Man, I love Apfelwein

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Recluse said:
If it is from a local orchard, it is probably OK.

Also, I don't know how much sorbate they add. Certainly enough to prevent spontaneous fermentation from wild yeasts, but when pitching a lot of yeast and making conditions sort of ideal for multiplication, it MIGHT not be a big deal. I never tried it, though. My local ACME had some Ziegler's Brand Cider, and the label indicated potassium sorbate as a preservative.
Click to expand...

I said out look "Acme, must be from NJ" lol
 
Just bottled ten gallons, my first two batches. 31 wine bottles of still and 20 bottles that are going to carbonate with carb tablets. The bottles getting carbonation are 24 oz and 765 ml beer bottles.

I used Montrachet and Côte des Blancs and both are delicious. Slightly different flavor, but both are awesome. We sampled leftover from bottling with ice and a Splenda packet.

Made both batches on 2/21/11 and left on the yeast until today. It's crystal clear. We filled the wine bottles first and I'm hoping we got enough yeast off the bottom to carb the beer bottles. I'll find out in a few weeks.
 
Man the action on this stuff is amazing! It's shooting about 3 bubbles a second and just humming right along. SWMBO thinks i have lost it because i watch it for like 30 minutes at a time.
 
It's only been going since Wed I wasn't expecting it to be cruising so well. It's in a basement closest that sits around 65F with a blanket wrapped around it.
 
My first batch of EdWort Apfelwein is 6 weeks in, and its totally clear. I made it on 10/15/2011. Can anyone suggest what I do at this point? My main goal is to bottle 3-4 22oz bombers, and keg the rest at 10psi. Should I use a carbonation drop in each bottle? Should I cold crash this for 2-3 days? I'm totally lost as this isn't beer!

I would like the stuff in bottles to be low carbonation, and I would like to age it out, but I'm worried about oxidation. Any help and advice is appreciated.

TIA,
justin
 
It really helps to read the thread, there is a ton of information in it. Ed references the kegging many many times, and I know the others were addressed. The "search thread" option may narrow it down.
 
OK just found this thread and decided to hop on the train -- but I thought I would start small.

Went out and bought a jar of organic apple juice. I had assumed I was grabbing a gallon, but when I got home I saw that it was only 3 quarts. It has no preservatives besides ascorbic acid. It doesn't say if it's pasteurized or not; if it isn't I hope I didn't start with pre-contaminated must...Also the stuff doesn't seem to be filtered b/c it's pretty cloudy.

I decided to to follow Ed's recipe as close as I could for the scale. I found an unopened package of priming tablets in the back of my cabinet. I put 4.5 oz into the AJ and let it dissolve, then I tossed in a half-teaspoon of yeast nutrient and a package of the Montrechet yeast (I hope overpitching isn't a problem). I don't have any drilled stoppers that would fit this jug so I just slapped some sanitized foil on it.

OG 1.066. We shall see what happens. I hope it's ready by NYE, I want to split it between two Coke bottles and pressure-carb one using a carbonator cap.
 
ResumeMan said:
OK just found this thread and decided to hop on the train -- but I thought I would start small.

Went out and bought a jar of organic apple juice. I had assumed I was grabbing a gallon, but when I got home I saw that it was only 3 quarts. It has no preservatives besides ascorbic acid. It doesn't say if it's pasteurized or not; if it isn't I hope I didn't start with pre-contaminated must...Also the stuff doesn't seem to be filtered b/c it's pretty cloudy.

I decided to to follow Ed's recipe as close as I could for the scale. I found an unopened package of priming tablets in the back of my cabinet. I put 4.5 oz into the AJ and let it dissolve, then I tossed in a half-teaspoon of yeast nutrient and a package of the Montrechet yeast (I hope overpitching isn't a problem). I don't have any drilled stoppers that would fit this jug so I just slapped some sanitized foil on it.

OG 1.066. We shall see what happens. I hope it's ready by NYE, I want to split it between two Coke bottles and pressure-carb one using a carbonator cap.
Click to expand...

NYE......you do know this is best with age right? My first batch is 11 months old and just now tasting great.
 
@resumeman: In all likelihood it is pasteurized. You can find them unpasteurized but they are much rarer and typically always brag about it in my experience. If what you have is crystal clear it's almost guaranteed to be pasteurized or (in the only case I've seen that not hold true) filtered to high heaven and the point I'd consider it near sterile.
 
rpaulson said:
NYE......you do know this is best with age right? My first batch is 11 months old and just now tasting great.
Click to expand...

HA! I may not have read far enough... the first 80 pages or so were suggesting it was great at ~4-6 weeks. ;-) Well we'll see, I'll give it a sample right after Xmas and decide if I want to serve it or stash it.
 
OMG I just tried and bottled my first 3 gallon carboy of Ed's Apfelwein.

It's just two months old, I added a bit of acid blend to bring it up to 3.2 pH, which I liked compared to the 3.6 it was a la carte. So, I bottled a dozen 12 oz beer bottles and added a few carb tabs to each. The rest I bottled still in wine bottles. I poured some in a glass and added a splash of Sierra Mist, just a splash, and I can't believe how refreshing and crisp it is. Good thing it's November, I can't imagine how much I would drink on a hot summer day. So far three 750ml bottles gone.

Thanks Ed, I think that you're a Mower Phukquer.

Gotta mak somm or.
 
Can you put this in a car during the 4 weeks? I'm moving into the new place sooner then expected (next week) which places transport just shy of week one marker.
 
emjay said:
So you recommend adjusting the pH to ~3.2?
Click to expand...

I tested as it came from the carboy and it was 3.6, it tasted flat and watery. I added acid blend in little increments, tasting as I went, 3.2 tasted good to me. It had a little edge, which I like. You probably should adjust to your taste.

I really didn't know what to expect from this recipe, You read the threads and take the good and bad. Do you carb, still or add a splash. I didn't know, so I tried them all. The SG of the final product was 1.004, just off dry. Drinking it still it was ok, not great, but add a spash of lemon lime soda and it transformed into something really decent. A crisp, slightly mildly sweet, tangey apple drink with alcohol.

I'm now a believer, this is good, even my SWMBO likes it. I'm glad I too the advice to start another batch after the first. It won't last long.
 
nukinfuts29 said:
I would, except that it's already fermenting. The new place is ready a month and a half ahead of schedule and SWMBO isn't going to wait on the Apfelwein lol.
Click to expand...

Well... I normally wouldn't recommend moving a still-fermenting by vehicle, but it sounds like the answer to your question ultimately doesn't matter :D
 
Just looking for tips for moving it, like temp in the vehicle things a new brewer might not think of. Obviously careful turning and braking.
 
Just bottled my first batch. I failed at instructions and used 3# of corn sugar instead of 2. SWMBO and I split a 15 oz bottle. All I can say is...wow. Tasted pretty good, but kicks like a mule. Edwort is right: you will get drunk at light speed. Can't wait to taste it finished, cold and carbonated.
 
My searching abilities have failed. I want to rack my finished apfelwein to corny and naturally carbonate using apple juice concentrate at basement temperatures. I can back pressurize the the corny to keep it sealed but I'm not sure how much, 1 or 2 cans per 5 gallons. I would like to rack in the the next day or two so appreciate any assistance.
 
Recluse said:
If it is from a local orchard, it is probably OK.

Also, I don't know how much sorbate they add. Certainly enough to prevent spontaneous fermentation from wild yeasts, but when pitching a lot of yeast and making conditions sort of ideal for multiplication, it MIGHT not be a big deal. I never tried it, though. My local ACME had some Ziegler's Brand Cider, and the label indicated potassium sorbate as a preservative.
Click to expand...

I will be getting back home today so I will probably know whether it has been going or not when I get back.

flananuts said:
My searching abilities have failed. I want to rack my finished apfelwein to corny and naturally carbonate using apple juice concentrate at basement temperatures. I can back pressurize the the corny to keep it sealed but I'm not sure how much, 1 or 2 cans per 5 gallons. I would like to rack in the the next day or two so appreciate any assistance.
Click to expand...

I am curious about this too because I bet it will be smoother faster if I can use a couple spoons of aj concentrate instead of cane sugar. Would I use the same ratio of concentrate to apfelwein in 12 oz bottles as you would in the corny?
 
The two batches I bottled on Thanksgiving morning went smooth and I put a bottle of each in the fridge. It was a hit. Still waiting to try the bottles I put carb tablets into.

Definitely going to get more of this going, probably 20 gallons this time. Need to collect more wine bottles.
 
Question...

I bottled my first batch, some still, some carb tabbed. If I want to still bottle my next batch in 12 oz beer bottles, should I add any K-Meta or Pot Sorbate to the carboy before I bottle? Wondering since if I put 4 gallons in 12 oz bottles, it may take a bit to drink them all and I wouldn't want any to go bad.
 
Bump before this gets buried under gallons of apfelwein..

flananuts said:
My searching abilities have failed. I want to rack my finished apfelwein to corny and naturally carbonate using apple juice concentrate at basement temperatures. I can back pressurize the the corny to keep it sealed but I'm not sure how much, 1 or 2 cans per 5 gallons. I would like to rack in the the next day or two so appreciate any assistance.
Click to expand...
 
flananuts said:
Bump before this gets buried under gallons of apfelwein..
Click to expand...



Originally Posted by flananuts View Post
My searching abilities have failed. I want to rack my finished apfelwein to corny and naturally carbonate using apple juice concentrate at basement temperatures. I can back pressurize the the corny to keep it sealed but I'm not sure how much, 1 or 2 cans per 5 gallons. I would like to rack in the the next day or two so appreciate any assistance
Click to expand...

OK.. check the label on the concentrate. A good priming rate is 1 oz (by weight) sugar per gallon of Apfelwein.

So, if your concentrate is something like 28 g sugar/2 oz, then a 12 oz can of concentrate should be good to prime 6 gallons.

I generally like to prime a touch higher, so I would probably throw the whole can into 5 gal, but this is a good starting point.

Be warned...at basement temps it takes quite awhile to carb up.
 
the wait is killing me lmao. man it is just humming right along, the apple smell coming out of the airlock is heavenly. Two days shy of week one.
 
Using EC 1118 (rehydrated), 5 gallons rougemont (from costco, ontario), and 2 lbs sucrose (costco) fermentation was finished (0.996) at 4 days. Letting it sit for another 3-4 days and the yeast began to fall from suspension leaving a clear layer on top. I racked off this clear layer and at first it tasted nasty (only a week post pitch!!), so I left it in the fridge for 2 more days and now its awesome. NINE DAYS AND I BE LOVIN IT.
 
So I threw together a 3 gallon batch of this in April...I won't be able to bottle it until May of 2012, do you think 13 months in primary will be too much??
 
1 have a gallon batch going that stopped bubbling after just 3 or 4 days. nice little cake of lees at the bottom (so something happened) but not sure if it stalled.

I guess we shall see.
 
I dunno, I think a stuck fermentation about halfway would be kind of nice. :) I've been tempted to heat it just enough to kill the yeast but I was afraid it would develop off flavors. Time to stabilize that one and hand off to the wife/girlfriend if it is. Would make a terrific solvent $$.
 

Similar threads

nxc3441
apple pie cider under 10 bucks a gallon
Replies
2
Views
1K
nxc3441
nxc3441
C
what canna do with it?
Replies
5
Views
573
fluketamer
F
H
Apple cider stupid questions
Replies
3
Views
907
Graham H
G
A
New Fermenter
Replies
16
Views
895
Austin Willoughby
A
E
Very stuck brew
Replies
2
Views
286
elkdictation
E

Latest posts

Back
Top