Man, I love Apfelwein

[Kubed]

We've found that out the hard way... the limit around here has been set at 3 750ml bottles per person per night...

I want THAT limit!

 

[Petunia]

First taste when bottling and priming the stuff today. All I can say is it was going to seriously whip this light-weights butt. I stopped at a wine glass full. Can't wait to try it when it is finished. I'm thinking I'm gonna like this drink.

Probably will be in trouble though, because I didn't start another batch. Running my self ragged with work this time of year and I can't find the time for it.

Jennifer

 

[Bulls Beers]

Splenda is not for priming, it's for back-sweetening. Splenda is non-fermentable, it will only effect the taste. If you want to prime, then use corn sugar (Dextrose), 3/4 cup per 5 gallon batch.

What do you mean by back-sweetening?

 

[Adolphus79]

Back-sweetening is when you add sugar to a finished brew to sweeten it. If your apfelwein finished fermenting, and you think it's too dry, and would like it to be a little sweeter, that is when you add a little splenda.

 

[Docapi]

Back-sweetening is when you add sugar to a finished brew to sweeten it. If your apfelwein finished fermenting, and you think it's too dry, and would like it to be a little sweeter, that is when you add a little splenda.

Just to clarify- and I'm sure it is what you meant to say- You would not use sugar to back sweeten, because it will just start fermenting. That is why Splenda is used- it will sweeten without starting the fermenting process back up again.

As long as we are on the subject, though, does anybody know the usual amount of splenda per gallon to use to back sweeten?

 

[mrfocus]

Just to clarify- and I'm sure it is what you meant to say- You would not use sugar to back sweeten, because it will just start fermenting. That is why Splenda is used- it will sweeten without starting the fermenting process back up again.

As long as we are on the subject, though, does anybody know the usual amount of splenda per gallon to use to back sweeten?

Exactly. The only other common unfermentable sugar is Lactose (in milk). It doesn't work great if your friends are lactose-intolerent though.

I'm sure some people know the exact amount of splenda to add, and it seems like it is quite low.

 

[Adolphus79]

Just to clarify- and I'm sure it is what you meant to say- You would not use sugar to back sweeten, because it will just start fermenting. That is why Splenda is used- it will sweeten without starting the fermenting process back up again.

As long as we are on the subject, though, does anybody know the usual amount of splenda per gallon to use to back sweeten?

Exactly, you want to use a non-fermentable sugar... I personally use 1 packet of splenda per 750ml bottle of Apfelwein...

 

[mrfocus]

Exactly, you want to use a non-fermentable sugar... I personally use 1 packet of splenda per 750ml bottle of Apfelwein...

How many ounces or grams is in a packet?

Thanks

 

[Adolphus79]

How many ounces or grams is in a packet?

Thanks

1g per packet...

 

[DNisich]

Its been in the carboy for 3 months now and it just won't clear. If the currently cooler weather around Austin doesn't make it finally clear, I wonder if I should try some kind of fining agent?

I read some other posts in this thread about the subject but the consensus seems to be against. Has anybody else had to take any extra steps to finally get clear?

When I made the batch, I checked the SG and it was somewhat lower than my other batches. So, I added a 2 or 3 cans of frozen AJ concentrate. The cans were frozen when I bought them so I put them in the sink with some hot tap water to quickly thaw them. Do you suppose that the warm water might have caused some pectin in the AJ to set? If so, will a fining agent make it precipitate?

 

[walkertalker]

This is my first post and I am glad to find this community. Forums, in general, are nothing new to me, but this one is. I registered this morning and just finished up my first batch of Apfelwein.

Does the yeast generally fall to the bottom, until it starts reacting to the sugar? If so, how long does it take to start reacting?

Thanks

 

[Adolphus79]

This is my first post and I am glad to find this community. Forums, in general, are nothing new to me, but this one is. I registered this morning and just finished up my first batch of Apfelwein.

Does the yeast generally fall to the bottom, until it starts reacting to the sugar? If so, how long does it take to start reacting?

Thanks

Firstly, Welcome to HBT!

To answer your question, yes, it will all fall to the bottom then over the next day or so you'll see it multiplying and the carboy will start getting cloudier... then, soon after that, it will take off... RDWHAHB...

 

[TronCarter]

This is my first post and I am glad to find this community. Forums, in general, are nothing new to me, but this one is. I registered this morning and just finished up my first batch of Apfelwein.

Does the yeast generally fall to the bottom, until it starts reacting to the sugar? If so, how long does it take to start reacting?

Thanks

It was at about the 36 hour mark that I noticed airlock activity. Not much at first, but after about 48 hours I was getting about a bubble every second or so. Also, I used the Cote des Blancs yeast, where Montrachet might have different timing.

 

[Fenster]

I started my first batch on Sunday and can't wait to taste it...temporarily renamed it Santa Ana Cider.
I know it's been said before, but it's a stinky ferment. I'm glad I did it in the garage...got bubbles within 24 hours.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Exactly. The only other common unfermentable sugar is Lactose (in milk). It doesn't work great if your friends are lactose-intolerent though.

I'm sure some people know the exact amount of splenda to add, and it seems like it is quite low.

1/3 Cup of Splenda /Gal

or

1 Lb per 5 Gal Lactose

I preffer lactose. It makes the cider a little thicker. It sweetens with more head retention.

 

[macs]

This is my first post and I am glad to find this community. Forums, in general, are nothing new to me, but this one is. I registered this morning and just finished up my first batch of Apfelwein.

Does the yeast generally fall to the bottom, until it starts reacting to the sugar? If so, how long does it take to start reacting?

Thanks

If you go to my pics, you will see what my batch did before it really took off. The yeast formed a ring on top as it multiplied and then dropped to the bottom and started to ferment.

 

[walkertalker]

It was at about the 36 hour mark that I noticed airlock activity. Not much at first, but after about 48 hours I was getting about a bubble every second or so. Also, I used the Cote des Blancs yeast, where Montrachet might have different timing.

I used the Montrachet yeast and received the same results. A little activity after 24 hours, foaming at 36 hours and now at 48 hours, many bubbles coming up the sides and gassing out the airlock about every second.

Thanks for all that replied.
Matt

 

[dave47]

I started a batch of Ed's Apfelwein on 10/21. I was wondering if I just leave it in the fermenter, can I put it straight into a drinking glass at Christmas time?

 

[Adolphus79]

I started a batch of Ed's Apfelwein on 10/21. I was wondering if I just leave it in the fermenter, can I put it straight into a drinking glass at Christmas time?

You could leave it in the primary for that long, but I wouldn't recommend serving it out of the primary... let it sit, then maybe bottle it in some wine bottles a week or so before xmas... it's a lot better cold than room temperature IMHO...

 

[Cheesefood]

I bought some Montrachet yeast tonight. Time for me to dive in to this stuff.

 

[Kevin Dean]

Time for me to dive in to this stuff.

I'm surprised you've not done it yet!

Did you run out of grains and have an empty fermenter?

 

[BlindLemonLars]

I bought some Montrachet yeast tonight. Time for me to dive in to this stuff.

Dive, dive! It's a pretty shallow dive though...from washing out the carboy to filling the airlock, you're looking at about a fifteen minute task. It's astonishing how such an amazingly high quality product can be the result of so little work.

My keg ran dry last night, so I just kegged the batch I mixed up on 9/16. I used Premier Cuvée yeast, and for the record it results in a slightly less dry and more "winey" beverage. It also ferments and clears somewhat faster, and was crystal clear after just three weeks.

Naturally I got another batch going tonight. Back to the Montrachet, but this time I used a 2lb bag of "organic sugar" from Trader Joe's. (Looks like really light, finely granulated turbinado.) It's been in the cupboard forever, I wanted it out of there!

 

[TexLaw]

Wow. It's been roughly twenty-three hours since someone posted to the thread, so let me keep her alive.

The Missus and I just bottled our first batch of Ed's apfelwein, and let me tell you - I have but two words to describe it:

It rocks.

I mean, it totally rocks. We went by EdWort's original recipe (except that we had juice with acetic acid in it), and it's so good. For those that need three glasses to like it, I understand where you're coming from. You're coming from that land where you expect to drink apple juice.

For those who haven't tried it, yet, let me tell you that it's not apple juice. Not anymore, it's not. It's more like champagne. In fact, it's very close to champagne (which always does have strong apple notes for me). Good, brut champagne. Dry champagne, with a bit of a tang to it. Just a subtle tang.

We primed with roughly 8.7 oz (dry) of dextrose to get some good effervescence in there, and we're eager to see what happens. In the meantime, we're sitting here, drinking the bottling bucket dregs still and at room temperature, and it rocks. Thanks, Ed!

Now . . . where's that aspirin? (is it any wonder a Bavarian outfit invented the stuff?)


TL

 

[vtchuck]

Its been in the carboy for 3 months now and it just won't clear. If the currently cooler weather around Austin doesn't make it finally clear, I wonder if I should try some kind of fining agent?

I read some other posts in this thread about the subject but the consensus seems to be against. Has anybody else had to take any extra steps to finally get clear?

When I made the batch, I checked the SG and it was somewhat lower than my other batches. So, I added a 2 or 3 cans of frozen AJ concentrate. The cans were frozen when I bought them so I put them in the sink with some hot tap water to quickly thaw them. Do you suppose that the warm water might have caused some pectin in the AJ to set? If so, will a fining agent make it precipitate?

I used AJ concentrate in addition to the bottled juice and it never cleared up completely like my all juice batches. Tasted fine, but after that I followed the recipe exactly. YMMV

 

[DUCCCC]

Here's the carboy on the first day:

And here it is a week and a day later:

(edited for spelling)

 

[EdWort]

Now . . . where's that aspirin? (is it any wonder a Bavarian outfit invented the stuff?) TL

LOL, remember the General Warning! A liter of water and three aspirin before going to sleep.

BTW, Apfelwein is pretty much ignored in Bavaria since it comes from the German state of Hessen. The Bavarians are all about beer!

What a country!

 

[Deege]

Funny! I make this all the time for my neighborhood, but I carbonate it. The only different thing is I use English Cider Yeast. I've also tried other sources of sugar, like brown sugar and honey. My recipe is in my sig. I'll have to try it with the wine yeast sometime!

 

[mrfocus]

So let's say I was thinking of making it champagne style, and used EC-1118 and have decided that I wanted to bottle it still (mainly because I have a bunch of free wine bottles, not champagne bottles). The must is quite bubbly and I currently have less than a week left in the fermentation. When it hits the FG I want, could I just start shacking it a bit to get most of the bubbles out? Would I have to add Sodium metabisulfite (Campden tablets) to it to be sure that the yeast is dead, to avoid bottle bombs and corks blowing off?

 

[skou]

I like Potassium Sorbate instead of Campden, but that is just me. Yes, I would recommend stopping fermentation before bottling in wine bottles. They aren't designed to take pressure stress.

steve

 

[Kubed]

I've got 2 empty carboys.... 2 empty!!!! I must remember to get some apple juice on my way home tomorrow!

 

[Adolphus79]

So let's say I was thinking of making it champagne style, and used EC-1118 and have decided that I wanted to bottle it still (mainly because I have a bunch of free wine bottles, not champagne bottles). The must is quite bubbly and I currently have less than a week left in the fermentation. When it hits the FG I want, could I just start shacking it a bit to get most of the bubbles out? Would I have to add Sodium metabisulfite (Campden tablets) to it to be sure that the yeast is dead, to avoid bottle bombs and corks blowing off?

Just my $0.02, but I would let it finish on it's own, then backsweeten...

 

[sfov]

i brought some of this and a couple beers we made to a party last night., people i didn't even know were rabid for it! seeing it go that fast sucked, but hearing how much people liked everything was awesome.

 

[El_Borracho]

Apfelwein - Fermenting

Award Winning Apfelwein Recipe (German Hard Cider)
Placed 1st in the Cider & Apple Wine category at the BJCP sanctioned Alamo Cerveza fest (out of 11 entries) and took 2nd place for Best of Show for the main category of Meads & Ciders (out of 50 entries).

Ingredients

5 Gallons 100% Apple Juice (No preservatives or additives) I use Tree Top Apple Juice
2 pounds of dextrose (corn sugar) in one pound bags
1 five gram packet of Montrachet Wine Yeast

Equipment

5 Gallon Carboy (I use a Better Bottle)
Carboy Cap or Stopper with Airlock
Funnel

1. First sanitize the carboy, airlock, funnel, stopper or carboy cap.
2. Open one gallon bottle of apple juice and pour half of it into the carboy using the funnel.
3. Open one bag of Dextrose and carefully add it to the now half full bottle of apple juice. Shake well.
4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3, then go to step 5.
5. Pour in the mixture of Apple Juice and Dextrose from both bottles into the carboy.
6. Add all but 1 quart of remaining 3 gallons of apple juice to the carboy.
7. Open the packet of Montrachet Yeast and pour it into the neck of the funnel.
8. Use the remaining quart of juice to wash down any yeast that sticks. I am able to fit all but 3 ounces of apple juice into a 5 gallon Better Bottle. You may need to be patient to let the foam die down from all shaking and pouring.
9. Put your stopper or carboy cap on with an airlock and fill the airlock with cheap vodka. No bacteria will live in vodka and if you get suckback, you just boosted the abv.

There’s no need to worry about filling up a carboy so full when you use Montrachet wine yeast. There is no Kreuzen, just a thin layer of bubbles (see here). I'm able to fit all but 4 oz. of my five gallons in the bottle. Ferment at room temperature.

It will become cloudy in a couple of days and remain so for a few weeks. In the 4th week, the yeast will begin to drop out and it will become clear. After at least 4 weeks, you can keg or bottle, but it is ok to leave it in the carboy for another month or so. Racking to a secondary is not necessary. It ferments out very dry (less than 0.999, see here)

If you want to bottle and carbonate, ¾ cup of corn sugar will work fine. Use as you would carbonate a batch of beer.

Remember to reserve judgment till after 3 glasses. It grows on you.

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND START ANOTHER BATCH 2 WEEKS AFTER YOU START THIS ONE.
YOU WILL THANK ME LATER!


GENERAL QUESTIONS
compiled by Dammed Squirrels from the first 37 pages of this thread. Thanks DS!

How does it taste?
It ferments quite dry. Some people have tried different yeasts in order to achieve a sweeter taste. It may take you a few glasses to get a feel for the flavor. It is very reminiscent of a sort of apfelwein produced locally in Germany. There really is no comparable product in the United States. It's drier and less sweet than commercial hard ciders.

What is the difference between Apfelwein and hard cider?
EdWort says, “Most ciders are a bit sweeter. Ciders and Apfelwein are about 6% abv, but I like the little boost I give it with 2 pounds of Dextrose. It adds no body or flavor and still tastes like Possmann's Apfelwein, only it will kick your butt much quicker.”

Is this like Apfelmost / Apfel Korn?
No. Apfel Korn is a german liqeur made from wheat spirits. Apfelmost is spontaneously fermented with fresh-pressed apples or apple juice. It is probably similar, but the results may vary as a result of the spontaneous fermentation. Either way, Apfelmost is most certainly has a lower alcohol content since the initial gravity is not increased by the use of concentrate or corn sugar.

What’s the difference between apple juice and cider?
Cider is made by pressing apples. Juice is then filtered to remove all of the stuff that makes it cloudy.

Can I use apple cider instead?
Sure! You can use whatever you want. However, there is not enough information in this thread to give you any better details as to how it will turn out. I recommend starting a new thread or ask more experienced cider-makers.

What kind of Apple Juice should I use?
Ideally, you want to use 100% natural apple juice with no preservatives. The only acceptable preservative is ascorbic acid, which is a source of vitamin C and does not affect fermentation. Pasteurized juice is preferred, since it will have less bacteria.

How much will this recipe cost me?
5 gallons of Apfelwein can be made for between 20 and 25 dollars.

What else can you do with this recipe?
EdWort says, "this makes a great Grog in the winter time. Take a quart in a sauce pan, add some rum, turbinado sugar, and float a cinnamon stick in it and simmer for a while. Serve hot in mugs. It'll warm you right up."


GENERAL WARNINGS

Excessive consumption of Apfelwein WILL get you drunk at warp speed.

Drink a quart of water and take 3 aspirin before going to sleep tol help reduce the effects of excessive Apfelwein consumption as well as the urge to call EdWort a M'F**kR the next morning!

Sorry I know some things, but not all...

I know that all the sugar in alcohol is what makes alcohol, also that the more sugar that is used to make an alcoholic beverage the more tendency to hangover you have. We grew up on rum, but when we grew up we also switched to whiskey. I can go through a couple cups of rum n coke, or straight rum and have a headache before I hit the sack.. I can down a couple liters of black label, or any other decent whiskey and I'm up and can head right to the gym. I'm not one to worry about hang-overs, it's part of the game I think. Heh.. Bad hangover = Great night!

My questions to you, what if I use sugar-free, no-preservative, 100% natural "X" fruit juice? I mean, can I make this with say cranberry-blueberry juice? Or just cranberry, or white grape?

What would happen if I don't add the sugar, will it still be as dry - just less potent?

Once it's done, can I keep it in 2L/3L soda bottles?

 

[Buford]

Sorry if it has been mentioned earlier in this monster of a thread, but will this leave an odd smell/flavor in keg seals and tap lines? I'd hate to put some in my kegerator only to have to replace the line to use it for beer again.

 

[turkey]

Here's a question. For those of you who rehydrate your yeast, do you heat up some apple juice, cool it down, and add the yeast? Or do you use water? Or pitch it dry?

 

[TronCarter]

Here's a question. For those of you who rehydrate your yeast, do you heat up some apple juice, cool it down, and add the yeast? Or do you use water? Or pitch it dry?

Ed recommends just pitching dry. That is what I did and it worked just fine. I pitched and then used the last gallon of juice to wash the yeast that stuck to the funnel into the better bottle.

 

[El_Borracho]

Here's a question. For those of you who rehydrate your yeast, do you heat up some apple juice, cool it down, and add the yeast? Or do you use water? Or pitch it dry?

I've been looking around all day since I heard about this stuff.. I've seen everyone use dry yeast, the powder stuff.

 

[DUCCCC]

Here's a question. For those of you who rehydrate your yeast, do you heat up some apple juice, cool it down, and add the yeast? Or do you use water? Or pitch it dry?

I simply pitched it dry, as noted in the directions. I poured 4 gals. in the carboy, then poured the packet of D47, then poured the 5th gal through the funnel to rinse out the yeast that stuck to the wet funnel. I had light airlock action (1 bubble per minute) within 2 hours, a bubble every 5-6 seconds after 24 hours, a bubble every .5-1 second after 48 hours, and after a week and a few days I'm back to a bubble about every 5-6 seconds.

On another note, I've been intrigued by the action of the foam in the carboy. It probably means nothing, but the ring of bubbles around the top of the cider is "ebbing and waning" in a regular fashion about every 10 minutes. It's actually pretty trippy to watch. The foam builds up to at least 2 inches from the edge towards the center, and after like 5 minutes it retreats all the way back to the edge, then starts building up again. I'm sure this means nothing, but it's fun to watch. (First home fermentation, I'm easily entertained at this point)

The colors shown in my post a few numbers back have already changed again, and it's now losing some of the light tan color and is seeming to darken a little as well as slight clearing. Again, probably insignificant at this point with just under 3 weeks to go yet, but I can't help but check in on my creation before I go to bed each night (and many more times too).

 

[Schlenkerla]

So let's say I was thinking of making it champagne style, and used EC-1118 and have decided that I wanted to bottle it still (mainly because I have a bunch of free wine bottles, not champagne bottles). The must is quite bubbly and I currently have less than a week left in the fermentation. When it hits the FG I want, could I just start shacking it a bit to get most of the bubbles out? Would I have to add Sodium metabisulfite (Campden tablets) to it to be sure that the yeast is dead, to avoid bottle bombs and corks blowing off?

You should let it go to 1.000, hit with camden for a few days (with the airlock in place), then degass it with one of these things. Then bottle.

http://www.homebrewit.com/aisle/1070

 

[Neomich]

My current batch was at 1.010 this past weekend. It is very clear and very tasty. I'm considering bottling it this coming weekend if it gets all the way down to the target FG. However, I don't plan on intentionally carbing it.

Since there is a small amount of sugars and small amount of yeast, would this provide sufficient carbonation if I don't let it get down to 1.000? Or I guess my real concern is whether or not it would create bottle bombs? I realize there's always a chance but I wanted to see if anyone has tried this themselves or knows the answers.