Apfelwein experiments.

Last year I made some experiments with EdWort's Apfelwein.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=274681&postcount=223

The results have been sitting in my basement. Today I decided to give my experiments a try. Here's my $0.02 on each.

Apfelwein: Good stuff. I'm lucky I can still type. The rest is going into the fridge tomorrow. I'll be making more of this.

Cranberry Apfelwein: This had some interested aromatics that added something to the Apfelwein. I think I substituted canned cranberry apple concentrate for some of the sugar (I'm one of those seat of the pants brewers).

ApfelAle: I used the Apfelwein recipe and substituted ale yeast thinking I'd get a less dry result. I didn't. I think I'll try some of BrewFrick's sweet cider next try.

Mulled Apfelwein: Smells great. Tastes terrible. This needs a sweeter base. What's left is going down the drain. If BrewFrick's sweet cider works I'll try the mulled variant.

I had to edit this several times. Damned Apfelwein has made me stupid.

Bender said:

I had to edit this several times. Damned Apfelwein has made me stupid.

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Maybe we should start a "How many IQ points have you lost because of EdWort's apfelwein?" thread? I've gotten stupid more than a few times because of apfelwein overindulgence.

Thanks for your addition to the collective apfelwein knowledge! The cranberry variant sounds interesting.

Cool to see everyones variations. I just did one tonight actually.
4gallons Apple Juice
1Gallon water
2lbs apx. Corn Sugar

1 package Welches Mixed Dried Fruits (tart cherries, Blueberries, Apricots and Sun yellow Raisins.
1 packet Montractet

OG 1.042

Sounds cool. I've got my first batch of apfelwein sitting waiting to be bottled, and 2 more small batches with some funky stuff thrown in (1 lb honey / gal on one, .5 qt maple syrup on the other) fermenting away. I still haven't even had finished apfelwein ever before, I wish I caught on sooner.

Arneba28 said:

Cool to see everyones variations. I just did one tonight actually.
4gallons Apple Juice
1Gallon water
2lbs apx. Corn Sugar

1 package Welches Mixed Dried Fruits (tart cherries, Blueberries, Apricots and Sun yellow Raisins.
1 packet Montractet

OG 1.042

Click to expand...

Do you brew in a bucket or a carboy. I've had problems with fruit in carboys floating to the neck and clogging the stem.

SavageSteve said:

Maybe we should start a "How many IQ points have you lost because of EdWort's apfelwein?" thread? I've gotten stupid more than a few times because of apfelwein overindulgence.

Thanks for your addition to the collective apfelwein knowledge! The cranberry variant sounds interesting.

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I'm pretty sure I just dumped a can of frozen cranapple concentrate into the Apfelwein recipe.

anyone ever added frozen fruit? fiance wants to do a raspberry version, didnt know if she should add it after fermentation or before, and how long before bottling

Carboy...No worried. 6.5g carboy

If you add it before ferm you will get a nice raspberry aroma but not much flavor I would imagine. Had that experience on a braggot

SporkD2 said:

anyone ever added frozen fruit? fiance wants to do a raspberry version, didnt know if she should add it after fermentation or before, and how long before bottling

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after if she wants the flavor of the fruit. Before if she wants it to come out faintly in the background after about 6 months.

just a guess really

I followed Tusch's lead and racked 5 gal of cider that had been two weeks in the primary onto 4 lbs of crushed (previously frozen) blueberries. I let that sit for about two months and then racked off the berries, where it has been sitting for another 3 months. The blueberrie is quite nice in tasting samples and I will be bottling soon. Most things I have read say that freezing the fruit first will break down it's cellular walls, leading to greater extraction.

Here is the thread that Tusch started on his blueberry cider. It may give you some ideas on when to add your fruit.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=51277

placervilledan said:

Most things I have read say that freezing the fruit first will break down it's cellular walls, leading to greater extraction. [/URL]

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I usually use a blender to turn any fruit into a puree.

SavageSteve said:

Maybe we should start a "How many IQ points have you lost because of EdWort's apfelwein?" thread? I've gotten stupid more than a few times because of apfelwein overindulgence.

Thanks for your addition to the collective apfelwein knowledge! The cranberry variant sounds interesting.

Click to expand...

Are you kidding? EdWort's Apfelwein has actually made us all smarter! Do I need to remind you all of the buffalo herd theory?