Peoples impression of apelwein at BBQ

So today we had a small family BBQ, and I thought I would let them try my Apelwein. It didn't go over too well. But I loved it, and so did my father. I couldn't get anyone to try more than one glass. So I was like screw you all, last time I share free alcohol with them. (<---- ok I didn't actually tell them that) But..... meh more for me

it's way too dry and vinegary for most people that I give it to.... including myself.

z987k said:

it's way too dry and vinegary for most people that I give it to.... including myself.

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Mine actually wasn't all that dry......I used wyeast 1056 with it, so it still had quite a bit of sweetness, and no vinegary taste to it. On that batch, I only did 2 gallons with about a 3/4 cup dextrose.

oh I still do cider, but not really anything you could call apfelwein. I use 5gallons of apple juice, 2lbs of sugar and then cans of frozen concentrate before I keg it.

Well, they didn't follow the 3 glass rule.

How old is your Apfelwein. If you serve it to friends again, try pouring a dash of 7 up in it if folks think it is too dry. Many people drink it that way in Germany and some drink it cut with sparkling water as well.

As my recipe states, it is an acquired taste for some people.

Yeah, outside of meself and the wife, I haven't found too many people that are into it. Seems a bit too dry for most people, even those who like dry white wine. It's strange that way.

Evan! said:

Yeah, outside of meself and the wife, I haven't found too many people that are into it. Seems a bit too dry for most people, even those who like dry white wine. It's strange that way.

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Yep, that's where a splash of 7up can make all the difference.

My family loved it. Between me, my parents, and my girlfriend we nearly killed a whole 5gal batch. Headaches were plentiful yesterday

Everyone I've given it to loves it, even people who are very much non-drinkers.

The "vinegary" comment seems a bit odd; I don't get that character from apfelwein at all (and I'm sensitive to acetification, I really dislike vinegar flavors).

Yeah, someone made a litte cider vinegar with contamination.

I've found that my first couple batches were extremely well received by family and friends when I added Splenda and let it age 4 months. I personally can't stand it being backsweetened like that anymore. I want it dry as a bone so if I do another batch, it's getting backsweetened in the glass.

Last time, I added an extra can of frozen apple juice concentrate along with the sugar and juice, and it seems to have a little bit more residual apple character. I like it a bit better (it's definately still very much on the dry side), but I've gotten rave reviews on all batches.

EdWort said:

Well, they didn't follow the 3 glass rule.

How old is your Apfelwein. If you serve it to friends again, try pouring a dash of 7 up in it if folks think it is too dry. Many people drink it that way in Germany and some drink it cut with sparkling water as well.

As my recipe states, it is an acquired taste for some people.

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I didn't get to age the stuff I gave them Ed...I ran out of time. I think I did 4 weeks in the fermenter (it dropped clear with the wyeast 1056 during the 2nd weeks time) and about 2 1/2 weeks bottle carbing....which wasn't even close to enough...but like I said I wanted them to try it this weekend, then 2 days in the refridge. It wasn't all that dry was the thing. One of my aunts actually loves white wine quite a bit. So I don't know.......tasted great to myself and my dad just under carbed.

Maybe it was just the fact that is was homemade, that turned people off. Maybe next time I'll tell time I give it out to guest, I'll tell them that my German friend brought it back to me from Germany and serve it with the splash of sprite.....then after they have a few glasses tell them I made

If you make it again, use Red Star Montrachet wine yeast and age it for at least 3 months. I believe you will like the difference.

I was pouring it in the hospitality room at NHC and many folks came back for more (right PseudoChef & BrewinMama ).

Of course the stuff I was pouring is May 15, 2007 vintage.

Bobby_M said:

Yeah, someone made a litte cider vinegar with contamination.

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That's what I thought at first to. Like I had an acetobacter infection or something that I didn't notice. But, I've had 3 different people's take on it, all of them taste about the same.

A few of my friends constantly ask me for more apfelwein, they say it's the only thing that they can get their wives drunk on. And, one of the wives is from Germany so I always take her requests as a compliment. The latest batch I did I used Safbrew S-33 and it developed a bunch of additional fruity flavors that work very well with the apple.

Ed is right...13 month old AW is a beauty to behold. So smooth.

I find that I need to prepare may folks for the apfelwein, and that helps a lot. If they expect something sweet and cidery, you will confound their expectations, and that rarely goes well for most drinkers trying something homemade. If emphasize how dry it is, even overstating the fact, it goes well. Folks just hear "apple" and think it will be like candy.

And, if they still don't like it, I let them go their own way. I am happy to share and put smiles on faces, but I'm not on a mission. SWMBO and I will drink the stuff fine on our own.


TL

Everyone I've given any to loved the stuff.

My last batch I made with a Sweet Mead yeast...It's still drier than I expected.

I bottle apfelwein in Corona bottles. My friends love to initiate their family and friends that are uneducated about homebrew with these icy cold bottles.
The facial contortions are priceless when they expect cerveza de skunk and get hit with the dry apple instead. We let them in on the joke afterwards

I, myself, start people off with apfelwein and a splash of Sprite and Edwort's 3 bottle warnings The apfelwein has always been well received, which I can't say the same for some brews like pale ales and IPAs.