Apfelwein questions

So I think it's time for my first apfelwein. I'd like to stray from the standard recipe a bit but I have a few questions.

First, whats the best way to make a spiced apfelwein using Cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove?

Second, can I use honey or brown sugar instead of corn sugar, and if so, do I need to change the procedure form EdWort's recipe?

Third, is apfelwein better carbed or not?

I have made several gallons of it

I have not really strayed from the recipe other than using different yeasts
and a bit more dextrose

I really like it carbed , champagne like,

I have read that others have used brown sugar, honey and spices, fermentation my take a bit longer with the cane/beet sugar, and honey

make the first batch true to the recipe.
You will never know what you're fooling with until you do. Make sure that you follow Ed's recipe to a T.
Then you can experiment away making different wines and cyders. But if you don't try EdWorts Apfelwein, you'll never know.

BTW, if you want to try some before you go and make it PM me and I will give you a bottle

Cheeto1977 said:

BTW, if you want to try some before you go and make it PM me and I will give you a bottle

Click to expand...

Then You'd know.

Dang...I don't live close enough to anyone to exchange.

Be careful with the spices. I just kegged a cider from last fall and it appears that I used way too much cinnamon and mulling spices in it. So on the spice tip, I say less is better cause you can always add more later.

So I'm probably fine and will bottle but wanted to get someone else's opinion that is more experienced than me. Made a batch of Ed's beginning of March and.... I forgot about it. It is in the back of my crawlspace closet and got kind of hidden. He mentions going 6 weeks to 2 months is fine but what about 3? Is it just going to be super dry and am I going to have a hard time bottle conditioning it? I plan on bottling it in the next day or 2 and plan on carbing it with the standard 3/4 cup dextrose. Anyhow "what y'all think"? I'll let ya know in a few weeks how it turns out. This is my first cider btw.

either way it shouldnt hurt you. there will still be some yeast in suspension and it may take a bit longer to carb but it should still happen. If your worried you can always add some yeast with the priming sugar to deffinitly have it carb although it wont be as clear. I didint carb mine though and i put it in wine bottles. In the end i thought it tasted more like wine that cider.