Alternate Apfelwein

[Tulloran]

I know a few people were saying they were going to try changing the recipe... brown sugar, table sugar, honey, other juice added to the apple juice, different types of yeast... Things like that.

Just wanted to know what kind of results they got, compared to the original.

My first batch going well, 3 gal of Ed's original recipe, and was thinking of possibly trying some other variants next time.

I just wanted to know what works well, and what to not even bother trying. The brown sugar sounds good, or possibly some cranberry juice mixed in sounds like another good one!

Thanks

 

[runningweird]

I started out making apfelwein with brown sugar instead of dextrose. It had a molasses background that was good but not great. i like the dextrose more than brown sugar.

I also made "grapfelwein" - I replaced half the apple juice with grape juice - tastes good, a bit more like wine - the wife likes it a lot.

 

[bonsai4tim]

after the first patch, I've made about 8 batches with amber malt extract (3 pounds liquid or 2 pounds dry malt extract). Little more body, not quite as dry. Last 2 times I've added 1/2-3/4 tsp of wine tannin. usually ferments out to 1.005, tart and minimally sweet.

Currently have a batch fermenting, steeped 1 pound of C60 malt in 2 gallons of apple juice as it warmed up to 160F, then removed the C60 and boiled it down to 1 gallon. Added 4 more gallons of apple juice, nottingham yeast. OG was 1.065. Tasted sweet and slightly malty. (also added pectinase and 3/4 tsp of wine tannin)

I'll post something in about a month when its done.

 

[RobWalker]

Made one with burnt honey and it's great.

 

[bonsai4tim]

Made one with burnt honey and it's great.

next on my list---sounds great, and faster than burnt mead (mine's still bulk aging)

t

 

[Chap]

Made a 5 gal batch with brown sugar 9 months ago, tried it yesterday... definitely different from the original recipe. Maybe molasses is the best way to describe it. The apple flavor comes out more w/ the brown sugar but there is a slight aftertaste that is "different" for the lack of a better word. My wife preferred the brown sugar recipe but it had time to age more than the original recipe that we drank at 4 months old.

Getting the ingredients together today to start another original recipe. Hope to let it age for 9-12 months... maybe do another brown sugar batch as well

 

[Tulloran]

Made one with burnt honey and it's great.

How much honey did you use?

 

[RobWalker]

Recipe in my Sig I used 500g (one jar) in a gallon. don't boil the juice though or it'll be cloudy!

 

[zachary80]

Latest batch was with Premier Cuvee... will know how it turned out in a couple weeks

 

[Jsmith82]

We just did 4.5 gallons apple, .5 gallons cranberry, 1.75lbs dextrose, montrachet. Has a great burgundy look to it. We used Trader Joe's juice all around, I don't know if anyone has ever tried their 100% pure CB juice but it is TART!!! That feeling you get in the back of your jaw when you eat something very sour, it's triggered immediately. Can't wait to see how it comes out.