I Need advice regarding Edworts Apfelwein

[Beer604]

Some background to my question:

I made the Apfelwein using unfiltered pasteurized apple juice and
Nottingham ale yeast on Dec 07 2010. Other than that I followed the recipe.

I also did a small test batch in a mason jar 2 week before that, just to test it.

The test batch smelled great until today, it had some decomposing
off smell. So I tasted it, it is not bad but also not great. As I poured
off off the yeast and sediment I could smell what I think was all the
unfiltered stuff (sediments) starting to going bad (if that's possible).


My question is, should I rack it to get it off the sediments and
bulk age it or just move it to a cooler place?

Thank you

 

[buckeyebrewer]

Mine always ferments with a little sulphur smell.

 

[buckeyebrewer]

you can leave in the primary for a couple months...won't really hurt it.

 

[Beer604]

you can leave in the primary for a couple months...won't really hurt it.

Do you leave it in room temperature or move it to a cooler place?

 

[captainL]

i have been on some that have been on the "lees" for almost 3 months now. I am about to rack it off and stabilize this coming up weekend. I'll let you know if something seams wrong. But I think or hope your good for at least 3 months.

 

[plate]

I know the original edworts calls for using filtered juice, I too used unfiltered and juice. next week is my 4 week mark think I may rack it off the leas just to be safe.

 

[Beer604]

I racked it today, and it has finished at 0.996.
It tastes good already.
I will just bulk age it for a few months
and hope it will clear.

 

[BlackForestBrewery]

I racked it today, and it has finished at 0.996.
It tastes good already.
I will just bulk age it for a few months
and hope it will clear.

What kind of sugar did you use bro? I've heard that when using brown sugar, it tended to be cloudier.

 

[Beer604]

What kind of sugar did you use bro? I've heard that when using brown sugar, it tended to be cloudier.

I just used dextrose as the recipe calls for it, but I used unfiltered juice.
It will probably take wile to clear. As for now, I'll just put it away
and forget about it for a few months.

 

[Rossnaree]

What I do is use bentonite clay and pectic enzyme at the very beginning when using unfiltered juice (called "cider" heareabouts); it clears absolutely beautifully within days after bubble activity ceases (I know that's NOT an indication that fermentation has ceased, just sayin'...). It's worth a try for next time. If you have the resources, try cold crashing or even use wine fining agents (including but not limited to bentonite clay). I use bentonite because some people have reactions to certain other fining agents, but the clay so far has had no known adverse effect on anyone.

I'm not the least bit precise about the use of the clay, so don't anybody get their panties in a wringer that I'm using the wrong amount... what i do is use about 1 to 1-1/2 tbsp bentonite clay, boil it in about 1-1/2 cups water (more water is no problem, just remember that it dilutes the juice), add the pectic enzyme per label direction for volume of cider you'll be using (remembering that 5-gallons of fermenting juice with sugar added is not equal to 5-gallons of juice used, since the sugar etc adds volume), let it cool to a temp that won't cause damage to you fermentation vessel (glass may break if you add too-hot solution to it), then pour the rest of your juice/ingredients on top of that in order to ensure that it mixes well. FOR ME, it works perfectly. YMMV.

 

[BlackForestBrewery]

I just used dextrose as the recipe calls for it, but I used unfiltered juice.
It will probably take wile to clear. As for now, I'll just put it away
and forget about it for a few months.

Sounds good man. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Beer604]

What I do is use bentonite clay and pectic enzyme at the very beginning when using unfiltered juice (called "cider" heareabouts); it clears absolutely beautifully within days after bubble activity ceases (I know that's NOT an indication that fermentation has ceased, just sayin'...). It's worth a try for next time. If you have the resources, try cold crashing or even use wine fining agents (including but not limited to bentonite clay). I use bentonite because some people have reactions to certain other fining agents, but the clay so far has had no known adverse effect on anyone.

I'm not the least bit precise about the use of the clay, so don't anybody get their panties in a wringer that I'm using the wrong amount... what i do is use about 1 to 1-1/2 tbsp bentonite clay, boil it in about 1-1/2 cups water (more water is no problem, just remember that it dilutes the juice), add the pectic enzyme per label direction for volume of cider you'll be using (remembering that 5-gallons of fermenting juice with sugar added is not equal to 5-gallons of juice used, since the sugar etc adds volume), let it cool to a temp that won't cause damage to you fermentation vessel (glass may break if you add too-hot solution to it), then pour the rest of your juice/ingredients on top of that in order to ensure that it mixes well. FOR ME, it works perfectly. YMMV.

Thank you for your advice. I was thinking of cold crushing once my
fermentation chamber/refrigerator is available.
What do you think if I ad bentonite clay before cold crushing it?
Would that help?
The funny thing is that the test batch I did cleared nicely by itself.
Perhaps because I used champagne yeast I had sitting in the fridge,
and for the real deal used Nottingham yeast???
If I do this again I will try your method.

 

[Rossnaree]

Sorry, I didn't see your post before now.

I'd go with the bentonite and give it a few days, then see if you even need to cold crash. You may or may not need to cold crash after the clay; even if you don't need to, it may not be a bad idea to cold crash anyhow. Crystal clear sure is a pretty sight!

 

[HH60gunner]

I too used unfiltered apple juice. To be more precise I used 3 gallons of filtered and 2 gallons of unfiltered apple juice. It's been in the fermenter for about 3 weeks now and still has a pretty cloudy look to it. Any chance that it might clear out, or will it always be cloudy? Do you think that cold crashing this would do anything? If so how long should I cold crash?

 

[Beer604]

Thank you for the reply Rossnaree.
I put the Hydro sample in the fridge to see if cold crushing
would help, but as of now it is just as cloudy as it was.

Hence another question;
If I use bentonite do I have to rack it again right after it
clears or can it sit like that for a few months?


@ HH60gunner, I guess it will eventually clear given enough time.
Considering I want this ready by August/September, I will just go
and try bentonite and hope that it will work.

 

[Rossnaree]

It can sit on the bentonite for as long as you'd normally let it sit on the lees in the primary. Remember, bentonite isn't the only fining agent out there, I use it because so many of my friends and family have issue with other types epecially those made form shellfish, fish bladders, etc. They're all good and work well.