First Time Apfelwein

[Matt3189]

So SWMBO and I started our first Edwort's Apfelwein today :rockin:! We are very excited to see how it turns out... any suggestions for us Apfelwein virgins are appreciated! Thanks for the recipe Ed!

- Matt and Gill

 

[stvo]

Congrats!!! I did my first batch Feb 22 so I'm in the same boat just waiting it out. I going to bottle carb mine, (I think the wife would like it better) I read somewhere in all those pages in that thread that someone carbed it, so I'll search it out to figure how much sugar I'll need. Cheers!!

 

[DrunkleJon]

I tend to carb it when I make it the same as I do a beer. It is a wonderful drink either flat or carbed. Do be careful, though a delightful drink, it can cause a touch of a headache in the morning and will sneak up on you. My biggest bit of advice is start another batch as soon as you can as it will go fast. And Apfelwein ages well so it never hurts to make extra.

 

[krenshaw]

i've done about 5 or 6 batches.. my latest one was bottled up in belgian bottles for party favors at a bridal shower.. i've noticed that the longer you primary the better, and i've had better results from juice that is not from concentrate (costco by us is good for that) ..

 

[HBngNOK]

As an apfelwein newbee, I encourage you to age it. I made two batches, got impatient and drank them before they were ready, and was thoroughly disappointed. My last batch aged for three months and is excellent. Probably would have been better if was another month or two older!

I backsweetened with two 12 oz cans of frozen concentrated apple juice, then bottled (in beer bottles) to carbonate. Pasteurized per the sticky in the Cider section, and it is nicely sparkling and easy to drink. , As forewarned, be careful, it goes down too easy! I like a sweeter wine, so next time, I'm going to try three cans.

 

[Matt3189]

Thanks for all the advice, I cant wait for my first Apfelwein headache haha

We bought a new carboy yesterday and intend to use that solely for the Apfelwein so we can get a steady stream going... Hopefully that will also make it easier to age bottles because we will have so many! (Im slightly impatient, but I will try)

Going to do a few still but mostly carbonated, just too say we tried both.

Thanks again for all the advice!

 

[bg1414]

I just made some yesterday! Already fermenting. Can't wait. I'm going to make another batch this weekend. Fall/winter 2013!!

 

[Matt3189]

Just got home from work and noticed after a day in the carboy it seems that there are two "tiers" of color... What I mean is the bottom of the carboy seems darker than the stuff on the top. Is this normal? Should I take the airlock off and stir it to mix it all together?

 

[HBngNOK]

I think you should stir it. Sounds like you have layers of different densities as the sugars aren't uniformly mixed. (Vigorous) Stirring at this point won't hurt anything, in fact will help oxygenate it, and new yeast like oxygen.

 

[Matt3189]

I went out for two hours and came back to stir the Apfelwein as you suggested...

And it was all one color and looked completely mixed, no idea how! I am not going to ask any questions haha

Crisis averted, thanks guys!

 

[DrunkleJon]

You really dont need to do anything with it. it doesnt much matter how mixed it is as the CO2 formed by the yeast will actually stir it. Additionally the sugar concentration will balance out on its own. I find its best to let the yeast alone. They will do their job, and stirring is always a chance for infection.

I have had my last batch in the fermenter for 3 weeks and I am still seeing a huge cascade of CO2 pouring up the carboy.

 

[bg1414]

Can I let this sit in primary for 3 months?

 

[DrunkleJon]

I did with my last batch. Some tell me that it is better than the previous ones without so much age.

 

[zx2tuner]

Just bottled mine at 3 weeks. Tastes excellent. I used yeast nutrient though

 

[vNmd]

I backsweetened with two 12 oz cans of frozen concentrated apple juice, then bottled (in beer bottles) to carbonate.

Does the concentrated juice have the sugars to carbonate in the bottles or do you still add the priming sugar? I am about to bottle my first batch and the added juice sounds good for an extra blast of flavour. In any event, thanks for the idea.

 

[Zubius]

So SWMBO and I started our first Edwort's Apfelwein today :rockin:! We are very excited to see how it turns out... any suggestions for us Apfelwein virgins are appreciated! Thanks for the recipe Ed!

- Matt and Gill

Brew another batch next weekend because when the first is ready to drink, it will be gone fast...

 

[zx2tuner]

Used priming sugar

 

[fizgig]

As an apfelwein newbee, I encourage you to age it. I made two batches, got impatient and drank them before they were ready, and was thoroughly disappointed. My last batch aged for three months and is excellent. Probably would have been better if was another month or two older!

I backsweetened with two 12 oz cans of frozen concentrated apple juice, then bottled (in beer bottles) to carbonate. Pasteurized per the sticky in the Cider section, and it is nicely sparkling and easy to drink. , As forewarned, be careful, it goes down too easy! I like a sweeter wine, so next time, I'm going to try three cans.

How long after bottling did you pasteurize?

 

[zx2tuner]

I didn't backsweeten. I left it dry and just bottled. I won't pasteurize either.