Apfelwein with WLP300

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I just did a batch with wlp300. It is still fermenting, but it looks to me like it is going to be pretty cloudy. Another thing to consider is that you are going to get a kreusen like you would with a hefe. I did 4 gallons of apple juice, molasses, honey, and yeast and I had to switch to a blow-off tube. I'm not going to worry about the cloudiness in mine, but you could condition yours for a couple months and let it clear up some if you wanted.
 
I just did a batch with wlp300. It is still fermenting, but it looks to me like it is going to be pretty cloudy. Another thing to consider is that you are going to get a kreusen like you would with a hefe. I did 4 gallons of apple juice, molasses, honey, and yeast and I had to switch to a blow-off tube. I'm not going to worry about the cloudiness in mine, but you could condition yours for a couple months and let it clear up some if you wanted.

Thanks for the info. Does this yeast make a huge difference in terms of sweetness? I'm not a fan of sweet ciders, but from everything I've read, the standard recipe for this turns out incredibly dry. As such, I was just looking for a way to add a touch of sweet to it. Would I be better off just back sweetening it to taste or dealing with the cloudiness of the Hefe yeast? I don't really want to let it sit and condition for a couple of extra months, as it will tie up my equipment too long (maybe if I had a couple of extra carboys, but at this point I only have one).
 
Well, I can't really say much since I don't have finished results yet, but I'm expecting my cider to be a little more on the sweet side. I wanted the banana/clove esters from the yeast as well as the sugars left by the ale yeast. If you don't want to go too sweet, maybe skip the wlp300 and use wlp001 or a cider yeast. If you are going to back-sweeten, drop a camden tab in to kill the yeast first and then add your sugar/AJ.
 
Most of the cloudiness in hefe's comes from the wheat. I used a witbier yeast, the forbidden fruit, in a cider and it came out very clear. The WLP300 mightn't flocculate as well as some other yeasts, but it won't make your prisonhoochfelwein cloudy unless it's young. That stuff needs to age for a long time anyway, during which time it will clear sufficiently.
 
Thanks for the advice guys. I may just go with the standard Montrachet yeast and then experiment on my next batch.

Evan!, just out of curiosity, why do you call it prisonhoochfelwein? Is it because you are a purist or because it really is that horrible? Can you recommend an alternate recipe for a noob with 5 gallons of apple juice waiting to be used?
 
Just to ensure I'm certain of what I'm typing, I just poured out a cider made WLP300 pitched on 20080915. I do not call this an Apfelwein, its just a strong, hard cider. For an Apfelwein you would want to use a German style wine yeast.
But if I drink too much of it, it might as well be called prisonhoochfelwein.

5.5 gals apple juice
OG 1.046
2 lbs brown sugar.
2 lbs honey
WPL300 yeast.
OG: 1.067 EST.
FG: 0.098
ABV 9.5%
Not really sure on the ABV, the next morning it feels like it is a lot higher.
The cider is completely clear, no "wine" / "bannana / cloves" smell to it. It taste like cider with cheap walmart juice and a quick turn around time for a strong cider.
Below is the brewing timeline.
20080915 Pitched yeast, put in fridge at 68F.
20081019 Still cloudy, dropped temp to 60F.
20081102 Racked to secondary SG 1.000 -? Tasting .... good.
20081108 Threw into Kegerator to crash chill.
20081109 Racked to keg. FG 0.098, 20 lbs seal, on tap 1.

Hope this helps to answer your question, the next cider will be from a stepped up PACMAN yeast.
 
Just to ensure I'm certain of what I'm typing, I just poured out a cider made WLP300 pitched on 20080915. I do not call this an Apfelwein, its just a strong, hard cider. For an Apfelwein you would want to use a German style wine yeast.
But if I drink too much of it, it might as well be called prisonhoochfelwein.

5.5 gals apple juice
OG 1.046
2 lbs brown sugar.
2 lbs honey
WPL300 yeast.
OG: 1.067 EST.
FG: 0.098
ABV 9.5%
Not really sure on the ABV, the next morning it feels like it is a lot higher.
The cider is completely clear, no "wine" / "bannana / cloves" smell to it. It taste like cider with cheap walmart juice and a quick turn around time for a strong cider.
Below is the brewing timeline.
20080915 Pitched yeast, put in fridge at 68F.
20081019 Still cloudy, dropped temp to 60F.
20081102 Racked to secondary SG 1.000 -? Tasting .... good.
20081108 Threw into Kegerator to crash chill.
20081109 Racked to keg. FG 0.098, 20 lbs seal, on tap 1.

Hope this helps to answer your question, the next cider will be from a stepped up PACMAN yeast.

Your recipe is simliar to my 5-2-2-2 Hard Cider.

5 gals AJ
2 lbs Corn Sugar
2 lbs Dark Brown Sugar
2 lbs Honey
It came out to over 12%. :drunk:
 
Your recipe is simliar to my 5-2-2-2 Hard Cider.
5 gals AJ
2 lbs Corn Sugar
2 lbs Dark Brown Sugar
2 lbs Honey
It came out to over 12%. :drunk:

That looks good, and into my notes, thank you. :tank:
But I'm thinking 5-4-3-2-1. (I like easy numbers.)
5 gals AJ, 4 cans concentrate, 3 lbs honey, 2 lbs dark brown sugar, one month primary.
And PACMAN yeast, and it will be my pacman cider.

Man I need to go to the store, I'm just trying to find the perfect yeast and ingredients, to make a strong ABV that does not take half a year plus to be great. Don't get me wrong, I make those also, but I am always searching for more weapons for my brewing book.
 
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