digdan
Well-Known Member
Has anyone attempted to add flavor to Apfelwein? Would coffee house flavors like Green Apple and Carmel work well? Or should I leave it alone?
Flavoring Apfelwein
- Thread starter digdan
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EvilTOJ
Well-Known Member
If you want to flavor, I would strongly suggest using natural ingredients. Too many people have said extracts make the end result taste like cough syrup.
+1
on Evil's advice,
With the coffee house flavors they are packed with simple sugars, which will end up fermenting out leaving you with an unknown flavor. I would try adding some "Sugar Free" flavor to a glass of apfelwein , if you are still going to try....
-Jason
on Evil's advice,
With the coffee house flavors they are packed with simple sugars, which will end up fermenting out leaving you with an unknown flavor. I would try adding some "Sugar Free" flavor to a glass of apfelwein , if you are still going to try....
-Jason
the raspberry idea might work.
but, honestly, apfelwein should taste like apfelwein. it may need to age a bit...I like mine way more at 9 months in the bottle than when it was younger. I only used 1lb of sugar in mine as to dry it out less. Its still dry, but you do taste some apple.
but, honestly, apfelwein should taste like apfelwein. it may need to age a bit...I like mine way more at 9 months in the bottle than when it was younger. I only used 1lb of sugar in mine as to dry it out less. Its still dry, but you do taste some apple.
phished880
Well-Known Member
Just bottled a Cranberry/ Orange version, with dried cranberry and the zest of an orange. Samples tasted nice with no flaovr overwhelming but an excellent combo.
yeastluvr
Well-Known Member
I've tried the raspberry apfelwein and it was a bit sour. I've also tried adding a small amount of blackberry extract. I get a nice hint of blackberry at the end but I can tell you I like regular unadulterated apfelwein the best by far.
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digdan
Well-Known Member
ok, so I flavored some apple wines with "cafe" style flavors. And I've come to this conclusion :
Don't do it! Well... you can with mild success, but if you want to be a rock star... DON'T DO IT.
From my experience I've found this : People don't care for how subtle your wine is, if it tastes like crap. They understand you took months to make it, and they just nod their heads and imagine themselves heaving in their mini brains.
Onto the cafe styles. The simple cane sugar is not good for fermentation. It gives mass cider flavors, and will turn your wine into ... ghetto wine. Or, recipe wine.
If you wish to use these flavors, use sugar free. Use after fermentation, but before force-carbonation/bottling.
For the best flavor, I would suggest subtle hops to play with sugar free flavors. Or better yet.... don't f' with the recipe
My wife is calling, and she is sober so... peace
Don't do it! Well... you can with mild success, but if you want to be a rock star... DON'T DO IT.
From my experience I've found this : People don't care for how subtle your wine is, if it tastes like crap. They understand you took months to make it, and they just nod their heads and imagine themselves heaving in their mini brains.
Onto the cafe styles. The simple cane sugar is not good for fermentation. It gives mass cider flavors, and will turn your wine into ... ghetto wine. Or, recipe wine.
If you wish to use these flavors, use sugar free. Use after fermentation, but before force-carbonation/bottling.
For the best flavor, I would suggest subtle hops to play with sugar free flavors. Or better yet.... don't f' with the recipe
My wife is calling, and she is sober so... peace
Brewer_Steve
Well-Known Member
I have a 5 gallon batch fermenting now with a pound of raisins added. Not sure what the result will be...
OP
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digdan
Well-Known Member
Did several experiments with "coffee house flavoring" apfelwein and found this to be conclusive:
1. Flavor the finished product. If you plan on force carbonating, then add flavoring before force carbonation. Do not flavor apfelwein that is not transparent since these flavors can have fermentable sugars that give off flavors. Don't ferment the flavoring!
2. The best flavoring is Apple flavoring. The cane sugar fights the dryness of standard apfelwein and adds an even deeper complimentary apple flavor. I had rave reviews on my apple flavored apfelwein.
3. For the holidays mull(adding cloves, orange jucie, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger... ) your apple flavoring before adding it to your apfelwein.
I've found that this method to give me a drink that is comparably smoother than typical cider. And even the young lady-friends who typically do not drink loved it.
1. Flavor the finished product. If you plan on force carbonating, then add flavoring before force carbonation. Do not flavor apfelwein that is not transparent since these flavors can have fermentable sugars that give off flavors. Don't ferment the flavoring!
2. The best flavoring is Apple flavoring. The cane sugar fights the dryness of standard apfelwein and adds an even deeper complimentary apple flavor. I had rave reviews on my apple flavored apfelwein.
3. For the holidays mull(adding cloves, orange jucie, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger... ) your apple flavoring before adding it to your apfelwein.
I've found that this method to give me a drink that is comparably smoother than typical cider. And even the young lady-friends who typically do not drink loved it.
IrritableGourmet
Active Member
I'm making my first 5 gal batch of Ed's Apfelwein. I'm planning on racking off a little less than a gallon (space for additives) soon once the fermentation stops, campden and sorbating it, and adding, simmered in some undiluted apple cranberry concentrate and fresh squeezed OJ, 1/8 tsp of each cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, orange zest, and vanilla. I'll let that sit for a few weeks and bottle at the same time as the 5 gallon batch. Should be good this holiday season! Or not, but it's only one gallon.
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digdan
Well-Known Member
Sounds great! Nothing says holidays like cranberries and intoxication. Let me know how it turns out... seriously, I'm very interested.
IrritableGourmet
Active Member
I actually just got a small jar of apple pie spice which should have enough flavors premixed.
Tesla_HV
Member
Please explain how to backsweeten. I have a hard cider batch going now. Basically it is 5-gallons of apple juice, no additional sugar, and three packages of frozen raspberries. I used EC-1118 yeast. I've made this before and it comes out very dry and a bit sour but over ice it is delicious. My wife would like it a bit sweeter so hence the reason for asking about backsweetening.
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digdan
Well-Known Member
There are lots of ways to backsweeten. For cider I would suggest using dextrose or fructose.
Make sure its completely 100% fermented and doesn't contain any yeast.
You can also use artificial sweeteners since they will not referment.
knownikko
Well-Known Member
I've tried a couple apfelwein variations with mixed results. I made a cranberry batch once by substituting about a gallon of apple juice for cranberry... that was drinkable but not fantastic. Cranberries are even more bitter than you think they are when you ferment away all the sugar.
My most successful to date has been an apple peach passionfruit variation that turned out fantastic. Same recipe as edwort's but replace 1.5 gallons of apple juice with Kirkland apple-peach-passionfruit juice from Costco. The peach gives it a great aroma. Making this one again because it went over so well.
My most successful to date has been an apple peach passionfruit variation that turned out fantastic. Same recipe as edwort's but replace 1.5 gallons of apple juice with Kirkland apple-peach-passionfruit juice from Costco. The peach gives it a great aroma. Making this one again because it went over so well.
Mr. Nice Guy
Well-Known Member
Backsweeten= wait till fermentation is over, add campden and sorbate per directions, wait a week or two, add sweetner, sugar, apple concentrate, etc. You cannot bottle carb since it will no longer ferment, only keg carb or serve still.
I thought I'd backsweeten loads of stuff but I prefer most dry.
I thought I'd backsweeten loads of stuff but I prefer most dry.
warispeace
Well-Known Member
That sounds interesting. How many tea bags did you use for a 5 gal batch? How strong was the flavor?
I'm still at the experimental stage. I used 2 bags to a 1 gal dj. There was a noticeable flavour- not overwhelming.
It's easier to add more than take away.
I added mine when I was stabilising. Better winemakers tell me to boil the bags first.
Let me know how you get on please.
Bob
It's easier to add more than take away.
I added mine when I was stabilising. Better winemakers tell me to boil the bags first.
Let me know how you get on please.
Bob
madbare
Well-Known Member
I stabilized the wine and added Bing Cherry juice to a gallon of it. Really has a nice flavor.
