Man, I love Apfelwein

So, I haven't read through the 865 pages, so I don't know if it's been done, but...

Has anyone tried icing this? It's AWESOME!



I used the original recipe, aged for about 3 months, then bottled into 750ml wine bottles. I dumped a bottle into a sanitized milk jug (cleaned, of course) and froze it over night. I then opened it and tipped it over into a mason jar until the ice was clear. I transferred it into a sanitized bottle, and it ended up being somewhere between 1/4 and 1/3 of the original volume... so, by my calculations it should be around 20% (if not more!)

It's sour, and the apple flavor is intensified. It's like a sour apple but a lot more sour. It's really nice, and I actually think I prefer it to the regular Apfelwein I bottled!

This mixture could be an additive to a cocktail. I bet this would make a KILLER martini if you swapped the Ice Apfelwien for Vermouth. (Gin martini, of course).

 

The "two weeks after bottling" test was tonight. It's still flat - no carbonation at all that I can detect - just a little pssh when I open the bottle. However; it's quite good ... can't wait for it to age a little more and actually carbonate.

The batch I currently have working is using Pasteur Red yeast. Even though it's normally considered a "red wine" yeast, I've liked the way it leaves the fruity aromas and flavors in the other wines I've used it in. Thus far, the fermentation is just getting into high gear, and true to its form on other wines, it smells wonderful. I have high anticipation for that batch ... I have high anticipation on every batch .

 

Interesting. When I bottled last week I ran out of wine bottles but had a 1.75l plastic margarita mixe bottle that I put the rest in. I also threw it in the freezer on impulse for some reason. So now its solid as a rock lol. So you basically let it thaw out into a mason jar and let it drain? I have no idea what I was going to do with mine so I will try this sometime.

 

I bottled my 5 gallons yesterday. I took 4 gallons worth and in addition to Priming Sugar I added some Cider Extract and Xylitol. I took what was left out of the bottom of the bottling bucket and chilled it. Other than being slightly sweeter than the finished product will be, I think it's going to age really, really well. I tasted it side by side with a gravity sample from my hydrometer a day before bottling, and the addition of 1/4 teaspoon of cider extract per gallon and Xylitol really made a subtle but noticeable difference. Hopefully it'll be delicious a little sooner than "normal" and will age well. It doesn't taste apple fake and helped with covering up the so called alcohol burn.

For fun, I took the last gallon and bottled the majority into a 64oz and 32oz growler. I added Priming Sugar/Xylitol, a little bit different Cider Extract mix (added some Red Apple). This gallon is aging on the lees, and for an added kick, I added a shot of apfelkorn

Now, I admit that it'll probably turn out horribly, but hey, go big or go home.

 

Basically, alcohol has a lower freezing point than water meaning that it will thaw out before the water does. What you'll do is let the thawed alcohol drain into a container (you'll know it's drained when the ice is basically clear). This does a couple of things:
1) Increases ABV. You have a lower volume of liquid since you separated the water from the alcohol
2) Increases flavor intensity

I'm not quite sure how you'd calculate what your new ABV would be, but I'd imagine that it's quite high and more like drinking a spirit so tread VERY carefully. A little will go a long way.

 

I started a 3 gallon batch of this last night. For the dextrose I poured a pound of it in a container with a liter of room temperature apple juice and shook it around and then added it to the carboy. Since it didn't really "dissolve" as much as it just mixed in, a lot of sugar is now sitting on the bottom of the carboy. Is this a problem, or will the yeast still find it? It's fermenting away right now, so I don't know if I should bother shaking it up or not.

 

It's not ideal, but the yeast will find it. You can always swirl the carboy in a few days to put it in suspension.

 

oh yes, i have some apfelwein in a growler ready to go... i'm going to have to freeze it now...

 

You can calculate ABV if you have a hydrometer and refractometer.

 

Thanks, that's what I'll do.

 

I'm taking two growlers to my MIL's house on Christmas. Plan is for one to be still and dry and one to be_______. Looking for a punch. Anyone successfully made a punch of any sorts out of this?

 

Actually, I just did yesterday.

4 Cups Apple Cider
4 Cups Apfelwein
2 Cinnamon Sticks
1 Pear
1 Orange

Put the Cider and Cinnamon into a pan and begin to heat. No need to boil, a good simmer will work.

While that is heating, cut the orange in half. Squeeze the juice into the pan, then peel the orange peel off and toss it in. Not the pulp, unless you want too.

Chunk up the pear, and toss that in.

Simmer ~ 20 minutes.

Strain it into a pitcher, and throw it in the fridge. Give it 15-20 minutes to cool some, then add the Apfelwein and chill overnight.

 

Seeing how you're making ice beer (Apfelwein in this case) more dense by removing water, I don't understand how a hydrometer is going to help you calculate your new ABV? I mean, I suppose you could measure your new volume and do some fractions, but I wouldn't call that exact.

I.E. if your new ice beer volume was 25% of the original volume, and, for simple math, it was a 5% beer, then your new ABV would be approximately 4x higher than you started with, so you'd be at 20%? I guess you'd have to know the exact break down of your brew besides Volume of Alcohol. A 5% ABV beer doesn't mean you have 95% H20.

Anyone have any clue on this one? It's an interesting discussion for sure.

 

All you need to do is divide the number of regular apfelweins it takes to get you blitzed by the number of defrosted apfelweins it takes to get you blitzed. Piece of cake.

 

You could also drink a set amount of known ABV Apfelwein and take a breathalyzer. Then drink the Apfelwein concentrate and repeat, I'm sure there's a formula in there.

Don't have a breathalyzer? Just speedily drive by the police station...

 

Nah just call 911 and they'll come right to your door.

 

A little intermediate update on my current experiment.

In my variations I have been using Brown Sugar, and 1 tsp/gal of yeast nutrient. I've said they have never smelled bad, and that is true. However; the previous versions have never smelled as GOOD as this current batch that is making.

In this batch, I changed the yeast to Pasteur Red. I know it is supposed to be a red wine yeast, but it did such a fantastic job of preserving the fruity smell and taste in the blackberry wine where I used it that I thought it was worth a shot with the apfelwein. I couldn't see that anybody else had tried Pasteur Red for this before.

The whole utility room smells absolutely wonderful this morning, and has ever since fermentation got underway. It even got nice comments from the lady this morning.

The foam followed the exact same pattern I've gotten with the Montrachet yeast: Foamed betwen 36 - 48 hours after pitching, then disappeared very suddenly. It's still in vigorous fermentation, but beginning to slow a bit.

I don't know yet if it will clear as quickly as with the Montrachet ... I hope so. The aroma has me drooling.

 

Operative word was "and". As in, you need a hydrometer *and* a refractometer. Not "or".

Normally to get an accurate SG with a refrac, you need to use a calculation that takes the OG into account. The same FG will yield different refrac measurements if the OG was different.

Two known variables - OG and (final) Brix with one unknown variable, FG. Anybody good at math should be able to see where I'm going with this. The calculation can be reworked to find OG by using FG and Brix, or even the Brix by using the OG and FG (fairly pointless).

In this case, you rework it to find the OG. It won't be the OG that you actually started with, but it will function just fine as an "effective OG", what that beer would have started out as if it had only been fermented. Use this OG, and the FG (which you'd already have), in order to find out the ABV as you normally would.

 

holy crap. anyone ever seen that movie "Scanners"? My head almost exploded. I'm gonna have to pick up the cliff notes on that one. I'm an art major...haha

 

Second 5 gallon batch is in the fermenter, even though my first isn't done.

I tried a sample, and this has great potential.

 

You wont be sorry! My first batch is about 7 months old and its really getting good but I've only got about 5 bottles left. Wish I didn't wait 4 months to make my second batch.

 

Just started my first batch of this.

I bought & used:

3 - 4 X 2L packs of Rougemont Apple Juice (from Costco) using only 19L (that will leave 2.5 bottles left over)
2lbs of Redpath golden yellow sugar (2KG bag from Costco)
5g Lalvin EC1118 (just floated on top in my glass carboy)

here's hoping it takes off and will turn out just as good as everyone else's...I can't wait

this is my first batch from this site, but I've been making wines and swish and other alcho concoctions since early high school, 20 years or so...man I'm old!!! WOW!!! when did that happen?...sorry, babbling a bit...hahaha....

most of my wines lately have been kits, just for the ease of use but I've been wanting to try to make something with less water and more juice and I'm soo glad I found this...

a batch of skeeter pee shall be started next, tomorrow I think...already bought the Realemon @ Costco as well, LOL :rockin:


update: forgot to add, my starting SG was 1.060

 

ROFL! That's hilarious!

Now I get it. You sir, are pure genius!

 

Hey All!

New homebrewer here - just cracked some bottles with my first two batches of homebrew (American IPA and American Hef) and both have a cleanser type aroma to them - a lot more noticeable in the Hef compared to the IPA due to all the hoppiness in the IPA. Anyways, not to derail this thread - I'm planning on letting them hang out in the bottles to see if it clears up before doing anything, and think in the meantime to get something else in my 5 gallon BB that is just sitting here! Figured why not try this Apfelwein.

Just wondering on ingredients:

Is this the proper yeast: Red Star Montrachet Wine Yeast - Sound Homebrew Supply

And then 2lbs of: Corn Sugar 1 lb - Sound Homebrew Supply

And then the apple juice obviously.

Sounds like a winner - I'm slowly realizing that keeping stuff in your pipeline is very crucial to this hobby!

 

Apfelwein has been fermenting for a few days now, my basement smells great. I have a pack of frozen strawberries I want to add in a couple of weeks into fermentation. How should I do this? Thaw and just dump them in? Soak in vodka? Boil and mash them up? There seem to be conflicting opinions on how to add fruit.

Thanks

 

Personally I would just thaw them and dump them into secondary.

 

Yes those are the correct ingredients.

 

Awesome!

Looking forward to trying this.

Now I just need someone to help me pronounce Apfelwein. App-fell-vine?

 

Perfect, thanks.

 

My first 5 gallons is underway. Starting Gravity is @ 1.060.

I used the original recipe with the exception that I added 2 tsp. of yeast food and had to use Lalvin K1-V1116. It's all that my HBS had in stock even though I asked him to order me some Montrachet a week and a half ago. Oh well. I'm sure it will still kick ass.

Cheers!!

 

We have airlock activity after 14 hours. Maybe only 5 bubbles per minute, but she's started. WOOT!!!

 

got a few bubbles, but my float is floating, so that's a good sign... can't wait...I hope this is YUMMY!!!....

 

If you ever encounter someone who doesn't like it as dry as the original, just drop one apple juice ice cube in their glass. It provides a slight level of sweetness and kicks up the apple flavor a bit. Not too sweet as the cube is gradually melting.

Recipe as follows:

One apple juice ice cube
One portion of EW's Original Apfelwein, chilled
One glass.

1. Put AJ ice cube in glass
2. Add EW's Original Apfelwein
3. Enjoy!
4. Repeat

 

Nice!! We started on the same day so it will be nice to compare notes. I'm at 23 hours now and have a bubble every second out of my airlock.

 

Good idea!

 

Popped open my first EdWorts Apfelwein earlier tonight and it was delicious. Popped open a bunch more because it's Christmas Eve. Needless to say, I've been in and out of the bathroom. It says as a disclaimer that the morning will have me saying "EdWort, you [email protected]#&er," but tonight, in the name of the sweet bountiful lord, I am crying "EdWort, you [email protected]#&er." All in all, I would say that it is a delicious drink but something to most definitely drink cautiously. These are my words of wisdom, so take it or leave it. I'm making another batch tomorrow!!!

 

I don't have the bathroom issues others have reported lol.

 

Bottling yet another batch this morning!

Merry Christmas, Ed!

 

Merry Christmas & Frohe Weinachten Apfelwein Fans!



What a way to bring in the new year!

 

Merry Christmas to you as well, Ed.