Apfelwein punch

[Potamus]

I've got a batch of Edwort's Apfelwein that's been fermenting for about four weeks and still needs a little time. I'm hoping to serve it at a Halloween party, so there's not going to be time to bottle-carb it.

To give it some sweetness and carbonation, I'm thinking about mixing it with some 7-Up in a bottling bucket and serving it as a punch. Anyone tried something like this? I've never had Apfelwein before but heard it's good mixed with lemon soda.

 

[SupervisingChildren]

If it's a 5 gallon batch I'd serve it still from the bottling bucket with a lid on it. Have 7up on the side so any unused you can bottle later. It would be a shame to mix it all up and not finish it. At least that's what I'd do.

 

[cervid]

I think it's standard in Germany for apfelwein to be brewed dry and still and it is very common for people to add 7 up to their own glasses who like it sweet and sparkling. From what I've read, the only difference between hard cider, well cyser I guess, and apfelwein is there is a specific yeast you use for apfelwein, a German strain. I think there is a sticky in here about all of this.

 

[Potamus]

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll give that a try. It would be a shame to waste some good homebrew!

 

[LandoAllen]

Correct me if I'm wrong but a cyser requires honey to be used and Ed's recipe doesn't call for honey therefore it wouldn't be considered a cyser.

 

[cervid]

True, I was speaking in generalities. It seems to me that cyser is an American term for apple and honey meads/ciders. But, I know I've seen apfelwein recipes that were 'traditional' that called for honey. It seems to me using that german strain of yeast would make a bigger difference in a finished apfelwein than honey vs dextrose.

That would be a good experiment... 6 apfelwein's 1 honey, 1 dextrose with Nottingham and 1 honey, 1 dextrose with Assmannshausen wine yeast, and 2 more of the same with Motrachet-a French wine yeast.

I think to be an 'apfelwein' you must use wine yeast, same as a 'mead'-wine yeast. Traditionally, you would use a german wine yeast. There are recipes for cider that are identical to edwort's apfelwein and when people change the yeast from a wine yeast to some other yeast, it's then a cider which uses champagne or ale yeast, or even wild yeast. But I see people calling anything with apples and honey a 'cyser' regardless of yeast. I also see people calling their brew apfelwein when they change and use an ale yeast, when it would then be a cider.

The use of cyser is not well defined in our lexicon yet, I think. Is it apples with honey with any yeast? What's your though?

I'm no pro, I just made my first batch of cider with apple cider, maple syrup, and notty. I know the maple syrup is a little more costly, but it was in the pantry un opened and I plan to bottle this brew early and bottle carb and possibly pasteurize, but I may just throw it in the fridge too.

But, this is what I've gathered from research. I tend to do a lot of research on things before I put my money up. You'd laugh if I told you much crap I read before I did my first partial boil kit beer.