Wow! Apfelwein is good

[billpaustin]

I brewed a Belgian White bier, and after it was done and siphoned out, I added 2 gallons of apple juice and 16 oz of honey to the yeast cake. Now, after 8 weeks, I sampled it. Wow, it is good!

Definitely wine, with a very subtle apple taste. Hard to believe that I can make a top quality wine, thanks to this website!

Also, I'm making rice wine, based on the recipe from this website. Wow! I drink more of that than I do beer

Homebrewtalk, I love you guys

 

[Likefully]

Sounds awesome. I want to sub to this. What other yeast cakes work for wine?

 

[splattsmier]

I brewed a Belgian White bier, and after it was done and siphoned out, I added 2 gallons of apple juice and 16 oz of honey to the yeast cake. Now, after 8 weeks, I sampled it. Wow, it is good!

Definitely wine, with a very subtle apple taste. Hard to believe that I can make a top quality wine, thanks to this website!

Also, I'm making rice wine, based on the recipe from this website. Wow! I drink more of that than I do beer

Homebrewtalk, I love you guys

Out of curiosity what was your OG and FG on that apple-honey-wine-whatever?

 

[Cyclman]

I have made Ed Wort's Apfelwein, it is unbelievably good. HBT is such a fantastic resource for trying new things.

 

[ImNoExpert]

Word. I brewed a fiver of tree top cider in May for a recent trip up north. Due to the kiddo's, SWMBO's and my own stuff, we could only bring a gallon up.

It was a hit though. Did the same thing about ten years ago but didn't use corn sugar and used baker's yeast instead (hey, cut me some slack, it was before I was a brewer). The stuff stank of yeast, leaked all over the inside of my '96 Grand Am, and made my buddy's brother fall face first off the bench after drinking about a quart of it. Apfelwein it was not, but potent it was. The new stuff is WAY better, and now I've got another few gallons to drink at home.

You can be sure I started another batch as soon as I bottled the current thatch!

 

[billpaustin]

Out of curiosity what was your OG and FG on that apple-honey-wine-whatever?

I didn't take the measurements. I poured out about 1/3 of the yeast cake, and then added the apple juice and honey. It started bubbling almost immediately, and really went nuts! Good thing it was just 2 gal in a 5 gal carboy!

The final color is a rich amber, like apple juice. It has a slight apple flavor, and is definitely a wine. It is pretty alcoholic, I can tell by the taste.

I brew almost all wheat beers, but am going to try this with a stout that I'm brewing. Not sure what the stout yeast will do with the apple juice and honey

 

[Likefully]

How do you bottle this?

 

[DrunkleJon]

I package it up the same as I do beer. Either add the same amount of priming sugar (afetr a 2-6 month primary you can bet that the fermentation is over) or throw in a keg at 10-12 psi and you are set. Some like it still though and in that case I guess you can bottle it like you would a wine.

Alternately, I believe it would be quite good carbed at the volumes of a champagne. And possibly easier to not overimbibe.

 

[Likefully]

And possibly easier to not overimbibe.

I like the sound of that!

 

[billpaustin]

How do you bottle this?

I just bottled it into wine bottles; I don't want any carbonation.

 

[Likefully]

Will this recipe come out ok if I use "100% apple juice" that I get in cardboard cartons that has ascorbic acid and anti foaming agent in it? Or should I only use apple juice that is pressed apple juice?

 

[Paps]

You don't want any preservatives.
IMHO the best apple juice (from supermarket stores) is
"tree-top",then followed by "Motts"
If you can get either one of those namebrands use them,you will be happy you did.

Cider, especially high ABV cider will be HOT when it is young.
Let it age a few months and it improves.

 

[JRapp]

So you just racked poured the AJ directly onto the trub cake? Thats sounds easy, I love easy....

I might try a cider on my upcoming Wyeast London ale 3 yeast as well as on my WLP 570.

Also got 3lb of local honey around, experimenting with booze is fun!