Made my first Apfelwein...

[ThreeTaps]

I feel like I just pushed the "Easy" button. 10 minutes after I started...I was done?!? You mean, I didn't have to brew for 3 hours? haha. Couple pics in my profile of the end result. Looked and smelled quite tasty...but I love apple juice...so that's probably why.

 

[double_e5]

Wait until it starts fermenting, then get back to us about the smell!

 

[RedDragon]

What recipe did you use?

 

[ThreeTaps]

Wait until it starts fermenting, then get back to us about the smell!

Hah, so this will be one I put in the garage I take it?

I used this recipe:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f81/edworts-apfelwein-33986/

Also, I didn't need to leave more room at the top of the mixture than I did, right? Since there's no krausen, it will be fine, yes?

 

[aeonderdonk]

should have any krausen, just some tiny bubbles rushing to the top

 

[zman]

it is going to smell like ass but it is going to be so yummy in 6-8 weeks

 

[ThreeTaps]

it is going to smell like ass but it is going to be so yummy in 6-8 weeks

6-8 weeks? I thought EdWort says to primary it for 3 months then bottle condition it for 6 months. I wasn't counting on drinking it until summer 2010!

 

[zman]

i ferment it for 6-8 weeks and bottle condition for about a month then drink. I think it tastes great when it is finished. I know that some people cellar it and let theirs go longer but I have yet to do it that way.

 

[shortyjacobs]

*Slaps Justin's Hand*

Dude, you are done brewing for the year, remember??

 

[ThreeTaps]

*Slaps Justin's Hand*

Dude, you are done brewing for the year, remember??

That's the best part! No brewing involved!

 

[JoeMama]

It will be good in 6-8 weeks, but it will improve quite a bit with age as well. I *DONT* like apfelwein but I brew it for guests. I will admit that the sip I had of the aged stuff was rather tasty...
-Me

 

[zman]

It is not a staple for me either but it is quick and easy to make and I am experimenting with flavor combinations. I do like them on occasion as long as it is carbed and cold

 

[ThreeTaps]

So tonight I checked up on the Apfelwein, and it was really cool to see the fermentation with all the bubbles and whatnot. However, leaving that little space up top wasn't wise, as my airlock was filled with apple juice and starsan water and bubbles were protruding from the top. I cleaned and re-sanitized the plug and airlock, and took a cleaned/sanitized turkey baster and extracted 1-2 full suctions from as far down in the middle as I could get (as to leave as much yeast in the bottle as possible). It's all back together and fermenting nicely again.

 

[JoeMama]

I had this problem with my apfelwein as well. More than once... In fact several times...

I ended putting a blow off tube on it and called it a month.
-Me

 

[mattmcl]

Yeah, from the pic you should have left a bit more room. For apfelwein you should have about 3 quarts worth of empty space in the carboy.

 

[double_e5]

Yeah, from the pic you should have left a bit more room. For apfelwein you should have about 3 quarts worth of empty space in the carboy.

I fill my 5 gallon better bottle to the neck and have never had a problem. I just get a small ring of bubbles.

 

[ThreeTaps]

It's pretty cool to see all the bubbles...but this stuff stinks! It smells like a mix between rotten eggs and my cat's farts. haha. So I threw it all out.



...only kidding

 

[zac]

We tried to warn you it would stink.

My SWMBO banned it from the house for the first week of frmentation.

 

[bushmanj]

do you hav to use wine yeast? will notty work?

 

[Taerom]

I've made one cider so far (from juice from the grocery store) and it was delicious (1 gallon lasted for just one week after bottling). I would love to get 5 gallons of fresh juice, but I don't know of any orchards near me.

 

[ThreeTaps]

do you hav to use wine yeast? will notty work?

A friend of mine used Trader Joe's apple juice, pure cane sugar (instead of dextrose) and some Safale US-05 yeast. He said it turned out great...but this is also the guy that only primary's for a week maximum and then bottle conditions for 5 days before drinking.