Man, I love Apfelwein

BrewStef · Dec 21, 2006

Ed,

This stuff is so good I am making another batch right now using the same, undadulterated recipe - why mess with a proven winner, right?!

What is the lowest temp you have successfully fermented at using the Montrachet yeast?

Thanks.

BrewStef

newguy · Dec 21, 2006

GOOD GOD!! I just read all 43 pages of this thread and my eyes are bleeding!!!

But this sounds great got an extra carboy so why not! Think the only thing I'm going to change is go with brown suger instead of corn. Hopefully it will impart some more sweetness.

Think I'll make this up on Saturday.

:ban:

rod · Dec 21, 2006

couldn't find the recommended yeast locally so thats why i used ec 1118.
hopefully it won't hurt the outcome.
thanks for the quick reply ed and others.
rod

Orfy · Dec 21, 2006

I just bottled mine today. 5L with 30g of corn sugar.

1x2l
2x1l

Drank the rest. :drunk:

ill.literate · Dec 21, 2006

EdWort said:
Had you used Montrachet wine yeast as my recipe calls for, the foam would have been 1/4 inch max and you'd be seeing thousands of little bubbles running up the sides of the carboy.

I used a Wyeast Champagne yeast (4021) for mine, and I have virtually no foam at all, after four days in the Better Bottle. There was very little foam at all so far, and like you said Ed, I've got those thousands of little bubbles running up the sides.

In fact, if the house is quiet enough, I can hear the bubbles.

It's awesome!

todd_k · Dec 21, 2006

I bottled mine tonight, good stuff Ed! I have to leave it for the weekend so I may develop separation anxiety!

brewman ! · Dec 22, 2006

couldn't find the recommended yeast locally so thats why i used ec 1118.
hopefully it won't hurt the outcome.

I used ec1118. I sampled it the other night. Its good. I think its going to ferment pretty dry, but that is what potassium sorbate and sweeteners and flavoring are for. I think we are going to add a bit of apple juice to it.

gonzoflick · Dec 22, 2006

Is the reason we dont see much activity with the Montrachet yeast because it is a bottom fermenting strain?

Yuri_Rage · Dec 22, 2006

Wow - mine's just about ready to keg. I clocked it at 1.073 before fermentation, and it's all the way down to 1.002! That's 9.3% ABV! This stuff is gonna be potent!

olllllo · Dec 23, 2006

Made my Labels today...

If anyone wants the background withouth the text, PM me. I got it off a google search, but it took awhile.

Sir Humpsalot · Dec 23, 2006

Wow! That's an AWESOME label!!!!! Great job!!! :mug:

mew · Dec 23, 2006

Can someone describe the taste so I know what I'm shooting for. I made some, but it doesn't have much flavor and is a little sour. Is that what it's supposed to be like?

Orfy · Dec 23, 2006

Mine tastes kinda appley and dry. At 10% who cares. :drunk:

Sorry. I've not tasted it out of the bottle yeat.

gavinski · Dec 23, 2006

Is this basically an apple cider? I made one from a kit and it was terrible. Can you use any apple juice? I am not really a cider man but the missus likes it

Orfy · Dec 23, 2006

Yes it's cider but because it's strong and people are not carbonating it's wine.

Yes you can use any juice as long as it says 100% juice or 100% from concentrate with no additives/preservatives.

EdWort · Dec 23, 2006

BrewStef said:
This stuff is so good I am making another batch right now using the same, undadulterated recipe - why mess with a proven winner, right?!

What is the lowest temp you have successfully fermented at using the Montrachet yeast? BrewStef

Great! I got home from a business trip yesterday and my wife and in-laws blew the keg on a batch before I got home. Fortunately I had a back up in reserve in the fridge in the garage carbed and ready to go. Now I'm down to one backup keg, so SWMBO picked up 5 gallons of Tree Top Apple juice at Costco for me, so I'll start another batch today.

MikeRLynch · Dec 23, 2006

So, a question:

I've already bottled my batch of apfelwein, and its a little light on the apple flavor, and there's not a lot of dynamic tastes going on. (Not to say it's undrinkable, I killed a gallon in a week by my lonesome

) I was wondering if I mulled it with spices in the ole crockpot, then RE-CHILLED it, would it taste good? I have a party tonight and i'd like to share my creation, but I'm just not proud of it as it is, however I like chilled drinks better than the hot ones. Would there be a problem with stuff in suspension, or creating a sediment? Just curious.

I've already got a thousand variations on this recipe going around in my head, this is just the latest. A thousand thanks Ed, you've opened my eyes...

mike

Sir Humpsalot · Dec 23, 2006

MLynchLtd said:
So, a question:

I've already bottled my batch of apfelwein, and its a little light on the apple flavor, and there's not a lot of dynamic tastes going on. (Not to say it's undrinkable, I killed a gallon in a week by my lonesome ) I was wondering if I mulled it with spices in the ole crockpot, then RE-CHILLED it, would it taste good? I have a party tonight and i'd like to share my creation, but I'm just not proud of it as it is, however I like chilled drinks better than the hot ones. Would there be a problem with stuff in suspension, or creating a sediment? Just curious.

I've already got a thousand variations on this recipe going around in my head, this is just the latest. A thousand thanks Ed, you've opened my eyes...

mike

Sure you could mull it and rechill it. However, you will boil off some alcohol (ethanol evaporates/boils somewhere around 150 degrees, IIRC). What's worse is that there will be other hangover-inducing byproducts which won't boil off till later. In all honesty, there is nothing wrong with your approach, however, there are better approaches.

I would suggest boiling your mull spices in water, then just adding some water to the cider. That way you aren't heating/cooling it. There is also less of a risk of infection. And it will be easier/faster. Sediment won't kill anybody, don't sweat it.

Have you considered just serving it warm? Ed has provided a recipe for warm cider that sounds pretty good.

brewman ! · Dec 23, 2006

If you want an apple and spice flavor to it, add some potassium sorbate to knock out the yeast and then mix in some apple juice or apple juice concentrate. I'm going to start experimenting with this as soon as mine stops fermenting.

Orfy · Dec 23, 2006

I'm drinking a litre of it now with my dinner. :mug:

9%

MariaAZ · Dec 23, 2006

I'm giving this recipe a try in miniature, which about a quart of reconstituted frozen juice, a couple tablespoons of corn syrup and a pinch of champagne yeast in a glass rum bottle fitted with an airlock as a fermenter.

My original thought for doing this teeny tiny batch was to watch fermentation happen using ingredients I have on hand (I have a fermentation bucket.. not much excitement except when the airlock bubbles). After a few days, it tasted like sparkling apple juice with just the tiniest kick, and I will definitely make it again just for this particular stage. However, I'm so excited by how well this little experiment is turning out that I'm going to make a larger batch as soon as I get enough bottles together to bottle it and the beer currently in the fermenter (gosh, I really need to look into kegging.)

I like the idea of using this as grog, but can see the concern about how much alcohol would be burned off if heating a portion to mull the spices.

What about using fresh apple juice for mulling instead of water or apfelwein? I'd think apple juice would complement the wein's flavor without diluting it like water would, as well as add a touch of sweetness.

MikeRLynch · Dec 23, 2006

Mulling in applejuice, that's a perfect idea! I knew it was a good idea to ask you guys

I'll start on it this afternoon and i'll let you know what the guests think.

A side note, I did this exact recipe with pomegranate/blueberry juice instead of apple, and DAMN its some good stuff. Absolutely needs some aging time though, not a quick brew. I suggest trying every type of juice you can get your hands on and ferment the hell out of it using Eds simple approach.

mike

EdWort · Dec 23, 2006

orfy said:
9%

Yeah Baby! :ban:

Kevin K · Dec 23, 2006

Not yet a week in and I already stole a sample. I have the willpower of an infant.

Boy, this stuff is going to freaking rock.

I can see us (me) going through a lot of this.

I simply can't get over how easy it is to make.

Thanks Ed.

brewman ! · Dec 24, 2006

After a few days, it tasted like sparkling apple juice with just the tiniest kick,

Another way to keep some sweetness and apple taste would be to stop it before its done fermenting with a little potassium sorbate. Mine is pretty strong and pretty dry. I should have split the batch into smaller batches and done some experimentation.

FWIW, I threw some bentonite into the fermentor and man did it get clean. It looks great.

Sir Humpsalot · Dec 24, 2006

Alright. 19 days in now. I just took a gravity reading and siphoned off an immature liter for sampling.

The activity in the airlock was down to one bubble every 40 seconds and the gravity reading was .996 (for a total present total of 8.65% ABV) so I'm guessing this is close to as dry as it's going to get. However, it's still very cloudy, as you'd expect.

My recipe was EdWort's original, with the addition of a half tsp of cinnamon and a teaspoon of vanilla to a 5 gallon batch. I think I can *almost* taste the vanilla and I'm not sure I'd want much more than I added, but the extra flavor is satisfying. Of course, I wonder what the original recipe is like... but I don't have that luxury (of course, that's why it's always smarter to start out with the basics... so you know how your additions alter the flavor).

Overall, the flavor is good. It's not as dry as I was expecting after having read everybody saying "dry dry dry". Yes, it's dry, but it's not like sucking on a bone in the middle of the Sahara. It's maybe a touch dryer than commercial ciders, but nothing too out of the ordinary.

The apple flavor is there, it's tangy like most alcoholic drinks, but it's definitely not going to make you pucker.

I can't wait till it clears and I can bottle and carbonate it.

digdan · Dec 25, 2006

Once a year the local apple ranch has a giant truck that stops at pre determined areas and sells their apple cider by the gallon. Its amazly inexpensive, well balanced for apfelwein/cider, and fresh.

I took the liberty of buying 10 gallons. I pitched a white wine yeast, used campden and transfered every month for three months.

The final gravity, like much of you have exclaimed, was under 1.00 and the product was very tart and dry. I kegged it, carbonated it, and chilled it before I added 2 cans of Langers Apple Concentrate per 5 gallons and it paired perfectly. Just a subtle hint of sweetness to keep the edge off the tart bite. And Langers makes a good apple drink anywho, so I know the flavor would be spot-on.

So, I'm sure someone else has already posted this, but its worth re-iterating... Add apple juice concentrate if your apfelwein is too tart.

Final calculations was 8.4% and it never dropped bright.

Merry Xmas
DigDan

Sir Humpsalot · Dec 26, 2006

Sorry, but I've got a little paranoia seeping in.

So once the cider clears itself, there will still be plenty of yeast in suspension to bottle carbonate, correct?

I'm looking at the amount of yeast at the bottom of the liter I siphoned and chilled and I'm wondering, "is there really gonna be enough yeast left to carb?"

I know the answer is Yes. I just need someone to confirm it. Thanks. :mug:

Sir Humpsalot · Dec 27, 2006

I noticed today that my cider suddenly turned rather dark, just like the pictures from EdWort. And the bubbles are down to one every 2 minutes. I guess that means the fermentation is just about done and the yeast is starting to settle... I was surprised though by the darkening. One day it was rather light colored, the next day it was very noticeably darker.

On a side note, about that liter I siphoned off and chilled...

It actually did get quite a bit drier over the past few days!!! It is now about as dry as I had imagined it would be. Dry. I will keep it as is, carb with various means, and see how I like it. But yeah, it's drying out.

EdWort · Dec 27, 2006

It's actually getting clarifying. The yeast is beginning to flocculate and drop out.

Let it go at least 4 weeks, keg, force carb and enjoy!

Man, I love Apfelwein

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