crazy apfelwein fermenation

[rollinred]

Well it has been exactly 7 weeks since I pitched the yeast on my first apfelwein, and it still will not stop fermenting.

I did put in 3 pounds of corn sugar instead of the 2 pounds in Ed's recipe, But this just seems to be going way to long. OG was somewhere around 1.1 and I checked it a week ago and it was around .099, so I am assuming that it will stop sometime fairly soon but it is just going constantly.

Also, I am a little unsure as to what I am going to bottle this stuff in. I am not going to spring to wine bottles right now, as the corker and stuff is above budget right now. I really dont want to use beer bottles. So I am wondering if maybe the plastic bottles the apple juice came in would work alright. I am not going to carb this so there would be no pressure inside the bottles. I am just not sure if I want to risk oxygen getting into the cider.

Thanks for any insight.

 

[Tarrant]

I store all my cider in the 5l minikegs and a few large flippys. The 5L mini's are good especially if you're going to let it age a bit and i tend to only drink my cider when i have or bring it to parties and it tends to go fairly quickly so the 5L isn't a problem.

 

[EdWort]

If your ferment temp is in the 60s, it will take longer. Also you added another pound of 100% fermentable sugar which will take time too. I would give it another 4 weeks. In the mean time, start another batch.

 

[elkdog]

My first batch took about 8 weeks to ferment out- that wine yeast is not as aggressive as beer yeast, and you've given it a lot of work to do. I bottled it this past weekend, and it tastes great. Gonna have to by another carboy so I can always have some rocket fuel, er, apfelwein in process.

 

[MNBugeater]

Im experiencing just the opposite. I used the Montrachet yeast and I don't see any active fermenation. I know it doesnt produce the krausen like an ale yeast, but I'm not even seeing any airlock activity. It's coming up on 24 hours since pitching.

I used StarSan in the carboy, emptied, but left the "foam". This shouldnt be a concern should it?

MNBugeater

 

[Tusch]

Give it a lot more time, it can take up to a couple more days before fermentation kicks off. Don't worry for another few days.

 

[Chip]

I just made a batch of this yesterday and it is going like crazy. So easy to make and I found juice at $3 a gallon making it very cheap as well.

Almost so simple it should be illegal.

 

[Ooompa Loompa]

I used StarSan in the carboy, emptied, but left the "foam". This shouldnt be a concern should it?

MNBugeater

Nope, that's how I do all of my ciders as well, and it has never been an issue.

 

[MNBugeater]

I noticed fermentation started today, albeit it slight and slow, but then again I'm used to the rolling ale yeasts. But It seems to have started alleviating my concerns of the StarSan ruining something. All is well and I'm looking forward to having flasks of Apfelwein in my ice house this fall while fishing

MNBugeater

 

[Hibob!]

I started EdWort's Apfelwein recipe Saturday 04/26 - blew off six inches of liquid from a Better(Brew)Bottle by Monday morning. This would make a good bomb - crazy amount of carbonation going on in there.