Apfelwein Equipment Checklist! Help!

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elbajista

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I'm going to embark on my brewing experience by making a batch of this famed Apfelwein. However, I need some help gathering the proper equipment.

This is what I've come up with so far with the help of NorthernBrewer:

  • Y150 Red Star Montrachet $0.59 (4 @ $2.36)
  • 7931 Star San 32 oz $11.99
  • 7019 6.5 Gal Pail - Drilled $14.50 (Bottling bucket)
  • 7025 Grommeted Lid For 6.5 Gal $2.99
  • 7134 Replacement spigot gasket $0.49 (2 @ $0.98)
  • 7125 Bottling Spigot $3.50
  • 7010 Three-Piece Airlock $1.25 (2 @ $2.50)
  • 7882 Better Bottle Plain 6 Gallon
  • 7048 Carboy Dryer $6.50 (Is this necessary? Anyone have an alternative?)
  • 7064 The Brew Hauler $12.99 (Anyone used this? Is it worth the money?)
  • 7058 10" Funnel $8.50
  • SD10 No. 10 Drilled Stopper $2.50 (2 @ $5.00)
  • 7102 3/8" ID Siphon Hose $0.35 (For the bottling bucket, I think...)
  • 7203 Auto Siphon 1/2" $12.99
  • 7106 1/2" ID Siphon Hose $0.50
  • 7212 Red Baron (Emily) Capper $14.99
  • 7202 Fermtech Bottle Filler $2.75
  • 7240 Bottle Tree 90 $43.99 (Cheaper alternative, anyone?)
  • 7400 Triple Scale Hydrometer $5.99
  • 7405 Economy Test Jar $3.50
Subtotal $184.37 :drunk:

I also would need to buy bottles and bottle caps, as well as the other ingredients....


Does this look like a complete list of the items I'd need to make a batch of Apfelwein? Also, I'd like to make beer in the near future, so might it be better to purchase a starter kit? I wanted to make Apfelwein first because I thought I could spread out the cost of starting up this hobby, but it looks to be just as expensive as brewing beer can be. Am I going about this the wrong way?
 
Okay...you're spending waay too much for this stuff...I'm not awake enough but I'll try to break it down.

First you can buy a complete brewing starter kit from any homebrew store or online for between 60 and 100 bucks, depending on what little extras you want or need. Take a look at the basic kit here http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdBySubCat.aspx?SubCat=11166&fd=1 It's 60 bucks and has pretty much all you need to get started.

It comes with the capper and caps...some kits come with 2 cases of bottles as well.

But if you're going the "Ala Cart" route, then here's some things to consider...

You don't need to pay LHBS prices for some common kitchen type items which can be found in supermarket, hardware stores and even dollar stores. For example you don't need to spend 8 bucks for a funnel when you can find various sized ones in any hardware store or auto parts store for 2-3 bucks.

You don't need to spend 14.50 for a bottling bucket with spigot. Go to a big box home improvement center and look for a white or clear bucket that is a little larger than 5 gallons (a lot of them have ridges similiar to your fermentation bucket and usually say something like "5 gallons at 3rd ridge from top.) They cost between 4 and 5 bucks Something like this.
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There is some debate as to whether these buckets are food grade or not, but on another forum, a brewer who was a chemist actually called homedepot corporate headquaters and talked to someone who confirmed that even though these buckets aren't labeled as food grade they indeed are. AND besides, you are not fermenting in them, you are using them for bottling, and your beer/wine will only be in there for the length of time it takes to bottle...I can bottle a 5 gallon batch in about an hour.

You can get a bottling spigot at your lhbs for about 2 bucks. Then you just need to drill a hole for the spigot approximately 1" from the bottom of the bucket.

Don't get the orange colored home depot though, noone's sure that the dye won't leach into your brew.

In the beginning you don't really need the Carboy Dryer
& The Brew Hauler. A lot of people use plastic milk crates to lift their carboys (I don't even bother, I just lift carefully.) And I really haven't need to let my carboy drain upside down. I wash them and let them airdry then sanitize them on racking day...or else I'm emptying one, cleaning/sanitizing it and refilling it with something else the same day. Since your planing to use a no-rinse sanitizer like starsan, you really don't need to let them dry you just drain out the sanitizer and pour in your beer or wine.

I don't have a bottle tree....they take a lot of space. I get the slotted bottle boxes from my local liquor store, or the ones from buying empties from my lhbs. I slide out the cardboard insert and lay down clean paper towels and replace the insert. Then after I sanitize my bottles, and shake them out I put them in the box upside down to let them drain, then flip them over to fill and cap. I also keep every little six pack carrier I get from the beer store and do the same thing, store the bottles upside down until bottling time. I also get for free from my beerstore the unslotted beer boxes that the cases of sixes come in....Surprisingly budlight boxes are the strudiest of them all. I fill 6 bottles, cap them, put them in a 6 pack and put 4 of the 6 packs into the bud box and close it up and stash in my closet to condition.

Personally I wouldn't get the test jar and instead get a winetheif for a couple bucks more. It is a tube with a little gaskety thing in the bottom. You sanitize it inside and out (sticking your hydrometer inside it to sanitize as well) then you lower it into your bucket or carboy, draw out a sample, take a hydro reading, and then empty the theif into a glass for a taste test (or you can rain your sample back into the bucket...but you know you want to tase, dont you?) If you go with the test tube, you still need a way to draw out a sample- a lot of people use turkey basters...but the theif draws and then is your test jar...

Honestly...if you're not going to be brewing beer or wine and just want to make apflewein, then skip the fermentation bucket and just get the better bottle, stopper and fermentation lock for now....total for all 3 about 25 bucks.

Again it all depends on what you want to do, now and in the future...and you can always add pieces as you get more profiecent or realize that you can't live without that 50 dollar bottle tree. Remember it isn't about the gadgets...The ancients made beer and wine using far more primitive tools.

But the biggest tip is don't buy funnels, strainers, spoons from your LHBS you'll pay a huge markup, look at hardware stores, grocery stores and dollar stores for common items- (same if you want to get a scale down the line).

Hope this helps.
 
You might want to try a small batch first to see if you like the product at all - this is what I am doing.

1.) Bought a 1-gallon glass jug of apple cider for about $6.
2.) Added $1.00 worth of dextrose/corn sugar to it
3.) Added a $2 pack of Montrachet yeast to it (which can be had for half that price)
4.) Stuck a $1.50 airlock in a $1 stopper on top of it
5.) It's happily fermenting in my bathtub.

If you really want to go low budget, get a siphon hose, a mini-auto siphon and a bottle filler (maybe $15 combined, possibly less), and use cleaned and sanitized 20oz plastic soda bottles to bottle. If you want to carbonate, add another few cents of dextrose or carb drops, and possibly $3 for new bottle caps for the soda bottles.

You will get your experimental batch of Apfelwein, including equipment that can can re-use later for small-batch beer brewing, for $30 or so.

If you like it, then you can always step up to 6-gallon Better Bottle batches and bottle in glass bottles.
 
ArcaneXor said:
You might want to try a small batch first to see if you like the product at all - this is what I am doing.

1.) Bought a 1-gallon glass jar of apple cider for about $6.
2.) Added $1.00 worth of dextrose/corn sugar to it
3.) Added a $2 pack of Montrachet yeast to it (which can be had for half that price)
4.) Stuck a $1.50 airlock in a $1 stopper on top of it
5.) It's happily fermenting in my bathtub.

If you really want to go low budget, get a siphon hose, a mini-auto siphon and a bottle filler (maybe $15 combined, possibly less), and use cleaned and sanitized 20oz plastic soda bottles to bottle. If you want to carbonate, add another few cents of dextrose or carb drops, and possibly $3 for new bottle caps for the soda bottles.

You will get your experimental batch of Apfelwein, including equipment that can can re-use later for small-batch beer brewing, for $30 or so.

If you like it, then you can always step up to 6-gallon batches and bottle in glass bottles.

+1 on this.
 
Thanks for the replies!

One question I have is what tubing I'll need. I plan to use Better Bottles for fermentation and glass bottles for bottle conditioning. I need tubing to transfer Apfelwein from BB to bottling bucket, and then from the spigot on the bottling bucket to the bottles. What tubing and how much should I get?

Also, should I get 1/2" tubing with the Autosiphon? Does it matter?
 
elbajista said:
Thanks for the replies!

One question I have is what tubing I'll need. I plan to use Better Bottles for fermentation and glass bottles for bottle conditioning. I need tubing to transfer Apfelwein from BB to bottling bucket, and then from the spigot on the bottling bucket to the bottles. What tubing and how much should I get?

Also, should I get 1/2" tubing with the Autosiphon? Does it matter?

I dunno...When I got my autosiphon the owner of the lbhs pulled out the correct diameter tubing and measure out about 4 feet or so. Same with the tubing for the bottling spigot (he added a clamp for extra grip.)

Thing is I hated using a hose to the bottling wand from the spigot and tried something I like even better yesterday. I put the bottling wand directly onto the spigot (I cut about an inch piece of hose to use as a bridge connector and used 2 hose clamps.)

I put bucket on dining room table. Sit on the floor, the bottles are about eye level and fill easily...I found with using the hose and keeping bottles oin their box I was getting overspill...this way I could see when it was filling to the top and I could pull back on the bottle... Made filling smooth and there was no mess...
 
I spent less than $20 on my setup with the exception of bottles.

I bought a 5 gallon water jug at Walmart for less than $6.

Siphon, hose, stopper, airlock, hydrometer ~$14 at brew store.

:mug:
 
I've kinda decided to purchase the following items from Heart's because I can avoid shipping costs:

Heart's said:
Qty Item # Product Options Cost
W872 22oz Beer Bottles (3 cases of 12) $ 29.97
7107 6 Gallon ''Better Bottle $ 22.99
7202 3 Piece Plastic Airlock 2 @ $ 2.38
7401 Red Head Double Lever Capper $ 12.95
7503 Misc. Caps 1lb. approx. 220 caps $ 3.79
7618 #10 Rubber Stopper Drilled for Airlocks 2 @ $ 2.58
7720 Ferm-Tech Auto Siphon 1/2 size 7720B $ 3.00 $ 11.99
7819 The Theif (19'' long) $ 7.99

Order Totals
Item Cost Subtotal: $ 94.64
Grand Total: $ 94.64

The other items I've found will come from NorthernBrewer:

NorthernBrewer said:
Y150 Red Star Montrachet $0.59 $2.36 Delete
7106 1/2" ID Siphon Hose $0.50 6 feet @ $3.00 Delete
7202 Fermtech Bottle Filler $2.75 $2.75 Delete
7400 Triple Scale Hydrometer $5.99 $5.99 Delete
7931 Star San 32 oz $11.99 $11.99 Delete
Subtotal $26.09

I figure this will be good to get started. I also plan on purchasing the bottling bucket and spigot from a local hardware store thanks to the advice received. My thought is that when I get around to actually brewing, I can just build on this equipment....

Sound complete?
 
Be careful with Hearts...there's been 3 threads over the last 3 weekends complaining about service, their orders being screwed up, poorly packed, etc.

Just wanna give you a heads up on them.


Also, do you really want to pay 30 bucks on bottles right now? You won't be bottling the apfelwein for at least a minimum of a month from now...if not longer. If you're trying to save a penny or 2 to get started you could start collecting bottles, asking friends to save theirs, putting an add in craigslist, even shop around for better prices, even just drinking up a lot over the next 4-6 weeks.

Of course I see you want 22 ouncers, and if they have the best prices go for it. But if you're trying to pinch pennies then there are other options.

Just a thought.
 
elbajista said:
I've kinda decided to purchase the following items from Heart's because I can avoid shipping costs:

Northern Brewer has flat-rate shipping for most of their items.
I usually compare how much something is at NB with their flat-rate shipping and Midwest Supplies, which charges the actual shipping costs. I also check Morebeer and AHS occasionally. I like the share the love ;)
 
Revvy said:
Be careful with Hearts...there's been 3 threads over the last 3 weekends complaining about service, their orders being screwed up, poorly packed, etc.

Just wanna give you a heads up on them.


Also, do you really want to pay 30 bucks on bottles right now? You won't be bottling the apfelwein for at least a minimum of a month from now...if not longer. If you're trying to save a penny or 2 to get started you could start collecting bohttps://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/images/smilies/drunk.gif
:drunk:ttles, asking friends to save theirs, putting an add in craigslist, even shop around for better prices, even just drinking up a lot over the next 4-6 weeks.

Of course I see you want 22 ouncers, and if they have the best prices go for it. But if you're trying to pinch pennies then there are other options.

Just a thought.

I've read alot about Heart's on HBT. I figured I'd make my order online and pickup at the store to minimize my time there, if it's as bad as people say (Which I tend to believe is true.)

I didn't think about holding off on bottles....That's a really good idea. I've seen a few good deals go down on ebay the past few days, so maybe I'll wait and see what else I can find. The problem with collecting bottles is that I don't have much access to pop-top beers, as in my area the only pop-tops are the more expensive brews. Also, the nearest Craigslist city is about 60 miles away from me. :(

I'm leaning towards 22 ouncers because it's less bottles to fill, and the idea of "only a few a night" goes a helluva lot farther. :drunk:
 
ArcaneXor said:
Northern Brewer has flat-rate shipping for most of their items.
I usually compare how much something is at NB with their flat-rate shipping and Midwest Supplies, which charges the actual shipping costs. I also check Morebeer and AHS occasionally. I like the share the love ;)

I plan on purchasing some of my items from NorthernBrewer because of their attractive shipping plan. AHS looks great, too. :D
 
elbajista said:
I've read alot about Heart's on HBT. I figured I'd make my order online and pickup at the store to minimize my time there, if it's as bad as people say (Which I tend to believe is true.)

I didn't think about holding off on bottles....That's a really good idea. I've seen a few good deals go down on ebay the past few days, so maybe I'll wait and see what else I can find. The problem with collecting bottles is that I don't have much access to pop-top beers, as in my area the only pop-tops are the more expensive brews. Also, the nearest Craigslist city is about 60 miles away from me. :(

I'm leaning towards 22 ouncers because it's less bottles to fill, and the idea of "only a few a night" goes a helluva lot farther. :drunk:

Does your neighborhood/local paper have a website or a forum...if they have a forum, and it's free, post a bottle request add. You never know there might be some old guy in town looking to unload a couple of cases of Grolsh bottles.

I'm really looking forward to this summer. We have a 200 mile garage sale going right up Michigan's thumb region. In past years I've found just about everything I've been looking for (Bread machine, Ice cream Maker, New cappucino Machine) Each in the box for no more than 5 bucks... SO this year I'm going to keep an eye out for unique bottles, and brewing equipment...
 
I think I'm going to go with a Better Bottle ported 6 gallon and the Better Bottle siphoning system. With the BB system can I siphon directly to 16 oz grolsch bottles?
 
Thanks for the replies!

One question I have is what tubing I'll need. I plan to use Better Bottles for fermentation and glass bottles for bottle conditioning. I need tubing to transfer Apfelwein from BB to bottling bucket, and then from the spigot on the bottling bucket to the bottles. What tubing and how much should I get?

Also, should I get 1/2" tubing with the Autosiphon? Does it matter?

Make sure you get FOOD GRADE tubing. I made the mistake once of getting any clear plastic tubing from a hardware store & the stuff started producing this powdery white chemical crap right after the 1st time I used it. The wine I used it with was ok, but I ended up using that tubing once & throwing it away, then went & bought food grade tubing & have used it over & over again with no problems whatsoever. That's my 2 cents worth, hope you find it useful. Regards, GF.
 
I've narrowed it down a bit to the following. Let me know what you think:

Y150 Red Star Montrachet $0.59 $1.18 Delete
7931 Star San 32 oz $11.99 $11.99 Delete
7882 Better Bottle Plain 6 Gallon $25.50 $25.50 Delete
7019 6.5 Gal Pail - Drilled $14.25 $14.25 Delete
7000 Undrilled Lid for 6.5 Gal $2.50 $2.50 Delete
7125 Bottling Spigot $3.50 $3.50 Delete
7134 Replacement spigot gasket $0.49 $0.49 Delete
7010 Three-Piece Airlock $1.25 $2.50 Delete
7064 The Brew Hauler $12.99 $12.99 Delete
7044 3/5/6 Gall Carboy Cap - Orange $2.50 $2.50 Delete
7229 Grolsch Gaskets (20) $1.50 $3.00 Delete
7202 Fermtech Bottle Filler $2.75 $2.75 Delete
7400 Triple Scale Hydrometer $5.99 $5.99 Delete
7405 Economy Test Jar $3.75 $3.75 Delete
7430 3 Piece Thief - plastic $5.99 $5.99 Delete
2217 Priming Sugar 1 lb $2.25 $6.75 Delete
40270 Blowoff Hose - 3.5 foot section $4.99 $4.99 Delete
7106 1/2" ID Siphon Hose $0.50 $0.50 Delete
7203 Auto Siphon 1/2" $12.99 $12.99 Delete
7094 Airlock Brush $1.55 $1.55 Delete
7230 Beer Bottle Brush $2.50 $2.50 Delete
7040 Carboy Brush $4.75 $4.75 Delete
7411 Fermometer $2.99 $2.99 Delete

Total: about $135 before the $8 shipping from Northern Brewer.com

I basically took the Deluxe Starter Kit, subtracted what I don't need, added what I do need, and here I am. What do you guys think? sound good?
 
I dunno...When I got my autosiphon the owner of the lbhs pulled out the correct diameter tubing and measure out about 4 feet or so. Same with the tubing for the bottling spigot (he added a clamp for extra grip.)

Thing is I hated using a hose to the bottling wand from the spigot and tried something I like even better yesterday. I put the bottling wand directly onto the spigot (I cut about an inch piece of hose to use as a bridge connector and used 2 hose clamps.)

I put bucket on dining room table. Sit on the floor, the bottles are about eye level and fill easily...I found with using the hose and keeping bottles oin their box I was getting overspill...this way I could see when it was filling to the top and I could pull back on the bottle... Made filling smooth and there was no mess...
I do pretty much the same thing but if you set the bottling bucket on top of the refridgerator the bottle wand will be at eye level and then i have the bottle capper on the the counter next to the fridge. Plenty of space for the full bottles before they go back in to the cases.
 
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