Apfelwein - how long is too long?

I've been very busy lately and very forgetful/lazy.

I've got a small batch of Apfelwein (Ed Wort's original recipe) and it's been in the carboy since 8/23/07. Should I even bother to bottle this or start over? Either answer won't bother me since it was very cheap to make, but how long is too long in primary for this stuff?

Thanks!

Its fine, I had some for 4 months before bottling.

Mine took 2 months to ferment out. You will know when it is done because it looks like clear apple juice again.

Kayos said:

Mine took 2 months to ferment out. You will know when it is done because it looks like clear apple juice again.

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Mine is even clearer...substantially paler than the original apple juice. It looks more like champagne.

To the OP: your Apfelwein is fine! Keg or bottle it, at your convenience.

Dumb Question--
How do you bottle it?
Wine or Beer bottles?
Do you sugar prime for carbonation, or do you bottle it flat?
If you do sugar prime for carbonation, how much sugar for 5 gallons?

I've got a batch in a keg now, that I'm serving flat-I keep the CO2 off, and only hook up when I'm serving. I'm keeping it flat because SWMBO thought it would be better that way-more like wine.

I've got a second batch in the carboy that I'll probably bottle, just curious what others are doing-flat or "sparkling".

Thanks!

It seems like like you can bottle it as you like and carbonate it as you like.

Most folks in the thread carbonate as they do most beers (i.e., 3/4 cup or 5 oz of dextrose). When I bottled recently in 1 liter, swing top bottles, I went with about 8.5 oz of dextrose for more effervescence (a la champagne). That amount actually is about right for a hefeweizen or witbier, so I figure I'm safe in the bottle.


TL

I let mine go a bit over 2 months because I never found time to bottle it.

I ended up bottling it with 3/4 cup regular table sugar ( I figured it couldn't hurt anything if it gave it a cider taste - what the hell ? ) and I also sweetened it with about 1/3 pound of Splenda.

It ended up really pretty and dry, it looks like champagne more than apple cider and after 3 months or so it has a pretty light taste - not at all like it was at 4 weeks when I tasted it.

kinison_fan said:

I've got a second batch in the carboy that I'll probably bottle, just curious what others are doing-flat or "sparkling".

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So far I've both kegged Apfelwein, and bottled it with priming sugar. I greatly prefer the kegged stuff. My main complaint with bottling, is that while the yeast does settle out nicely, the sediment doesn't harden and I have a very hard time keeping it out of the glass when I pour. It's such a beautifully clear beverage, it's a shame to have a cloudy pour.

I didn't want to dedicate a kegerator spot to Apfelwein, so I just keep a full 3 gallon corny in the garage brewfridge, with a tap affixed right to the out post. This serves a dual purpose: when I can no longer negotiate the steps down into the garage, I know I've reached my limit!

Is it clear? If so, it's probably time to bottle (use a hydrometer to be sure). If not, you can let it go for a bit longer. A few months on the yeast cake won't hurt apfelwein.



Some women seem to think 14 inches is too long.

All wine benefits from time. The differences between something you make and drink within 3-4 months and the same stuff a year later are astounding. Do yourself a favor and make two batches. Fill it right up to the top, bung it with a vented silicone bung and lose it for a year. You'll be glad you did.