a few apfelwein questions

[gator_brewer]

Edit: **Follow up questions posted below, thanks


Hey,
I made Edword's Apfelwein and am having a few problems

The reciple was
3 gal apple juice
2 gal apple cider
(all 100% juice, pasterized,)
2lbs dextrose
5.5g redstar wine yeast


So the questions:

1. everything I've read said that there won't be any krausen that forms, so I filled up a better bottle the the start of the neck. And then it makes a good amount of krausen! I did 2 major cleanings of the outside of the bottle and the airlock, but it still seems to be sending foam bubbles into the air lock (this is a foam, not krausen) is this normal and I should take some liquid out to give room? or should I just ignore it and hope it's done with foaming over?

2. yeast nutrient... do I need it or is it just nice to have?

3. smell... it smells like rotting apples, I"m assuming it's normal, but since I'm asking questions I'd figured I'd add it in.


Thanks for everything!

 

[Flyin' Lion]

1 and 3 are normal. I've never used yeast nutrient and I would assume with the vigorous fermentation that you have, you don't either. Just keep cleaning the airlock and the fermentation will eventually subside.

 

[gator_brewer]

That's what I was figuring, just wanted to be sure before I spend 4-6months taking care of it.

Thanks

 

[homebrewer_99]

Also, it'll go from clear to a funky light orange color and smell like, well, you know, bad.

The smell and flavor will change before it's ready for bottling so don't freak and want to dump it.

 

[c1377]

Yeah, seems to me nutrient would make fermentation more active.
If you don't want to keep cleaning up the mess, use a blow-off tube!

 

[Bourdon]

Yeast nutrient will make it ferment out faster with less odor. I have never used it tho. I ferment in my basement, so I don't have to smell the rhino farts.

 

[ChshreCat]

I used nutrient and had no problem with a mess. It just formed a thin layer of light bubbles when fermentation was at it's peak. I also had NO sulfer smell at all.

 

[Whisler85]

i used all apple juice, no cider in mine, and didnt get much of a krausen at all- i think the proteins and other stuff in the cider is where you are getting so much foam from

 

[gator_brewer]

***Follow up questions!***

Well it's cleaned up and stopped producing the foam/kraseun mix, so thats good.

Follow up question:

Also, I know it tastes amazing if left alone for 6months, but whats the earliest I can bottle it and it taste good?

 

[will_cbe]

BTW, you got krausen because you used apple cider. The bubbles attached themselves to the little bits of pulp, and float to the top. Apple juice doesn't do this because most of that pulp has been filtered out.