Have to share. Have been trying to reproduce authentic Hessische Applewine ever since I moved back to Boston after living in Frankfurt for 10 years. I finally hit it totally by accident. If anyone has any ideas as to WHY it came out so well, after reading this, I would love to hear them since I want more!
Backstory, I'll keep this short.
Beer is the second beverage of choice in towns and cities in Hessen, residents drink apfelwein, which in the local dialect is called Ebbelwoi. (How do you like them Ebbels?)
One of the better known apfelwein restaurants, (most make their own) in FFM is Adolf Wagner's, which is just around the corner from the Goethe Institute where I was incarcerated for 6 months learning German. I used to do my homework at Wagner's and I was basically indoctrinated on "Ebbelwoi" from the moment I arrived. It's both touristy and haunted with locals, and I quickly became a regular, sitting at the long communal tables sharing a 'Bembel' (the ceramic pitcher which Apfelwein is served from) with neighbors.
Now, there are many excellent recipes for 'apfelwein' on this forum, and if the volume of posts indicates it's popularity I feel that we all owe Ed a huge thanks for getting so many people interested and experimenting.
However German Apfelwein is not sweet, its a sour drink that grows on you. Many Germans add sparkling water to it (saur-gespritzt) to carbonate it slightly or top it off with the equivalent of Sprite (suss-gespritzt) to back sweeten it at the table.
I like it pure, straight from the Bembel.
OK, back to the "Apfelwein Accident"
I have fermented 100s of gallons of every type of applejuice, from local cider to Costco, with and without additions, and never quite hit the mark until this happy accident.
I stumbled across a local farm selling pure Macintosh fresh cider, (which I had read lacks acidity to make good cider) but I got 10 gallons anyway and headed back to the city, since I could not pitch that day, I made room in the fridge.
here are my actual notes.
""
Cider #13 11/28/14
6 gallons fresh Mac juice, (BSG pail)
5 campden tabs for 2 days, no pectic enzyme. 3 t. nutrient.
Pitched Wyeast 3065 pack, no activity at all for 4 days, was in basement at 57-59F
Moved to warm water bath for 24 hours, no activity still, waste of a smack-pack, they must have added sorbate to juice and not told me.
Called orchard, was assured no sorbate added, decide to re-try. Worried juice might not be as fresh, smelled OK though on 12/2
12/3 re-pitched 1 pack dry Red Star Montrachet, in kitchen at 65 degrees for 24 hours
12/5 Good airlock activity
12/6 in keezer at 56 degrees and bubbling nicely. Steady 58-60in keezer
Racked to 5 gallon glass Dec 22
Kegged on Dec 31st
Came out slightly sour, like real apple wine
Why so different tasting?
CLOSEST thing to Ebbelwoi yet????""
So, happy accident, which I will try to re-create ASAP
Any ideas as to why?
Backstory, I'll keep this short.
Beer is the second beverage of choice in towns and cities in Hessen, residents drink apfelwein, which in the local dialect is called Ebbelwoi. (How do you like them Ebbels?)
One of the better known apfelwein restaurants, (most make their own) in FFM is Adolf Wagner's, which is just around the corner from the Goethe Institute where I was incarcerated for 6 months learning German. I used to do my homework at Wagner's and I was basically indoctrinated on "Ebbelwoi" from the moment I arrived. It's both touristy and haunted with locals, and I quickly became a regular, sitting at the long communal tables sharing a 'Bembel' (the ceramic pitcher which Apfelwein is served from) with neighbors.
Now, there are many excellent recipes for 'apfelwein' on this forum, and if the volume of posts indicates it's popularity I feel that we all owe Ed a huge thanks for getting so many people interested and experimenting.
However German Apfelwein is not sweet, its a sour drink that grows on you. Many Germans add sparkling water to it (saur-gespritzt) to carbonate it slightly or top it off with the equivalent of Sprite (suss-gespritzt) to back sweeten it at the table.
I like it pure, straight from the Bembel.
OK, back to the "Apfelwein Accident"
I have fermented 100s of gallons of every type of applejuice, from local cider to Costco, with and without additions, and never quite hit the mark until this happy accident.
I stumbled across a local farm selling pure Macintosh fresh cider, (which I had read lacks acidity to make good cider) but I got 10 gallons anyway and headed back to the city, since I could not pitch that day, I made room in the fridge.
here are my actual notes.
""
Cider #13 11/28/14
6 gallons fresh Mac juice, (BSG pail)
5 campden tabs for 2 days, no pectic enzyme. 3 t. nutrient.
Pitched Wyeast 3065 pack, no activity at all for 4 days, was in basement at 57-59F
Moved to warm water bath for 24 hours, no activity still, waste of a smack-pack, they must have added sorbate to juice and not told me.
Called orchard, was assured no sorbate added, decide to re-try. Worried juice might not be as fresh, smelled OK though on 12/2
12/3 re-pitched 1 pack dry Red Star Montrachet, in kitchen at 65 degrees for 24 hours
12/5 Good airlock activity
12/6 in keezer at 56 degrees and bubbling nicely. Steady 58-60in keezer
Racked to 5 gallon glass Dec 22
Kegged on Dec 31st
Came out slightly sour, like real apple wine
Why so different tasting?
CLOSEST thing to Ebbelwoi yet????""
So, happy accident, which I will try to re-create ASAP
Any ideas as to why?
