Man, I love Apfelwein

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xenemorph said:
just read edwort's post again and looks like the 2 pounds of dextrose is supposed to boost is past 6% that i originally thought it would be with the sugar!

You're right about the 28 grams per cup. So it'd be...

4.938+2 = 7.938
7.938 * 46 / 5 = 73.0296 gravity units

here's where i get stuck just substituting numbers in as i don't believe gravity units to sg would be linear or else it'd mean i have an sg of 1.68 and here's where i'm stuck with the math.
Click to expand...

4.938+2 = 6.938
 
So I'm at the beach and found ACE pineapple cider.
It's pretty good, but a touch sweet.
Was wondering if anyone has tried this with some pineapple juice substituted for some of the apple juice.
This is dryer so would cut the sweetness of ACE's.
Thoughts?
1/4 pineapple 3/4 apple juice and follow recipe?
 
I'm starting another five gallon batch but with three pounds of brown sugar. Guesstimating a SG of somewhere around 1.07ish. Using a champagne yeast so I'm anticipating a very dry cider. Planning to carbonate and backsweeten if needed. It's lalvin ec1118 so I'm curious to see what, if any sugar, remains in about six weeks.
 
Well, a couple of days ago, I put together the black-cherry version of this that another member here posted the pics & recipe for. They said "you don't have to worry about a large krausen forming, just a thin layer of bubbles will form". I have about 2" of foamy krausen on top of my must (?) and the yeast is really active. I haven't seen churning like that in any of the beer I have made. It smells like wine in my "fermentation chamber" and I am just glad the ants haven't found it!

The only thing that still freaks me out is fermenting the wine at room temperature. I change ice-bottles for my beer twice a day, and I just let the apfelwein sit there.

Nothing really to say, sorry. Just wanted to blabber a bit!

:)
 
slym2none said:
Well, a couple of days ago, I put together the black-cherry version of this that another member here posted the pics & recipe for. They said "you don't have to worry about a large krausen forming, just a thin layer of bubbles will form". I have about 2" of foamy krausen on top of my must (?) and the yeast is really active. I haven't seen churning like that in any of the beer I have made. It smells like wine in my "fermentation chamber" and I am just glad the ants haven't found it!
Click to expand...

I've been doing a few batches of other juices mixed with apple juice and have noticed very active fermentations as well. This is with Lalvin 1118.

I had one recently that ended up being a frankenstein concoction with trader joe's blackberry juice and cherry cider, tart cherry juice, welshes blackberry juice, and apple juice, that was fermentating like crazy and after about 5 days, all of a sudden stopped, as in not a single bubble coming out of the airlock anymore. I thought it might be stuck, but checked the gravity and it was already in the .995 range. Quickest cider fermentation I've seen.
 
Question. I had a batch that was 2-months in the carboy and I racked it straight to a corny. I was careful to leave the trub behind. Cold crashed before racking. I pumped up the keg and let it sit charged in the fridge for a week. Then I pulled it out and filled 4 grolsch bottles and stuck them in the fridge. It has been a couple of days since I filled the 4 bottles. There is definite sediment built up on the bottom of the bottles. More than average I would say. I still drank every drop of course, haha, but the last sip was kinda gross :drunk: I only filled 4 because that is what I had clean. I want to empty the keg into more grolsch bottles this weekend. I need the keg for the dead guy clone I have in secondary.

I imagine that there is sediment settled out in the keg and it's gonna be the first thing out. What would you do in this situation? Just fill all the bottles and hope that most of the sediment ends up in the first couple of bottles filled?
 
indolent said:
I've been doing a few batches of other juices mixed with apple juice and have noticed very active fermentations as well. This is with Lalvin 1118.
Click to expand...

I used Red Star Pasteur Champagne yeast. I made this on Saturday, it's still going strong. Then again, I am not worried about time because Ed Wort says to let it sit in primary for 2-3 months (!) and then age longer after bottling. I am guessing this will be "ready" around February 2016, with it being bottled somewhere at the beginning of September.
 
I started a batch in Feb. and it was very dry and sharp. I piddled around with...added some vanilla and peach flavorings and adjusted the acid...mehhh....it was just so-so. Finally bottled it a couple of weeks ago. Bottled 3 gallon straight and mixed two gallons with a too sweet frozen grape juice wine....made a nice little "blush". But we had a bottle of the straight Apfelwein last night. It was pretty tasty....what you might call crude but effective! Be interesting to see what happens after it sits a few months, but it was declared pretty dang good by some one besides me.

It was a fun project. Now, for some Skeeter Pee.
 
A little off topic here, but I'm planning to use them for more edwort style brews. Found these bpa free PET#1 bottles in a neighborhood recycle bin. They had been Members Mark 4gallon water cooler jugs(sold at Sam's Club.) They're pretty thin material but I just wanted to share. I fabbed the original cap to accept a #6 bung. So zero cost!

View attachment 1438138651009.jpg
 
Dr_Jeff said:
Has anyone used Brett in this?
Click to expand...
Not that I've specifically read about before. All-brett, or added dextrins + brett? I could see this possibly being interesting with a sour blend plus some added dextrins too.
Note that the all-brett beers I have tasted were rather similar to all-sach beers, in my opinion. That's a different thing completely from post-sach brett+bugs additions with extra aging.

I did find this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=216606
 
Just an update on my experiment with 3lbs of brown sugar. Almost two weeks in and the gravity is getting close to 1...it's also over a 100 in North Texas so the urge to not break into this batch early is getting difficult to subdue.
 
Just made a batch of this with Lalvin 1122 because thats what I had on had and for the first time ever (even with beer) I have an airlock full of apfelwein! My question is should I dump it and refill with vodka now or wait until it is done fermenting?
 
Just made a 5 gallon batch this evening. I wound up using powdered sugar instead of dextrose so we'll see how it turns out.
 
Powered sugar has starch or something to keep it from clumping . That will probably settle out though
 
This is my 1st batch and the recipe was followed exactly except I used brown sugar. It was started on July 1st making it 5 1/2 weeks old. OP says it should clear in the 4th week. My question is how clear is clear. My DB has always cleared until you could see thru to the other side. Should this get that clear?

This is how it looks now...

Pic.jpg
 
Mountainjack1940 said:
This is my 1st batch and the recipe was followed exactly except I used brown sugar. It was started on July 1st making it 5 1/2 weeks old. OP says it should clear in the 4th week. My question is how clear is clear. My DB has always cleared until you could see thru to the other side. Should this get that clear?

This is how it looks now...
Click to expand...

I use brown sugar and mine always looks like this around the 5th week. Murky or not, it'll still light your fire.
 
I made my second batch of this last night. I made the mistake of not following Ed Wort's advice of starting a second batch shortly after the first batch...

First batch was exactly as original recipe states. I went 6-weeks then right to bottle (half sparkling, half still). I opened a few at a party very early after bottling, probably about a week after bottling. I wasn't all that impressed even though I knew it needed more time. I didn't open anymore until about a month in bottle. I gotta say its coming along nicely! I now wish I started that second batch earlier as I've been dipping into it more than I thought I would! It's a perfect Arizona summer thirst quencher on a hot day.

Ok, so for the second batch I deviated slightly (something I always seem to do with recipes). I still used 5 gallons of Tree Top juice and one pack of Montrachet yeast, but this time I used 2lbs of white cane sugar and 4tsp of brown sugar(to account for a bit of white sugar that spilled while trying to pour into juice bottle). I used 1/2tsp of White Labs yeast nutrient as well this time. I also had a new pack of Hungarian med. toast oak cubes laying around for a Saison I'm doing soon, so I said why not, and tossed 1/2oz of cubes in too!

I noticed that I had an easier time dissolving the cane sugar than I did with the corn sugar from the first batch. Only reason I can think of is I left two juice bottles in the garage for a few hours to warm up. My garage is about 110 degrees right now so I think the warmer juice was the reason, not just the sugar type. I also put a little bit of the sugar in a small bowl with the yeast nutrient and mixed it together well to keep it from clumping. Next morning there is a party in the carboy, so I guess we are on our way!
 
I tried to back sweeten with lactose, sucralose, and on my last batch I tried Truvia. It is by far the best, but there is still a "not quite right" taste to it. I also like more apple flavor in general. On my current 4 gallon batch, I'm going to prime with a gallon of apple juice then bottle. After a couple plastic bottles withstand the squeeze test, I will pasteurize the remaining glass bottles and then let them age for a long while.

I also hope the WLP300 yeast enhances the fruit flavor.
 
So, my very first wine was this one, albeit with cane sugar because that's what I had. Pitched 25 March (my Dad's bday, it's named for him!) Bottle 11 May. We've opened a bottle every few weeks, and each one is better than the last. I didn't quite believe that the apple flavor would return more after aging, but is certainly does, and they are getting smoother. They've ended up perlant (or maybe a bit petillant?) We like dry wine, absolutely NO backsweetening needed at this point.

I have a dozen bottles left, and three that also had blackberry in the secondary...I think I'd better start another batch! I need to keep at least one bottle until they make it to a year old, to toast him on his birthday.
 
ggriffi said:
Just made a batch of this with Lalvin 1122 because thats what I had on had and for the first time ever (even with beer) I have an airlock full of apfelwein! My question is should I dump it and refill with vodka now or wait until it is done fermenting?
Click to expand...

Dump and refill. What's in the airlock could get gnarly and if it get sucked back into the apfelwein it would then be a total crap shoot :)
 
ggriffi said:
Just made a batch of this with Lalvin 1122 because thats what I had on had and for the first time ever (even with beer) I have an airlock full of apfelwein! My question is should I dump it and refill with vodka now or wait until it is done fermenting?
Click to expand...

I strictly use a blow-off tube.
 
NateX said:
Just make sure it is finished dry (FG of .98 to .96) before bottling, or dose it with K-Meta. Bottle bombs are no fun.
Click to expand...

.998 /996. I bottled at 1.000 and it is just a tiny bit fizzy when chilled. Gave a bottle to the neighbor, and she was a little surprised that when she opened it at room temperature it fizzed a little! Not enough to pop the cork, but not still. We kinda like it that way.
 
ok... I read a bunch, but still have to ask. Mine is in the carboy for over 2 months now at 75* constantly the entire time. It tastes like weak dry sour apple something... does it need more time or is there something I need to do to make it more like something my wife might like? I thought about adding cinnamon sticks/allspice/honey to the secondary because she loves apple pie.
thanks.
 
Check out the caramel apple hard cider thread for possible ideas. I've done apfelwein fermented with a cinnamon stick or 2 in it several times, but find that it gives me wicked heartburn so I stay away from it now. I'd assume adding honey would just ferment out without giving it much flavor, but I could be wrong...
 
Ok I'm bottling my first batch. Call me crazy, but I waited a year to bottle. I made the batch back on 9/26/2014. So we are just a couple weeks shy of a year.

Since its waited so long, I suspect I don't have to let it sit in bottles too long?

I am not going to prime, I'm ok with still Apfelwein.

Wish me luck. :)
 
Well I'm not sure what this tastes like after a couple months, but a year later this stuff is brilliant. It's smooth, crisp, a bit dry. Very Apple-y. Definitely tastes like a wine. I like it with and without 7up. Not sure how much a difference conditioning for a year made, but I'm pretty happy.
 
BowAholic said:
ok... I read a bunch, but still have to ask. Mine is in the carboy for over 2 months now at 75* constantly the entire time. It tastes like weak dry sour apple something... does it need more time or is there something I need to do to make it more like something my wife might like? I thought about adding cinnamon sticks/allspice/honey to the secondary because she loves apple pie.
thanks.
Click to expand...

Check the FG, it's certainly not weak - if you followed the original recipe, you will have something near 8% ABV when it finishes. I find that a little Splenda and some carbonation make it much more palatable, although 6 months to a year in a bottle, still (degassed), will do wonders - it gets better with age, like any wine.

Check out some Angry Orchard for an idea of what you are shooting for with the cider modifications. My wife loves Apfelwein with carbonation, even more with just a hint of sweetness. AO is fermented from apples, not a malt beverage like some. They do all sorts of stuff with theirs, most of which is probably done post primary fermentation. Ginger, Spice, and more, all of which you can easily do in secondary or tertiary racking, even in primary if you account for the changes to the environment for the yeast, created by whatever you add.

Any way you go, experiment and have fun with it. Make small, one gallon batches of experiments, so you don't throw as much away if it is bad. If you hit on something great, scale it up and make a bunch. Take notes, always, because you will never remember what you did 6 months ago when you are making your next batch

I have made successful batches of:

Sweet Apfelwein
Black Cherry Apfelwein
Cranberry Apfelwein
Cranberry Pomegranate Apfelwein (really good)

I plan to make a batch of cinnamon/apple apfelwein for the upcoming holiday to give as gifts and bring as compliments to holiday meals.
 
NateX said:
Check the FG, it's certainly not weak - if you followed the original recipe, you will have something near 8% ABV when it finishes. I find that a little Splenda and some carbonation make it much more palatable, although 6 months to a year in a bottle, still (degassed), will do wonders - it gets better with age, like any wine.

Check out some Angry Orchard for an idea of what you are shooting for with the cider modifications. My wife loves Apfelwein with carbonation, even more with just a hint of sweetness. AO is fermented from apples, not a malt beverage like some. They do all sorts of stuff with theirs, most of which is probably done post primary fermentation. Ginger, Spice, and more, all of which you can easily do in secondary or tertiary racking, even in primary if you account for the changes to the environment for the yeast, created by whatever you add.

Any way you go, experiment and have fun with it. Make small, one gallon batches of experiments, so you don't throw as much away if it is bad. If you hit on something great, scale it up and make a bunch. Take notes, always, because you will never remember what you did 6 months ago when you are making your next batch

I have made successful batches of:

Sweet Apfelwein
Black Cherry Apfelwein
Cranberry Apfelwein
Cranberry Pomegranate Apfelwein (really good)

I plan to make a batch of cinnamon/apple apfelwein for the upcoming holiday to give as gifts and bring as compliments to holiday meals.
Click to expand...

thanks! It's still sitting in the glass primary...but I do have a few 1 gallon glass jugs...maybe some cinnamon stick in one..? I'm sure it's strong as far as ABV since I followed the original recipe, but it tasted watered down, which may have just been the lack of apple flavor that I expected.
 
NateX said:
I find that a little Splenda and some carbonation make it much more palatable,
Click to expand...

I've been meaning to try this with a batch. Just curious, about how much splenda do you use? Do you sweeten the entire 5 gallons or just add the splenda with each glass?
 
indolent said:
I've been meaning to try this with a batch. Just curious, about how much splenda do you use? Do you sweeten the entire 5 gallons or just add the splenda with each glass?
Click to expand...

In my experimentation, around 2 or 3 teaspoons per 8 oz seems to be a good, not-too-sweet mixture. Scaled up to 5 gallons, that would be 3/4 to 1 cup of splenda per 5 gallons, if my math is not faulty. :drunk:

I have only tried small amounts at a time, but I am about to put in another 3 gallon batch, plus a smaller 1 gallon batch. I may back sweeten the 1 gallon batch and see how that goes. Whatever you do, know that adding sucralose to carbonated beverages creates a reaction similar to the Mentos trick. Add in small amounts, and be ready to lose a lot of CO2 from suspension.

After back sweetening, If you are force carbonating, you would just keg it, hook up your CO2 at the desired pressure, and wait. If you are bottle carbonating, you would need to add the right amount of dextrose (or other fermentable sugar) and wait 2 weeks or so.

Not sure if sucralose has a negative effect on viable yeast, as I have never bottle carbonated after adding sucralose. It shouldn't, as it is supposed to be chemically inert, but who knows?

Let us know how it turns out, and what you decide to do. :mug:
 

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