Apfelwein as a wine

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xxdcmast

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I currently have about 15 gallons of apfelwein fermenting right now. I have a friend who gave me 4 1 gallon wine jugs. I was thinking of bottling in these and not carbing them.

Has anyone tried apfelwein without carbination? Is it any good? I know these wine bottles arent meant for holding pressure but since im not carbing I should be ok right?

The other 10 gallons I will probably bottle as regular.
 
Apfelwein is great still. I prefer mine sparkling but who am I? When you bottle it in the gallon jugs, make sure you don't try to drink one by yourself. :drunk:
 
Apfelwein is great still. I prefer mine sparkling but who am I? When you bottle it in the gallon jugs, make sure you don't try to drink one by yourself. :drunk:

+1 to this...I usually carb half the batch and bottle the other half still...I too prefer the carbed, it's very champagne like..BUT the still is wonderful too...
 
I have only done a couple of batches of apfelwein and have not carbed any of it. I could be wrong, but I believe that traditionally it is served still.
 
Still is good, this might sound gauche but sometimes I mix still apfelwein with a little 7-up or club soda and it tastes great.
 
can someone describe apfelwien's flavor/body to me? what is the original and final gravity? it seems like the juice would ferment really dry. the recipe looks wierd but you guys all rave about it. as a meadmaker, the process seems strange but it has to be good if everyone seems to have it either bottled or in the carboy!! i guess i gotta brew it!
 
can someone describe apfelwien's flavor/body to me? the recipe looks wierd but you guys all rave about it. as a meadmaker, the process seems strange but it has to be good if everyone seems to have it either bottled or in the carboy!! i guess i gotta brew it!

Apfelwein was rather dry and a bit tart. (But very subtly) I liked it...
Too much... I need to brew some more and not touch it this time. Just let it sit long enough til I can get some company over and let loose with the Apfelwein!
-Me
 
can someone describe apfelwien's flavor/body to me? the recipe looks wierd but you guys all rave about it. as a meadmaker, the process seems strange but it has to be good if everyone seems to have it either bottled or in the carboy!! i guess i gotta brew it!

It is a very light crisp flavor. It has some hint of apple taste to it, but the sweetness is mostly gone giving it a fairly light body.

It is very good, but it is also very personal. There are a handful of people that have tried it and don't like the dryness.
 
can someone describe apfelwien's flavor/body to me? what is the original and final gravity? it seems like the juice would ferment really dry. the recipe looks wierd but you guys all rave about it. as a meadmaker, the process seems strange but it has to be good if everyone seems to have it either bottled or in the carboy!! i guess i gotta brew it!

It is generally very dry. I've gotten it a bit less dry using various ale yeasts, but with Montrachet, it's very dry. If you haven't already, you might as well try it out. Apple juice, corn sugar, yeast... it's the most simple recipe you could possible imagine. Hell, I put more thought, effort, and ingredients into scrambled eggs.

I haven't ever bothered with taking an OG, but the FG should finish out just below 1.0.
 
+1 for the dryness..and I don't think you can overemphasize DRY on this. I personally like a light, fruity, sweet and carbonated drink. Original Edworts Apfelwein is very very very very dry, and tart(and not sweettart tart..more green apple, dry, sour tart). I actually backsweetend mine with 2 cans AJ concentrate, and 1/4 pound of wildflower honey..then force carbed. F.G. hit 1.013 and was excellent!

Dan
 
The best way I can describe the taste is similar to magners hard cider but without the weird battery acid aftertaste.
 
I have done this still as well, and it is quite good, but have found that it is better still after 8-12months in the back of the closet. Just cracked out a couple bottles of still I had stashed and they were amazing.

I am actually thinking of doing my next batch with closer to 5lbs of sugar than 2 to get it more in the 12% range and bottle in wine bottles to let age for a few months. I did this once with a gallon batch and it turned out really good when I used brown sugar instead of dextrose.
 
The original Frankfurter "Viez" or Aeppelwoin, as they pronounce it, is still and very tart as previously described.
It's so tart that after a business trip to Frankfurt and one night drinking the stuff in a local hostelry, my stomach ulcers were back after not having had them for about 5 years previously, I blamed it on the Viez.
 
I just bottled my first 5 gallons yesterday. I felt like the guys on beerfest when they made the perfect beer!

:mug: Thanks Ed!

Mine was two months old and had been clear for a month. I didn't really find it to be all that dry or tart, (but it was too) it reminds me of a cross between a German white wine (I bet they use something like montrachet), a really good cider, and champagne. I actually liked it at room temp still, it had much more apple taste that way. When cold it was more like a champagne. It is funny how strong it is, I had 5 6oz portions and I was a little too buzzed, it is just so light and refreshing, seems like 3% stuff but feels more like 10%. :tank:
 
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