Man, I love Apfelwein

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Denny's Evil Concoctions said:
Standard winemaking way: Add potassium sorbate and sugar water (or apple juice). You can buy it premixed sugar/sorbate as "wine conditioner".

Or the (blech!) splenda method as in above link.


Dude, just that post needs to be a sticky, prolly the singlest most asked question about the apfelvino.
 
Denny's Evil Concoctions said:
Standard winemaking way: Add potassium sorbate and sugar water (or apple juice). You can buy it premixed sugar/sorbate as "wine conditioner".

Or the (blech!) splenda method as in above link.

Just added "How to Sweeten" it to the General Questions. Thanks.
 
Just made my first batch, i even convinced the lady that we needed a costco membership, just to get the price break on the apple juice! hah! i loved making this, it took about thirty mins, from sanitation to clean up. i barely had time to finish my after work/brewday beer.... i'm excited as this is going to be my first kegged batch as well, kegs are two days away! i'm a little giddy! no more bottling
 
Apfelwein grows on you. The first batch, I thought... well it's alright, but it's not beer. I'm almost done drinking batch 2 and I'm thinking... man I am going to miss this stuff. I guess I will have to wait a couple of months until this next batch is done.:cross:
 
SomedumbJerk said:
Just made my first batch, i even convinced the lady that we needed a costco membership, just to get the price break on the apple juice!
I picked up an entire batch (including yeast and sugar from the brew store) and Motts Apple Juice at Target...I have $1.08 left in change from my $20.00 Bill. That's right. $18.92..Complete. I'll use the Costco membership for other things.
 
BigKahuna said:
I picked up an entire batch (including yeast and sugar from the brew store) and Motts Apple Juice at Target...I have $1.08 left in change from my $20.00 Bill. That's right. $18.92..Complete. I'll use the Costco membership for other things.

Purtty good stuff for $0.35 per 12 oz. serving eh? :drunk:
 
EdWort said:
Just added "How to Sweeten" it to the General Questions. Thanks.


You should add some of this as well:

Potassium Sorbate: table salt of sorbic acid derived from the berries of the mountain ash tree. Prevents renewed fermentation in sweet wines and inhibits reproduction of mould and yeast. Do not add until all fermentation is finished and the wine is clear and stable. Dissolve 1-1/2 teaspoons of Sorbate per 5-6 gallons of wine, in cool water and then stir in thoroughly. Must not be added until all fermentation has ceased. Sorbate present during malolactic fermentation will be converted to hexanedienol (geraniol), a compound with the strong odor of geraniums.
 
Crap... I think I might have bought some Apple Juice with preservatives in it. I used Whole Foods Organic Apple Juice. Thought, I would be alright (despite the fact that it is cloudier juice). I am 5 weeks into fermenting and just took a gravity reading at 1.016 tonight. I've been swirling the fermenter every day for a while as I know that it is still somewhat carbonated and knew that the yeast wasn't completely done. Anyone have any other ideas as to what to do? Luckily I got some TreeTop and will be mixing together another batch this weekend.
 
terrapin421 said:
Crap... I think I might have bought some Apple Juice with preservatives in it. I used Whole Foods Organic Apple Juice. Thought, I would be alright (despite the fact that it is cloudier juice). I am 5 weeks into fermenting and just took a gravity reading at 1.016 tonight. I've been swirling the fermenter every day for a while as I know that it is still somewhat carbonated and knew that the yeast wasn't completely done. Anyone have any other ideas as to what to do? Luckily I got some TreeTop and will be mixing together another batch this weekend.

Sounds like it's still fermenting. You can make sure by taking another gravity reading in a day or so. If it is still 1.016 then I guess it is done. In that case you could try adding more yeast or decide to call this batch done and enjoy a version that's slightly sweeter than the norm -- It will still be 6-7%+ and probably still quite tasty. I doubt that WF organic juice has anything in it but apples and almost certainly not preservatives. What temperature were you fermenting at?
 
I figured I'd mention that I tapped my first keg of Apfelwein and I'm loving it in all it's simplicity and style. Even though I used Cane sugar and US-05 it came out very good and goes down smooth.
 
Costco has a kirkland brand juice that is squeezed and not from concentrate. It tastes better than the mott's I have been using. Starting another batch tonight.
 
Woot, went out last night and bought all the supplies and put everything together. Got 5 gallons of apfelwein going and it's bubbling fine. It's going to be a long 4 weeks. This will be my first.
 
Costco has a kirkland brand juice that is squeezed and not from concentrate.


That's the stuff I used. I'm about ready to bottle after 5 weeks (though it may actually be another week before I can bottle because I only have enough bottles to do half)

I'm looking forward to tasting it, though I plan on holding off six months before I do. It'll probably be Thanksgiving before I crack one open
 
Costco/Kirkland juice is outstanding. Highly recommend.


I just pulled and bottled my batch using Kirkland juice and Nottingham yeast.

The yeast finishes very sweet, FG around 1.018. Much more of an English style that's got a bit of sweetness, milder alcohol content and plenty of residual apple taste. No off flavors and it's quite drinkable. I'm bottle carbonating mine and I think it'll help balance it a bit. I dare even the girliest of drinkers to not like this stuff! :mug:


Once it's carbed, I'll try mixing it with a shot of rum and report back.
 
Just curious if anyone has noticed any differences between dextrose and brown sugar, or other fermentable sugars used in making apfelwein. I built my first 1 gallon apfelwein last week using brown sugar, will be starting a five gallon batch as soon as it completes. I'm just wondering if it's worth it to have to drive an hour to purchase the dextrose from LHB this time around when I have plenty of brown sugar on hand.

Thanks for any input.

-mrhead
 
Hey Edwort...

I promised I searched for this question...I couldn't find what I was looking for....

How exactly do you force carb your Apfelwein?
 
TexLaw said:
Nah, there's enough yeast in there, I imagine. That Montrachet seems like pretty tough stuff, and apfelwein is not that difficult a challenge.


TL

Sounds good...I'm getting big-time rhino farts coming from the fermentor, so that's a good sign.
 
When I saw how many gallons of Apfelwein have been made I said man, we must be getting to brewery status, so I checked

276 927 589 more gallons to go to catch AB :)
 
I have not posted in awhile, but i have finally got around to it. On my first batch of apfelwein I did an experiment to see how Myself and SWMBO would like it. I did several bottles still and dry, still with 1/2 pack splenda, and still with 1 pack splenda. I also did the same with light carbination, regular carbination, and heavy carbination. after drinking the case. (only did 2.5 gal) I have to say we like it either still and dry or regular carbination and dry. The splenda gives it an off flavor IMO. Ed you rock this stuff kicks butt.

:mug:
 
Served it tonight. It's a big hit with some folks. Others are believing that it is "too dry". Either way, with the crawfish, it's going down great.
 
ClutchDude said:
Served it tonight. It's a big hit with some folks. Others are believing that it is "too dry". Either way, with the crawfish, it's going down great.

That's the way it goes. For the folks that think it is too dry, put a splash of Sprite in it for them. 9 out of 10 sweet folks will like if then, but you don't have to waste a whole batch making it sweet that way.
 
My first 5 gal batch was 3 weeks old yesterday and is still fermenting away... So for giggles I made a 6 gal batch yesterday :) I am anticipating good things and have a long list of friends patiently waiting...
 
TrojanMan said:
Costco/Kirkland juice is outstanding. Highly recommend.


I just pulled and bottled my batch using Kirkland juice and Nottingham yeast.

The yeast finishes very sweet, FG around 1.018. Much more of an English style that's got a bit of sweetness, milder alcohol content and plenty of residual apple taste. No off flavors and it's quite drinkable. I'm bottle carbonating mine and I think it'll help balance it a bit. I dare even the girliest of drinkers to not like this stuff! :mug:


Once it's carbed, I'll try mixing it with a shot of rum and report back.


Just curious.... Did you omitt sugar on this batch???
 
Sorry about three in a row!!! I haven't been in this thread for a while....

I just tasted my 2/4/08 batch. Its right at 1.000 and clear as could be. Tastes perfect!! Now I need to find time to bottle!!
 
Ed,

Just wanted to add my thanks for this simple recipe. I am just starting out and got my equipment on Friday. I won't have time to actually try my hand at brewing until June, but staring at all that equipment sitting there unused was going to kill me. So problem solved, Saturday I whipped up a batch of Apfelwein and it is happily bubbling away as I type. That will make me feel better til June when I can try my hand at a witbier. Thanks again Ed, looking forward to sampling some Apfelwein!!!
 
Brewed my first batch following the normal recipe, sat in carboy for about 5 weeks. I kegged, forced carbed and 24 hours had a glass. It reminds me Andree Champagne, I like it and my girlfriend loves it! Will it change a bit with age? Does anyone else think it tastes like champagne?

-Patrick

p.s. I hope I don't offend anyone by saying it reminds me of Andree
 
Wife and I tried this for the first time 2 weeks ago at BigJohn's and Melana's house. We also thought it tasted like Champagne. I have 5 gallons going in the basement and the fixings for a second 5 gallon batch ready to go next week as soon as a carboy is freed up.
 
Anyone used brown sugar added to theirs? I only had 1.5 pounds of corn sugar (priming sugar left over from when i made kit bears before AG) So i used 0.5 pounds of Dark Brown Sugar just for the hell of it and had to use Pasteur Champagn yeast as that was all that was available.

I used Mott's Apple Juice if that matters too.
 
Had a BBQ this weekend and someone brought over a bottle of Relax Reisling wine in an elegant cobalt blue bottle (which I washed and promptly de-labeled) because I thought it would make a nice Apfelwine bottle. It's only about eight or nine dollars a bottle so I may have to drink a few more, get some corks and add them to my bottle collection.

Coincidentally, the description of the wine says it's got some apple flavors 'Forward fruit and floral aromas of apples and peaches with just a hint of citrus.'

images%2Fproducts%2Fs%2FSchmitt%2DSohne%5FRelax%5FRiesling%2Ejpg
 
Thwizzit said:
Had a BBQ this weekend and someone brought over a bottle of Relax Reisling wine in an elegant cobalt blue bottle (which I washed and promptly de-labeled) because I thought it would make a nice Apfelwine bottle. It's only about eight or nine dollars a bottle so I may have to drink a few more, get some corks and add them to my bottle collection.

Coincidentally, the description of the wine says it's got some apple flavors 'Forward fruit and floral aromas of apples and peaches with just a hint of citrus.'

images%2Fproducts%2Fs%2FSchmitt%2DSohne%5FRelax%5FRiesling%2Ejpg


"Relax Reisling" is that the wine with rohypnol in it?
;)
 
Schlenkerla said:
I just tasted my 2/4/08 batch

We just finished a 2/5/07 keg. It was awsome! It's great having 8 month to a year old Apfelwein. The apple flavor and aroma is amazing at this age.
 
We just finished a 2/5/07 keg. It was awsome! It's great having 8 month to a year old Apfelwein. The apple flavor and aroma is amazing at this age.

Your right as always Ed. I just kegged a batch I made in Sept. and it's fantastic. I don't know if I'll have the patience to wait that long again though!
 
Mirilis said:
Anyone used brown sugar added to theirs? I only had 1.5 pounds of corn sugar (priming sugar left over from when i made kit bears before AG) So i used 0.5 pounds of Dark Brown Sugar just for the hell of it and had to use Pasteur Champagn yeast as that was all that was available.

I used Mott's Apple Juice if that matters too.

I used 1 lb corn sugar and 1 lb brown sugar in my first batch, and IMHO, it was much better than my current version, which is all corn sugar.
 
Lost Pirate said:
Your right as always Ed.
and because of this...

but not as good as with Montrachet IMO.

Notice this is a IMO not a IMHO! Now...Dont' get me wrong, EricK is right, and it's worth experimenting, but there is no humility in dinking with Ed's recipe. Make it as he says, keep a 3 fermenter stash bubbling at all times. When you get curious, experiment with brown sugar, Cote Des Blank, and Peach flavored grape juice (VERY GOOD), or what ever your deal at the time is, Just Don't try and call it Ed's Apfelwein. Ed isn't responsible for more than what I estimate to be nearly $25,000 worth of apple juice because his recipe needs modified.
5 gallons Apple juice
2#'s Corn Sugar
1 pack Montrichet

Pure Magic!
 
I need more fermenters. Afer my first batch, I've dedicated one better bottle to only apfelweine, but every batch is long gone before the next is finished, let alone aged for a year.

Thanks again to Edwort for such a simple and delicious phenomenon!

EDIT: Does anyone have the knoledge/means to caclulate how Ed's Apfelweine has influenced worldwide sales of preservative-free apple juice?
 
Back
Top