Apfelwein yeast question
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vvolf27
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I am using Lavlin EC1118 champagne yeast... btw this is my first attempt at wine ever. So take it with a grain of salt!! Just going what others have reported using the same yeast.
It's working, but from what I have read it could make it dry. So I am going to either stop it early or back sweeten it.
It's working, but from what I have read it could make it dry. So I am going to either stop it early or back sweeten it.
Pivot
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i also used lalvin 1118 for my first batch and it seems excellent.
OHIOSTEVE
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I may have messed up. I mixed everything as directed in the apfelwein sticky. However I took the yeast directlyu from the fridge to the carboy. When I poured it in then rinsedit down the funnel with the last bit of juice it all fell straight to the bottom of the carboy. I have never started with anything this clear so it may be normal. Is it?
The yeast will wake up and find the sugars just fine. Personally I always hydrate dry yeast but using it dry works too.
OHIOSTEVE
Well-Known Member
Ok before I ask this I KNOW I messed up by not taking an OG reading.... I just checked gravity on my Apfelwein after about 2 weeks...it is only down to 1.020.. I figured it woulkd be about done by now. I used red star champagne yeast and followed eds recipe ) 5 gallons apple juice and 2 pounds corn sugar) ... I got strong fermentation and its down to a blurb every ten seconds or so ( I know not an indication) just wondered if this was a bit slow being in the mid to upper 60's ambient temp?
Pivot
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It will probably continue to ferment for another week or two dont worry about it. My first batch continued to bubble for close to a month. It will make its way there!
jeffmeh
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Is it clear? Has the yeast settled to the bottom? Have patience with Apfelwein by all means, as it greatly improves with age. When it is clear, you can rack it, but it will still be better (and less like rocket fuel) as it ages.
OHIOSTEVE
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it is wrapped up and basically buried except the top sticking out of a pile of stuff to keep it dark.. so all I can say is that NO the sample I pulled was NOT clear... It was however VERY fizzy like champagne ( I liked it) tasted like apple champagne except a little bitter...
jackson_d
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dude i let my apfelwein sit in the primary for 6 MONTHS! dont even worry about hydrometer. if you have read some of the threads here, you'd know the you arent supposed to bottle or keg after 3-4 weeks anyways.... let it sit minimum 3 months if you can... or drink it right away if you have to.. but the threads clearly say it doesnt clear up for about 3 months... my apfelwein tastes like maple syrup after 6 months... its great
AlTheGud1sRtaken
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i usually let it sit in there for 2 months just to be safe, then let it sit around in bottles for however long it takes to finish it 
i've had some batches that even with ale yeast kept bubbling for over 1 month.
and the pasteur red yeast works great too, but the flavor is completely different. try it sometime just to mix things up a bit.
i've had some batches that even with ale yeast kept bubbling for over 1 month.and the pasteur red yeast works great too, but the flavor is completely different. try it sometime just to mix things up a bit.
OHIOSTEVE
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just checked the SG again and it is only down to 1.012 after a month in ......temps are a bit cool I think so that is a factor...air lock is still bubbling slowly about 1 time every 20 seconds....thinking about swirling it up a bit .... what should I do?
jackson_d
Well-Known Member
whats wrong with 1.012? that a fine FG for a beer..
dude, let it sit two months if you can stand it. dont take readings, just let it sit.
OHIOSTEVE
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I thought with the champagne yeast it should finish completely dry?
OHIOSTEVE
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just checked the SG and it is still at 1.010 .......tasted the sample and it is good ( MUCH more smooth than last time) but weak flavor wise. almost like fizzy water with a splash of apple juice. I understand the apple flavor will come out more with time....it has almost zero alcohol taste to me..actually kind of a pleasant sipper....I have decided to bottle this like beer ( prime with corn sugar and cap) is there any reason I couldn't do that in the near future? I need to top off the carboy but I will use apple juice I think as the flavor is weak enough without watering it down more. I understand this will kick up fermentation again... I have thought about using apple juice to prime it for bottling...would that workif I am patient with carbonation?
I don't blame you for not reading through the 3,000 pages in the original apfelwein thread...but you'll find people were reacting very much the same. It really is amazing how the apple flavor just reappears out of nowhere @ 5-6 months. I'm bummed I drank/gave away 3 gallons in the first 3 months.
On the other hand, I also wish my introduction to cider wasn't just APFELWEIN. While that thread was a big hit, I had never really had much cider at all – apfelwein or otherwise.
I found this little amateur experiment interesting: http://thepauperedchef.com/2009/11/the-final-word-for-now-on-homemade-hard-cider.html
On the other hand, I also wish my introduction to cider wasn't just APFELWEIN. While that thread was a big hit, I had never really had much cider at all – apfelwein or otherwise.
I found this little amateur experiment interesting: http://thepauperedchef.com/2009/11/the-final-word-for-now-on-homemade-hard-cider.html
jackson_d
Well-Known Member
yes you can bottle it like beer. Ed Wort suggests 3/4 cup of priming sugar.
I wouldnt do the apple juice primer without some research first, it might be too much sugar and you might get bottle bombs.
it is german style dry cider. it is not supposed to taste like woodchuck, etc. its very smooth. the flavor will come out in time. as i've said, mine has a slight maple syrup taste at 8 months.. Its very good and very smooth but it doesnt necessarily scream APPLE CIDER at me.
why dont you just leave it be and then you've made Apfelwein. After you drink your batch in all of its glory, you can take notes and alter the next batch. For instance, a friend of mine used 2# brown sugar to mix into the juice instead of Corn Sugar. The brown sugar doesnt ferment all the way and it leaves a lot of sweetness. Tasted much more like a sweet cider instead of dry, as the Apfelwein is meant to be dry.
What do you mean 'top off the carboy' ?
I wouldnt do the apple juice primer without some research first, it might be too much sugar and you might get bottle bombs.
it is german style dry cider. it is not supposed to taste like woodchuck, etc. its very smooth. the flavor will come out in time. as i've said, mine has a slight maple syrup taste at 8 months.. Its very good and very smooth but it doesnt necessarily scream APPLE CIDER at me.
why dont you just leave it be and then you've made Apfelwein. After you drink your batch in all of its glory, you can take notes and alter the next batch. For instance, a friend of mine used 2# brown sugar to mix into the juice instead of Corn Sugar. The brown sugar doesnt ferment all the way and it leaves a lot of sweetness. Tasted much more like a sweet cider instead of dry, as the Apfelwein is meant to be dry.
What do you mean 'top off the carboy' ?
OHIOSTEVE
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I have drawn a couple of samples out of the carboy to test the sg...there is a bit of head space and I was wondering about adding water or apple juice to "fill" the headspace......
Northerngal
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Just started a batch; probably just newbie concerns but...I found a ton of 1L (approx 4L=1gal) apple juices on sale so I dissolved my sugar differently, just in a mixing bowl. I also started my yeast 12hrs before brewing using lalvin 1118. I forgot to take an OG reading until after I added the yeast, and have a reading of 1.055, which seems very low! I'm wondering if maybe the sugar wasn't fully dissolved and is sitting on the bottom? I did it in my kitchen sink and now can't move it until tonight when the hubby gets home to see if it needs mixing. Any thoughts? Should I mix it up well with a wine whip then take another SG or just leave it and trust it to do it's thing? Thank you!
It is slow. Apple juice simply doesn't contain the nutrients to make fermentation finish in a decent amount of time. Next time toss in some DAP and raisins and you'll be finished in a week or so.
OTOH, nothing wrong with cold crashing at 1.020 if you want to preserve some sweetness - that's just the right number. And from where you started, 1.020 will put you at about 6-6.5% ABV. Chill em and drink em.
Just leave it to do it's thing. It will still be about 7.7% ABV if you let it ferment down to 0.996. Nothing wrong with that.
