Help- Apfelwein at 1.04 after 4 weeks

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Kitchi Gumee

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I have a batch of Edwort's Apfelwein in the carboy and it is at 1.040 after 4 weeks. It was at 1.044 after 2 weeks. I cheated in that I pitched Munton's Dry Ale Yeast instead of Montrachet.

Anyone have any suggestions at this point? Do I repitch? Or do I slog it out and see where it's at in another 4 weeks or something?
 
I should also mention that it hasn't started clearing yet, it's still fully cloudy. There are a few large bubbles on the top but nothing you would call a krausen. I'm just concerned that it is stuck, and I have other brewed treats that need to eventually use the carboy so I don't want to wait for this cider until December or something.

Thanks for the help.
 
What was the original SG? Are you sure there were no preservatives in the original juice? Whats the temp of the juice? A low temp can really slow or stop fermentation.
 
Give it a little more time. Ed says it will be cloudy into the 4th week. That's when it will start to clear. I say just forget about it for another 3 weeks and then see how it is.
 
The original gravity was around 1.06, so it's fermented out some but not a TON. It is in the closet currently at about 72 degrees. There was definitely active fermentation for about two weeks, but it made a very scant krausen during that time.
 
The amount of krausen in a cider is not anywhere as much as in beer so thats not an indication of anything really. The really slow fermentation does say that its going just really slow. Munton's Dry Ale Yeast is supposed to be ok with simple sugars but not too good with complex ones. Im not sure. I would treat it as stuck and get some EC-1118 and follow the guidelines on treating a stuck fermentation. HOWEVER, I am not an expert on this and I could be wrong. Lets hope that someone that knows what they are talking about chimes in. Maybe Yooper can give you an response. She seems to always have the right answers.
 
4 weeks????

Mine didn't finish out and clear for over 4 months....

And didn't become drinkable for like 8 months or so...

Apfelwein is about patience, padwan.

Just give the fermenter a swirl every coupla weeks to kick the yeast up a bit for the nest couple months...but otherwise leave it alone...You'll know when it is ready to bottle when you can read a newspaper through it.
 
Mine is exactly the same. It'll be 4 weeks in two days and sitting at 1.04 (after temp correction). Sample tasted mighty good but not as dry, as I'd expect. I needed the fermenter so I just racked it over, airlocked it and said byebye for a few more weeks. I used a different yeast, but I guess what I'm saying is that you're not alone.
 

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