set the thing near the water heater. for temp control a heat pad can be used with a temp controller. I use an igloo cooler for temp control. when i poured the last batch ontop the yeast cake it was cold and wasnt doing anytihng for 2 days so i put my heat pad inside the cooler on low and in a day it was off like a bat out of hell and the temp was steady at 73*
 
I took a space heater and plugged it in by my "fermenting chamber" to warm things up a bit recently. But even at 52 degrees, the apfelwien was still bubblin. The ales were sound asleep though...
 
I have mine in the fermentor with a heat pad and a towel wrapped around it. It is bubbling nicely at 68F.
 
i wouldn't do Apfelwein as a first batch. It is super easy to brew and tastes great, but you don't get the enjoyment of the whole brewing process with the boil and all that. And Apfelwein takes awhile to really get its flavor.

So maybe brew this and a beer. It's quick.
 
Also, when you go down later today or tomorrow and see the airlock bubbling away and think, "Oh my god! What is that smell, my Apfelwein is ruined!, Nope that's just the glory of the Montrachet. It is referred to as "Rhino Farts". I tried a toilet paper tube with a dryer sheet over the airlock, from my "college engineering" days. Didn't help. Just stuff it in a closet away from the main living area. It will go away eventually.
 
Thanks for all the advice.. It started fermenting yesterday and I started
getting smell in the garage today.. My garage is running about 62-64deg lately so I moved it into the storage space above the garage which is about 70-75deg easy.. I think it will be a little better up there and is out of the way anyhow.

Still waiting for my actual kit from Midwest. Delivery says next tuesday the
6th so I will keep reading till then. I seem rather nervous about sanitation.
 
Also, when you go down later today or tomorrow and see the airlock bubbling away and think, "Oh my god! What is that smell, my Apfelwein is ruined!, Nope that's just the glory of the Montrachet. It is referred to as "Rhino Farts". I tried a toilet paper tube with a dryer sheet over the airlock, from my "college engineering" days. Didn't help. Just stuff it in a closet away from the main living area. It will go away eventually.
Adding yeast nutrient will quell the rhino farts. SWMBO (who knows nothing about brewing, etc.) made sure to ask if I put "that nutrient stuff" in the apfelwein before I put the carboy in the pantry today.
 
Adding yeast nutrient will quell the rhino farts. SWMBO (who knows nothing about brewing, etc.) made sure to ask if I put "that nutrient stuff" in the apfelwein before I put the carboy in the pantry today.

Any specific nutrient? Only brewed one batch of beer and didn't use it yet. Thinking about doing an Apfelwein sometime soon.

Is there a "traditional" time of year for it?
 
I have been trying not to move my batch around but
I finally moved it into the house this morning..

First in garage, then moved to attic.. Attic was great during day
but this morning it was under 50deg up there and no sign of
activity. I moved it into the house under the staircase in my network
room where it stays a constant 70deg or so from the electronics.

Hopefully the smell doesnt overtake us since I did not put
any yeast nutrient in this batch.. :(
 
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