Apfelwein Backsweetening

[CliffMongoloid]

I am confused on how to stop ferementation and backsweeten apfelwein... can some please help me understand or tell me how they do it


Thanks in advance

 

[CliffMongoloid]

i was planning on doing this tonight... any help would be appreciated

 

[blaster_54738]

Here is where I learned about backsweetening

 

[Honda88]

wrong, pot meta does not kill yeast, you can ferment juice that has pot meta in it you just have to do a starter and wip the pot meta out of the must before pitching the yeast. Sorbate prevents the yeast from reproducing pot meta just stuns it for a bit, this guy isn't entirely wrong but hes not entirely right either...

but yea add sorbate and pot meta at the same time and then backsweeten...

 

[CliffMongoloid]

wrong, pot meta does not kill yeast, you can ferment juice that has pot meta in it you just have to do a starter and wip the pot meta out of the must before pitching the yeast. Sorbate prevents the yeast from reproducing pot meta just stuns it for a bit, this guy isn't entirely wrong but hes not entirely right either...

but yea add sorbate and pot meta at the same time and then backsweeten...

Thanks... there are so many terms...what do u mean by sorbate and pot meta... I don't wanna buy the wrong thing... and how mucch would you add of each and how long would you let it go for before bottling

 

[mbitton]

pot meta = Potassium metabisulfite (Wikipedia) / Sodium metabisulfite = (Wikipedia)

Sorbate = Potassium Sorbate (Wikipedia)

It would depend on your recipe. http://www.bcawa.ca/winemaking/so2use.htm is a good read.

 

[Honda88]

1/8 tsp per gallon pot meta

1/4 tsp per gallon pot sorbate

cheers

wait 24 hours, add your sugar then bottle that stuff, make sure your fermentation is completely done before doing this..

 

[Rocky71]

I usually back sweeten and then watch the batch for a week before bottling just to make sure it doesn't restart fermentation. Some people wait two weeks and some just bottle right away. I just prefer being a little cautious. I have got away with back sweetening and bottling right away but I would't do it again knowing what I know now.

 

[CliffMongoloid]

Thank you all for the suggestions i def learned alot... i picked up Potassium metabisulfite and Potassium Sorbate and will be racking my apfelwein to secondary tommrow

Couple questions... do i add the potassium metabisulfite and sorbate to the bottom of the carboy and rack on top of them?

Also what would you use to back sweeten, i was thinking either apple juice or brown sugar

Thank you again for all the input

 

[Rocky71]

Racking on top of them is fine, You can add them after racking also and just stir it real good. To sweeten I use 4 cups of sugar with enough water to dissolve it and heat to about 170 for about 10 minutes. I then cool it and add it to the wine I'm trying to sweeten. Sometiems I'll pour it in a and rack on top of it if I know how sweat I want it. it's effectively a simple syrup. You can add a little at a time and taste it. Some people like less then 4 cups, some like more, and some prefer apfelwin dry with no back sweetening. Some people just add sprite or table sugar when served.

You can use anything to back sweeten. Really it's up to you and your taste preference. Splenda, brown sugar, cane sugar, apple juice, dethawed frozen concentrates, and on and on. good luck. I'm sure you will enjoy it either way. Jut be careful. taste often. You can over sweeten it easily.

 

[CliffMongoloid]

Im doing a one gallon batch so i should dissolve and heat 3/4 cup of brown sugar, cool it, and add it to the bottom of the bottling bucket and rack on top of it and then bottle?

 

[Rocky71]

Yes it's much easier to dissolve the sugar in water or juice and then add it. Racking on top will blend it for you. You can wait for a few days to two weeks to make sure it doesn't ferment or bottle right away. Up to you. Just realize if it starts fermenting again you could have bottles that explode. I've bottled right away and was fine but it's a risk.

 

[CliffMongoloid]

thanks for the input i may dissolve and heat 3/4 cup of brown sugar in a bit of apple juice add to the carboy and wait a week to make sure its done... thanks

 

[Kayos]

Add 3/4 cup Splenda and then no need for the pot or meta

 

[Kampo]

added a couple packets of Crystal Light to 1.5 gallons of my last batch. not sure of the outcome but we'll see how it goes.

 

[CliffMongoloid]

i dont like artificial sugars but thanks for the suggestion

 

[CliffMongoloid]

i added the pot meta tonight and will add the pot sorbate to when i add the sugar... is this right?

 

[peter78]

Look at #4 in this thread.

 

[peter78]

And #7