Man, I love Apfelwein

Okay, I am really interested in trying this, but the SWMBO isn't sold, so I would like to try a smaller batch before committing an entire carboy to it (we don't have much space).

I know that 1 gallon batches can be done, but how much juice, sugar and yeast should be used?

I am sure that the answer is somewhere in this thread, but I don't have 2 years to read through it all.

Thanks, all.

9/9 said:

Okay, I am really interested in trying this, but the SWMBO isn't sold, so I would like to try a smaller batch before committing an entire carboy to it (we don't have much space).

I know that 1 gallon batches can be done, but how much juice, sugar and yeast should be used?

I am sure that the answer is somewhere in this thread, but I don't have 2 years to read through it all.

Thanks, all.

Click to expand...

I'd just get a 1 gallon jug of juice, pour out around four cups of juice into a sanitized receptacle, and pour about 6-7 oz. of corn sugar into the jug and shake up well to aerate the juice while mixing in the sugar. A whole pack of Montrachet or Lalvin D-47 isn't expensive, but it might be overkill, probably half a pack is fine. Pitch yeast, and top off with set aside juice, making sure to leave some room for fermentation activity. Rig airlock in drilled out lid of jug, or maybe find suitable drilled stopper.

ma2brew said:

I'd just get a 1 gallon jug of juice, pour out around four cups of juice into a sanitized receptacle, and pour about 6-7 oz. of corn sugar into the jug and shake up well to aerate the juice while mixing in the sugar. A whole pack of Montrachet or Lalvin D-47 isn't expensive, but it might be overkill, probably half a pack is fine. Pitch yeast, and top off with set aside juice, making sure to leave some room for fermentation activity. Rig airlock in drilled out lid of jug, or maybe find suitable drilled stopper.

Click to expand...

Excellent. Thanks.

I assume that is 6-7 oz sugar by weight? Any idea how many cups that works out to?

9/9 said:

Excellent. Thanks.

I assume that is 6-7 oz sugar by weight? Any idea how many cups that works out to?

Click to expand...

Using my uncalibrated kitchen scale 1 cup was right between 6 and 7 oz.

ma2brew said:

Using my uncalibrated kitchen scale 1 cup was right between 6 and 7 oz.

Click to expand...

Thanks again!

9/9 said:

Thanks again!

Click to expand...

You're welcome, and that measurement was for Corn Sugar, not table sugar, just to make sure you know.

Sorry....pc froze and I posted the above twice. Tried to delete it, but couldn't figure out how. So wiped out everything with the edit button.

EricK The Red said:

I'm using a PET water bottle that I found at Lowe's for $4.95.

Click to expand...

I wanted to make a 2.5 gal batch myself, so tried to find a 3 gal water bottle. How are you guys finding these things?! I have tried Lowes and HD in two neighboring cities, as well as the grocery stores, and they are all #7's. Even our thick-walled, heavy plastic 5 gal water bottles at work are #7. I guess it is because I live in a small town. Maybe I need to get one of you to ship me a 3 gal PET water bottle! LOL!

Anyway, I was determined to make beer and AW this weekend, so dropped $22 at the LHBS, which is 50 miles away, and bought a 3 gal carboy. In the long run, I will probably be glad I did so I can use it for wine and longterm aging.

I used Wyeast 3068 in the AW. It has only been 24 hours, but I have some small bubbles on top and the airlock bubbles every 5 minutes or so. Hopefully it will get cranked up in the next few days.

The batch of beer that I made was only 2.5 gals, too, and I have a little action on it already, too.

I intended to make these one at the time, but somehow got both going at the same time. The LME that I added to the beer was in a plastic container, and I was apparently squeezing it more than I realized as I was trying to get the lid off. The lid came off, and the LME shot out...stringing from me to the counter to the stove and to the floor, and of course running up my arm because I was still holding the container.

I called SWMBO for a little help, but she was already on the way yelling, "I am coming to save my kitchen!"

Despite this, SWMBO is finally onboard with the homebrewing experience. I know this because she has been giving me updates all day today on the airlock action and asking what it would taste like if we made it with grape juice. I tell her that I don't know because I don't yet know what it tastes like with apple juice.

What a great weekend - made a fresh batch of brew, made my first batch of AW, got SWMBO involved, and actually got to see a few snow flakes here in south AL.

Stupid question: Can I use an Ale Pale for this?

Mule-

Yep works just fine

MikeFlynn74 said:

Mule-

Yep works just fine

Click to expand...

Perfect! Thanks

I want to start batch no. 2, and only have Safale S-04 and Nottingham yeats on hand.

Any advice on using either?
tweaks needed?

beergears said:

I want to start batch no. 2, and only have Safale S-04 and Nottingham yeats on hand.

Any advice on using either?
tweaks needed?

Click to expand...

Use the s-04 and let me know if it leaves a sweeter taste.

I bottled my first batch last night...1/2 in wine bottles, 1/2 carbed. I used Splenda to sweeten a few, as well as the glass I siphoned out last. TOO Much sweetener is worse than too little though, I can verify that.

Just had to say it. WOW Thanks Ed I am drinking some of my first batch (7 weeks in primary 2 1/2 weeks in bottle) I can see me and SWMBO drinking this all summer on the back porch. I am going to start batch #3 this weekend just to be on the safe side. Batch #2 is 5 weeks in and i know we are going to go through this stuff fast!


SD

sdhucks7 said:

Just had to say it. WOW Thanks Ed I am drinking some of my first batch (7 weeks in primary 2 1/2 weeks in bottle) I can see me and SWMBO drinking this all summer on the back porch. I am going to start batch #3 this weekend just to be on the safe side. Batch #2 is 5 weeks in and i know we are going to go through this stuff fast!


SD

Click to expand...

sdhucks7.....I take it that you carbed it...correct? My first batch is in the fermenter. I hope I figure out if I want to carb it or not by the time it is done. Seems like most people like it either way. Maybe I should just carb some in the bottle and put some in a wine bottle uncarbed and see for myself.

Yeah i carbed it. But i can see this stuff being very good even still. I took some to the family over the weekend (all beer drinkers) and they loved it also. Now i cant wait to get my keg set up to have this stuff on draft all the time!!

This stuff goes down so easy. I drank two glasses last night, you really have to be careful.

Anyone tried brewing this with less carbonation than a normal beer? Like priming with only half the required sugar? Don't want it to be very gassy.

Solidghost

It doesnt hold Co2 like beer does

Oh....thanks.

MikeFlynn...noticed your blueberry apfelwein. Did you add the blueberries at the beginning, along with the apple juice, or add them to secondary?

I was considering using blueberries, so just curious what your technique was.

Thanks

Yo- I added 2 gallons of 100% blueberry juice to the beginning.

3 apple 2 blueberry

Well that was simple enough! How long before you start drinking? I am going to try to remember to ask you what it tastes like....like if it has a blueberry flavor or more of mixed fruit flavor.

I think I am going to try all blueberry next time around.

431-

I kegged it just before I deployed. So its going to bulk age in the keg for 4.5 months. I will let you know mid may

I had my wife bring a sample of carbed apfelwein to work (winery). She had the owner/winemaking try it and he loved it. He suggested adding malic acid to it at bottling time. He told her it will give it more "structure". I haven't talked to him yet to find out what he means by this.

Anyone have any idea what this would do to it?

Mike...thanks. Be safe!

BlindLemonLars said:

IMO, it's way to early to be making any judgments about your apfelwein. In my experience, active fermentation is still going on past the fourth week. Seriously, put it in a dark corner for a month and forget all about it! Even then, it will continue to improve with age. I keg mine, and without fail, the last glass poured is always the best one! Patience is both the most important ingredient and the most important technique, in this and all other brewing pursuits.

Any additional sugar will just ferment out and produce more alcohol, making the final product even dryer.

Click to expand...

ditto..I have an extra 5 gallon carboy just for mead and apfelwin..I make a batch and just let it go..I just kegged a batch I made in November..you heard me right

November..taste is great..forse carb and crystal clear..I think it continues to get better all the way to 6 months plus as wine does.

J

discgolfin said:

I think it continues to get better all the way to 6 months plus as wine does.

Click to expand...

You betcha it does. After 8 months it is amazing!

well, damn...my 1st apfelwein was a success! we finished 5 gallons of it yesterday in a few short hours and it was mostly the women! made for quite the evening

i had it lightly carbonated (kegged that day and shook the hell out of it)

i need to find some cheaper juice though. that trader joes stuff cost me like $50. might have made for some better brew, tho, who knows.

i think next time i'd like to stop fermentation when it's a little sweeter. i took a sample a few weeks ago and it tasted amazing. i didn't personally think it tasted as good when it fermented completely...but it was still a winner, of course

i think i'll start another batch tomorrow :rockin:

DeathBrewer said:

i need to find some cheaper juice though. that trader joes stuff cost me like $50. might have made for some better brew, tho, who knows.

Click to expand...

Congrats! Costco has TreeTop for $5.99 for two gallons.

If you bottle the Apfelwein before it ferments out will that make it sweeter or will it mess it up?

Congrats! Costco has TreeTop for $5.99 for two gallons.

Click to expand...

I never see Tree Top at my local Costco but I see their Kirkland brand is made from fresh pressed apples (not from concentrate) and that's the only ingredient: 100% Apple Juice (no preservatives or ascorbic acid etc.) so I'll bet it's pretty good too.

Thwizzit said:

If you bottle the Apfelwein before it ferments out will that make it sweeter or will it mess it up?

Click to expand...

It won't be sweeter, but you will carbonate it. You need to be careful that you do not bottle too soon. I would not bottle higher than 1.002 FG

BigKahuna said:

Use the s-04 and let me know if it leaves a sweeter taste.

I bottled my first batch last night...1/2 in wine bottles, 1/2 carbed. I used Splenda to sweeten a few, as well as the glass I siphoned out last. TOO Much sweetener is worse than too little though, I can verify that.

Click to expand...

I used S-04 and dark brown sugar thinking it would leave a little residual sweetness... Its 3 weeks in, gravity was 1.003 when I checked today, and DAMN its tart.

How much splenda was 'too much'? I think I will add a little prior to bottling, but don't wanna over-do it.

s3n8 said:

How much splenda was 'too much'? I think I will add a little prior to bottling, but don't wanna over-do it.

Click to expand...

Ya..well... That is the million dollar question isn't it.
I'll say for sure that a teaspoon in a 12 oz bottle is TOO MUCH, (For Me) but a tea spoon in a 750 ml wine bottle....better but not enough. The good thing is that it's instant, so you can taste a little at a time. AND..I would bottle one or 2 for long term storage to see what happens to it naturally in 8 or 12 months.

Well, I did it... I went out and got a 5 gallon set up and set sail with a batch of Blueberry-Pomegranate Apfelwein. I set it up a day and a half ago and the bubbles in the airlock are coming every two seconds. Is that a good sign?

I also put some clear Georgia Moon Corn Whisky in the airlock because I didn't have any vodka so I hope that's ok.




Thanks

Sounds like all is well to me thwizzit!

Mine (original recipe) was started on the 4th and is only bubbling about every 10sec or so now.
Still plenty of co2 creeping up the sides etc...and a bit cloudy yet.
I probably won't bother with it until after 2 months or so.
I'm going to take a hydrometer reading after 1month though and will sample that bit.

As the title suggests, I wanna re use it. I have 5 gallons kegged, 5 in primary and 5 ready to go. I wanna get some aged!! and this seems to be the only way to be able to get a few months old batch!
so since I'm starting a new batch as I finish the old, and I'm outta yeast, I'm thinking about just pouring the cake over, or should I do right and wash it and get a few batches??
Norm

Good God! Just cracked a bottle that I made in November. After 4 months, this stuff is amazing. Let it age peeps, let it age! <not able to take my own advice>

Question for Ed or others with experience; is it possible to just rack on top of the yeast cake from your prior batch? I have another which is about ready to bottle and am wondering if I can just throw another 5 galls of apple juice on top. I don't really have any experience with wine yeasts(montrachet) other than with a-wine.

blacklab said:

Good God! Just cracked a bottle that I made in November. After 4 months, this stuff is amazing. Let it age peeps, let it age!

Click to expand...

Cool. I marked my calendar for July 17th to crack my first bottle. How long did you let it ferment before bottling?

blacklab said:

Question for Ed or others with experience; is it possible to just rack on top of the yeast cake from your prior batch? I have another which is about ready to bottle and am wondering if I can just throw another 5 galls of apple juice on top. I don't really have an experience with wine yeasts(montrachet).

Click to expand...

I've done it once and it turned out fine. I probably won't do it again though. I think I prefer to clean out the carboy, freshly sanitize it, and use fresh yeast with each batch.