Apfelwein, what's the draw?

[Revvy]

Because of this thread, I just dug, from the back of the fridge a fifth of the uncarbed half of the batch I made a year and a half ago (the fizzy half of the batch is long gone I think) and after 3 beers including my belgian strong ale.....

I cannot feel certain body parts.....

One thing, most of you young-un's, with your ipods, and text messages, and all that instant gratification stuff, probably drink this stuff way green....you should "forget" a few bottles in the back of the closet or fridge for awhile, like over a year...maybe 2...then tap into it..you will be surprised how smooth it is...Like slightly apple flavored water...

Which kicks like a mule.....

I wonder what it would be like oaked for a couple weeks, then left to smoothen out for 6 months or more.

 

[DRoyLenz]

There has been few threads that I have read that haven't resulted in a response from Revvy, but this is the first one I've read that resulted in Revvy getting a little toasty.... I take a bit of pride in that.... lol...

I have a feeling that I won't be much for drinking this stuff. I'm typically not a "apple/cider drinkin'" kinda guy. That being said, I think it'll be a little easier for me to let some bottles sit in the corner of the closet for a few months or a year, and it sounds like that is when it hits its stride. I think I'll make some. If nothing else, then to get a few ladies drunk, and worst case scenario, it'll make a nice gift for my mom (I love the rare occasion that she gets drunk!)

 

[Revvy]

f nothing else, then to get a few ladies drunk, and worst case scenario, it'll make a nice gift for my mom (I love the rare occasion that she gets drunk!)

I'm am still relatively conscious despite the imbibing, which I do have you to thank

My mom is 85 and has been in the hospital a month and gets out tomorrow (I am bringing her some of my dark beers btw) before I started brewing my nephew who is only 5 years younger than me started brewing and more significantly wine making....right around the time my dad died. He is quite talented at winemaking and quickly rose to the position of vitner of one of the biggest homebrew/winemaking clubs in the area...that club has twice a year a tasting...in the spring it is wine, and in the fall , beer...and it has been my family's sincere pleasure to take her to the tastings, where she proceeds to get nice and "toasty" (and to slap my arm when talking to me if I am sitting next to her.

Besides that. since he brings wins and I bring beers to family holidays it has made them more palatable...See my brother who was 16 years older than me died 13 years ago on Christmas eve, and my dad, her husband, died 3 years ago this New Years, holidays have been nevertheless difficult. But since every family gathering ends up being an orgy of great food, and beer and wine tastings from my Nephew and I, difficult times have been eased, and actually fun for her....

So yeah.APfelwin may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is for a lot of people and having a batch laid up in your "arsenal" is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[Blender]

I'm in the minority as well. I made some after reading about it off & on for a year. I made it with half the dextrose because I didn't need the higher alcohol. I started trying after 6 months but every time I got raging headache that I never get drinking beer. No more for me.

 

[grayburn]

Revvy sir, I think I gain more respect for you every time you post, my girlfriend has had similar experiences with her family, and edwort's apfelwein has most certainly helped things all around. Something this simple, this pleasing...it really is what life is all about.

 

[Poindexter]

I keep some hard cider around. It does need to be cellared a good long time.

One of the quotes that Benjamin Franklin probably didn't actually say is, "Bring me today's meat, yesterday's bread and last year's hard cider for dinner please."

Aged under six months, it's hooch. Get it out to a birthday and you are on to something.

Super easy to make.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Revvy - Sorry to hear about your holiday situation. My grandfather passed 2 days before Christmas a few years back so the Holidays are rough for my grandmother. I know if I took some Apfelwein she'd love it and have a good ole time, unfortunately my family would probably Kill-joy the situation and not let her have it. Even though my Uncle Randy (we call him Uncle Brandy) is constantly sneaking out to his car and getting progressivley more comfortable talking to mine and my cousin's wives :rooleyes:



As far as serving Apfelwein at home...I definitely draw mine from the tap into a pint glass. It's just too good. And I'm gonna gonna kid myself, I'll save myself 30 trips to the tap and just fill up one big one. But it is after the 8 month mark that I drink mine. I actually have a batch ready to go into keg, but am waiting for a keg to clear up. Then another batch will be going in the fermenter right behind it. Everyone I've had try it likes it quite a bit. The batch now in the carboy will be on tap at my son's 1st birthday along with Dude's Fat Tire clone and possibly BM Black Pepper Wit if I can sneak the keg out of the keezer and hide it from SWMBO until then.

 

[beerjunky828]

I have found that Apfelwein can be drank with relative ease. And yes the ladies love it. Also the cost of making this stuff is like highway robbery. You can make this cheaper than buying a 12 pack of crappy beer. Also it only takes about 15 minutes to make, you can drink it still or carbed (both taste good). It is very dry and if too much is consumed it can make for a raging headache in the morning. My friends and I particularly like to take a couple of quarts of apfelwein, some Sailor Jerrys Spiced Rum, and a whole cinnamon stick and simmer for 1 hour and then take shots. Especially during the winter. This stuff is great! Also I find that the recipe is so easy to make that manipulation and experimentation can be very advantageous in finding the right taste for you.

 

[EdWort]

My friends and I particularly like to take a couple of quarts of apfelwein, some Sailor Jerrys Spiced Rum, and a whole cinnamon stick and simmer for 1 hour and then take shots. Especially during the winter.

That's close to what we call Heißer Ebbelwoi. Add some candied sugar to it and sip from a coffee cup. It makes for a great winter warmer.

 

[TommyBoy]

Sounds similar to Apple Pie:

How to Make Apple Pie---the Alcoholic Drink | eHow.com

 

[IrregularPulse]

People consider Apple Pie Moonshine around here. It is NOT in my book.

 

[TrojanMan]

How come none of you guys add yeast nutrient?

Go to GNC and pick up a jar of "brewer's yeast" (it's the same dried, centrifuged extract you pay $20/lb. for in homebrew catalogs) Just add 1.5 Tbsp and it's ready to drink inside 4 weeks!


This whole waiting a year thing is bollocks, I say!

 

[Zenman]

It is super simple to make. Not so cheap in my book, considering what tree top apple juice costs in the stores around here, but the results are worth the extra expense. When i first made it my LHBS had no Montrachet yeast as Ed specifies, so I used D-047 instead. My wife and I then proceed to drink a few of them every few months, just to see how it progressed.

2 months in bottle: foamed up a ton, lost carbonation quickly. Extra dry, freinds made a worse face drinking it than they do for an IPA. Results - need more time.
3 months in bottle: carbonation holding better, much less dry but a pucker effect at the end of the swallow.
4 months in bottle: carbonation is champagne like, but still a little dry on the pallet while an alcohol phenoly after taste.
5 months in bottle: carbonation is like a fine champaine fine bubbles for the whole glass, taste has smoothed out to where there no alcohol taste and it is not so dry anymore, apple flavors come through nicely

So for me the 5 month mark is the sweet spot. Last time i brought it to a party, every person started to drink it cause it was so good. The rice beer drinkers kept calling it 'that wine beer'. There was a near riot when it ran out as everyone wanted to drink more of it... very popular stuff when aged properly

 

[jennieD]

How come none of you guys add yeast nutrient?

Go to GNC and pick up a jar of "brewer's yeast" (it's the same dried, centrifuged extract you pay $20/lb. for in homebrew catalogs) Just add 1.5 Tbsp and it's ready to drink inside 4 weeks!


This whole waiting a year thing is bollocks, I say!

Hey Trojan,

What specifically does this do, just speed up the yeast production? Any off flavors or anything?

And how do you add it, crush the pills, or is it available in powder form?

 

[IrregularPulse]

The wait is not for the yeast to ferment it. No nutrient you put in theri for yeast is going to accelerate Aging. Save some of the batch you're drinking at 4 weeks and taste it at 8 months. You'll then kick yourself for drinking all 7 months ago.

 

[Hegh]

... I wonder what it would be like oaked for a couple weeks, then left to smoothen out for 6 months or more.

Ask me again in 3 months.

 

[TheProph3t]

I brew 15 gallons (Demi-Jon) as often as I can...

 

[mklawz]

I made some, and didn't care for it. It's been in the bottles for well over a year now. But that's just me-I'm definitely in the minority on this. Most people love it, but it ain't for everybody.

You and me both. Ive made it a couple times and I just dont think its very good. No disrespect meant to anyone.

Glad Im not the only one, btw!

 

[samc]

+1 on ease of creation
-1 on taste

I am well past the stage in life where I feel the need to drink myself into oblivion - which Apfelwein is well equipped to do.

It's drinkable but why? Much rather have a few I2PA's - no contest. For now I freely offer glasses of it to window cleaner, carpet cleaner , etc. They all seem to like it so in a way it helps me get better pricing on some services that I can't or won't do myself.

4 gallons to go.

 

[EdWort]

It's not for everybody. Many of those who did not care for it have changed their mind when they tried it again after 7-8 months of aging.

 

[M@!]

I haven't read the whole thread but has anybody mentioned that it is super easy to make, cheap and is loaded with a punch that will guarantee great stories the next day?

 

[IrregularPulse]

+1 on ease of creation
-1 on taste

I am well past the stage in life where I feel the need to drink myself into oblivion - which Apfelwein is well equipped to do.

It's drinkable but why?

While we all talk about it's potency, we are not drinking like highschoolers and Boonesfarm. Most of us, me included, enjoy the taste of it and are happy with one glass just like we would be one glass of beer.

It's not for everybody. Many of those who did not care for it have changed their mind when they tried it again after 7-8 months of aging.

This is truth. I was thoroughly dissapointed after even 4 months with my first batch. but figured, eh, bottle and store it. Then 6 months and beyond, YUM!!

 

[UncleDave]

I'm making my first batch today. Spent $15 for 4.75 gallons of apple juice, $2 for 2lbs of corn sugar, and $.49 for the packet of yeast. All in all, that's a heck of a deal. I'm still debating whether or not to add 4 oz of lactose to back-sweeten before bottling, but regardless, I have high expectations for the apple hooch.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Draw? Who the hell can draw after a nite of Apfelwein?

 

[samc]

It's not for everybody. Many of those who did not care for it have changed their mind when they tried it again after 7-8 months of aging.

So what changes after 7 months? Does it mellow, get sweeter, more apple flavor?

It's sitting in the keezer, would I be better off storing the keg at room temp for several months before trying it again?

 

[IrregularPulse]

Mine sat at room temp for the 6-8 months. The apple flavor comes back and it smooths out.

 

[mmb]

I've had a keg in the cooler for close to a year. Didn't care for it after a couple months and it's sat for 8 months.

I'll have to hook it back up and see how it is.

 

[Halaster]

I have my first batch ready to bottle. It took 5 months to fully clear to where I felt it was ready. The gravity reading was 0.995 and I have it cold crashing for a week before I bottle it. I will immediately start the next batch and can't wait. Like some beers it gets better with age and I am in no hurry.

 

[kedash]

It's a tasty, and very simple recipe to make....Oh and it can pack a mean punch.


I've given carbed bottles of it as gifts an people love it, some call it "Apple Champagne."

My brother and his wife absolutely loved it and my brother cracked me up when he called it "Redneck Bubbly."

Coming from two people who know their wine and food, I thought the fact that my sister in-law is now begging me for more, is a pretty good testiment.

 

[ODP]

So what's the best way to bottle it if you have no kegging equipment? Would 2 liter growlers work after primary fermentation? I'm ready to brew this up= I want my lady to get a lil tipsy!!