jharres
Well-Known Member
Does WLP300 leave the apfelwein cloudy, as it does a Hefe?
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.
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%.
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