Man, I love Apfelwein

[fshnne1]

what was your bg and fg reding on the apelwein

 

[JohnnyK68]

took my first taste after a week of VERY active fermenting and I cant believe how good this stuff tatstes. I know its going to change quite a bit, but man it is amazing right now. OG was 1.090 and today 1 week later its 1.016 so we are already talking a pretty nice ABV for such a tasty drink. I would love it just like it is, cleared and bottle carbed!

 

[Desert_Sky]

Im going to go ahead and say this stuff is dangerous. I had 3 pints last night, and they seemed to get better after each one. And with the high alcohol content, it might catch up to you quick like.

The only bad part is that it looks dead on Miller Lite. Even the head looks like it.

 

[Schlenkerla]

How noticable is the alcohol?

I made a cider that was about 5.3% and people thought it was apple soda!!

They asked me, "Are you certain there was alcohol in this stuff?"

Just curious, I've got wait 3 more weeks before the ferment is done.

 

[Orpheus]

OK,

I just spent 30 minutes scrolling through all 61 pages of posts for the answer to this question with no success:

I picked up 6 gallons of the White House apple juice at Sam's Club. The ingredients are water and concentrated apple juice. Has anyone used this juice and/or has anyone experimented with using different brands of juice with different tastes/results?

 

[giant016]

Has anyone used this juice and/or has anyone experimented with using different brands of juice with different tastes/results?

I'm guessing each brand will have a slightly different taste, probably not enough to go out and search for that special brand. I used Stop & Shop brand, and although I haven't even bottled it, it tastes great. I'm guessing you're good as long as it's 100% juice.

 

[EdWort]

How noticable is the alcohol?
They asked me, "Are you certain there was alcohol in this stuff?" .

I've had folks ask me that too, then after the 3rd pint they ask" You shhlurr theers alkiohoool in this stttufff?"

 

[EdWort]

It's a slow weekend here in Austin as we are iced in. I've got my apfelwein stock backup.

I'm able to squeeze all but 3 ounces of 5 gallons into the bottle before the foam hits the neck.

 

[Ize]

I bottle without priming. If I wanted to prime, I'd just add some more juice, but at 8.5% it's still tasty uncarbonated as it is in Europe.

If you want it sweet, add a little 7-UP or Club Soda if not, you get bubbles, plus you cut the alcohol a bit which makes it stretch on a hot day. Germans do this all the time, especially if they have to drive later.

This was the answer I have been looking for. I'd love to have it carbed, but it'll be summer before I'm kegging. Thanks Ed! I can't wait to try this!!

Ize

 

[Orfy]

OK,

I just spent 30 minutes scrolling through all 61 pages of posts for the answer to this question with no success:

I picked up 6 gallons of the White House apple juice at Sam's Club. The ingredients are water and concentrated apple juice. Has anyone used this juice and/or has anyone experimented with using different brands of juice with different tastes/results?

I've used from concentrate juice and it was fine.

 

[EdWort]

I use Tree Top which is water and concentrated apple juice, so you should be fine as long as there are no funky chemical additives.

 

[Schlenkerla]

This was the answer I have been looking for. I'd love to have it carbed, but it'll be summer before I'm kegging. Thanks Ed! I can't wait to try this!!

Ize

Ize - According to the yeast maker they suggest 3/4 cup of corn sugar for 5 gallons of cider for carbonating. Same as beer!!

Goto post 572

 

[Schlenkerla]

Ed,

Is the alcohol pretty much un-noticable? I know with higher gravity brews the alcohol is noticable especially after a good pressure relieving belch. :cross:

I couldn't believe how hidden the alcohol was on my first cider.

 

[lord byron]

made a batch of this stuff with cotes des blancs yeast and after I made it was doing some reading about it apparently it is highly recommended for non grape fruit wines especially apple wines, it produces fruity finished products with some residual sugar due to lower alc tolerance. I am looking forward to seeing how this one turns out I made the batches on 1/4/07 so it will be two weeks this Thursday they were bubbling away last I checked them the temp was at 67 but it got cold here so now they are at 61 so we shall see.

 

[JimiGibbs]

I had two pints tonight. Light carbonation. Man I love this stuff ....

 

[Schlenkerla]

My batch is on day 9. Its still chucking away at full steam and its at a very low 55'F!!! It's really frickin' cold here in Iowa. Its sitting in the basement.

I'll have some good input how this fairs at low temp.

I know what you are saying about the yeast your using.

http://www.cfhb.org/mead/yeast_strains.htm#mont

This web site had high marks for the cotes des blancs.

The Lesaffery website had the same to say.

http://www.lesaffreyeastcorp.com/wineyeast/cote.html

Let us know how yours turns out.

 

[EdWort]

Is the alcohol pretty much un-noticable?

Oh yeah. That's why I tell new folks to reserve judgment till after the 3rd glass.

I drink mine in old German Pfungsteadter bier glasses, but they are 8 oz., so it's slow going.

 

[Biermann]

Ok, SWMBO had a party tonight. . . and there was a big demand for my apfelwein.. .. I have yet to even rack it out of the fermenter. . . .I ended up draining a gallon into a growler and giving it to them. . . which they promptly sucked down. . .

I could see this being the next "liquid panty remover."

SWMBO can't get enough. .. her guests couldn't either.

Thanks Ed!!!

 

[user 574]

I'm enjoying a 22oz bottle currently. Stuff really smoothed out after 2 months in the bottle.

Love it now

 

[Kadmium]

I'm enjoying a 22oz bottle currently. Stuff really smoothed out after 2 months in the bottle.

Love it now

what sugar to brew ratio did you use? 5 gallons? because I will be carbing my stuff in about 2 weeks or so, and wondering what kind of sugar you used/portion! cheers! (I used a champagne yeast)

 

[EdWort]

Ok, SWMBO had a party tonight. . . and there was a big demand for my apfelwein.. .. I have yet to even rack it out of the fermenter. . . .I ended up draining a gallon into a growler and giving it to them. . . which they promptly sucked down. . .

I could see this being the next "liquid panty remover."

SWMBO can't get enough. .. her guests couldn't either.

Thanks Ed!!!

It sounds like you'll never get it kegged.

Keep track of how many panties it removes will ya.

 

[user 574]

what sugar to brew ratio did you use? 5 gallons? because I will be carbing my stuff in about 2 weeks or so, and wondering what kind of sugar you used/portion! cheers! (I used a champagne yeast)

5 oz corn sugar and I used the Montrachet. I can no longer keep up with this thread but that's a little light IMO. It's just slightly carbed.

 

[EdWort]

5 oz corn sugar and I used the Montrachet. I can no longer keep up with this thread but that's a little light IMO. It's just slightly carbed.

The yeast folks recommended 3/4 cup of corn sugar just like carbing beer.

 

[EdWort]

I thought I'd post a pic of Apfelwein at different stages.

This pic was taken this morning, January 17th. The bottle of the left is 2 days old, the middle one is 1 day, and the right one is just over 3 weeks at 22 days old.

I'll post another pic as the one on the right begins to clear.

 

[MidRex]

I've had a batch in my carboy since 12/5/06 and it still hasn't perfectly cleared yet. The only difference is that I used Lalvin K1-V1116. Could this by why?

It looks like your bottle that is on the right....

 

[EdWort]

Here's a pic of 3 previous batches. It was taken on 11/18/06 so you can see the youngest on the right is just over 5 weeks old and the one on the left is 2 months old.

 

[Orpheus]

I'll be following Ed's recipe to the letter. I've never used wine yeast or made wine before. Any worries about blow off or vigorous fermentation with the Montrachet?

 

[Schlenkerla]

5 oz corn sugar and I used the Montrachet. I can no longer keep up with this thread but that's a little light IMO. It's just slightly carbed.

How long and at what temp did you carb? I wonder how risky it is carbing with 1 full cup?

Thanks!

 

[user 574]

I'll be following Ed's recipe to the letter. I've never used wine yeast or made wine before. Any worries about blow off or vigorous fermentation with the Montrachet?

Nope on the vigorous ferment with that yeast. Lucky if you get any krausen (or whatever they call it with cider).

 

[user 574]

How long and at what temp did you carb? I wonder how risky it is carbing with 1 full cup?

Thanks!

About 65-68 I think on average. It's still theoretically carbonating at 2 months as I did it all in 22's and only put 1 in the fridge and replace as I drink one. It's an occasional treat for me.

I dunno on the 1 cup; you'd not like to have bombs but mine is very light in the "sparkling" category. I barely get a pfffffzzz when I open a bottle with the 5oz. Some a little more than others. Up to you I guess..