Man, I love Apfelwein

[DeadYetiBrew]

Alright I got all of my equipment today and I'm ready to go...except the apple juice. Whats the verdict on the absorbic acid? Anyone made any successfully with it? Also I bought 2 lbs of corn sugar, how much should I use for a 3 gallon batch? One more thing, do I rehydrate the yeast? I though I read EdWort say somewhere in here that he doesn't (don't hate me if it's a mis-quote ). Sorry about all the questions, it's my first time...be gentle.

Look up 1 post for the yeast answer...

 

[Branket]

Whoops, sorry.

 

[Branket]

I'm going to go to the hippie grocery store and get organic juice. So you can ignore the absorbic acid question, but I do have a new one. How much water/vodka do I need to put in my airlock? I have an "S type" on that looks identical to this one: Airlock. Once again forgive my ignorance and thank you in advance.

 

[Kadmium]

hahah, dont worry about absorbic acid, look around post 40ish, when I first brewed my apfelwein I found it had Dimethyl Dicarbonate in my apple juice, I thought I was stuffed, but it turned out fantastic!!!

 

[aekdbbop]

made mine two nights ago.. and it is fermenting like crazy! i am getting like 2 bps out of it.. looks nice!

 

[EdWort]

How much water/vodka do I need to put in my airlock? I have an "S type" on that looks identical to this one: Airlock. Once again forgive my ignorance and thank you in advance.

First, get yourself some nice Tito's Hand made Vodka from Austin. Chill it, then get a measuring cup out and pour out 1/4 cup. Carefully add it to your airlock till it is half full and equal across the two globes. Toss the rest back as a shot. Filling an airlock will never be the same.

 

[Branket]

First, get yourself some nice Tito's Hand made Vodka from Austin. Chill it, then get a measuring cup out and pour out 1/4 cup. Carefully add it to your airlock till it is half full and equal across the two globes. Toss the rest back as a shot. Filling an airlock will never be the same.

Damn all I have is smirnoff, guess it'll have to do, but I do like your method.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I never used vodka. I have always used a rinse-free sanitizer in my air locks.

Does it make a difference with winemaking?

 

[Branket]

Alright, I did it!!! It's in the corner hopefully starting to do its thing. I want to thank everyone for the help. I'll probably have more questions throughout the process, and I now know that there will be a great group of people to help talk me through it.

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

Alright, I did it!!! It's in the corner hopefully starting to do its thing. I want to thank everyone for the help. I'll probably have more questions throughout the process, and I now know that there will be a great group of people to help talk me through it.

Glad we could help... That's what the forum is for...

YAY, i actually helped!

 

[BierMuncher]

I never used vodka. I have always used a rinse-free sanitizer in my air locks.

Does it make a difference with winemaking?

I prefer Captain Morgan. The darker color is easier to see from afar and the smell is awesome.

 

[britishbloke]

OK I made 2 - 6 gallon batches of applewein. Same amount of sugar.

The first one made a week before the second one.

The first one I added one cinnamon stick too. That one is taking longer to clear.
The one done a week later is clearing faster than the first.

Could the cinnamon really lag it that bad? Ive had the first one going for 6 weeks now.

 

[Branket]

Just an update for anyone who might care, its been a little over 12 hours and I'm getting a bubble every 2-3 seconds so it seems to be working. I also see a small layer of what I believe to be kreusen(sp?) forming.

 

[BierMuncher]

The first one I added one cinnamon stick too. That one is taking longer to clear.


Could the cinnamon really lag it that bad? Ive

You think you've got cloud. I used cinnamon powder. Great smell though and the top of the kruesen looks like apple crumb cake. I'm not concerned. I plan to cold condition in a keg for about 10 days after the 3-4 weeks. Hopefully, that will help settle out the "stuff". Either way, I think it is worth it to have that slight hint of cinnamon underneath the apple flavor.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Either way, I think it is worth it to have that slight hint of cinnamon underneath the apple flavor.

I thought about this earlier too. Last fall I was thinking about using Penzey's mulling spices.

Cloves, cracked China and Korintje cassia cinnamon, allspice, cardamom and mace.​

I make this at thanksgiving & X-mas with apple juice and cranberry and its awesome. (Non-Alcoholic)

I think it would be awesome start as hard spiced cider. (w/o the butter!!) In fact you can mull apfelwine you already made.

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysmulledwine.html

If anyone is interested on the recipe you call pull it from this catalog. (page 21 in the pdf)

Be advised its 21megs.

http://www.penzeys.com/images/A07.pdf

 

[BierMuncher]

Check out this incredible Kruesen.

This looks like some sort of early sci fi special effect landscape...or a slice of great apple crumb cake.

I modified the recipe to try for a lower ABV%...that's why you see a 1054 OG. Also added some chopped apples and skins along with cinnamon and dark brown sugar.

Man I can't wait...

 

[dmiller038]

Man, Kalvin, your pic is making me want some apple crumb cake right now

So if I want to carbonate about half of the bottles, I can just sprinkle corn sugar into the bottles I want to carbonate, yes? I think I heard something about 1/2 teaspoon per bottles, does that sound about right?

 

[RichBrewer]

Check out this incredible Kruesen.
View attachment 1004
This looks like some sort of early sci fi special effect landscape...or a slice of great apple crumb cake.

I modified the recipe to try for a lower ABV%...that's why you see a 1054 OG. Also added some chopped apples and skins along with cinnamon and dark brown sugar.

Man I can't wait...

Looks good. What yeast did you use?

BTW. Your avatar is awesome.

 

[Dude]

BTW. Your avatar is awesome.

Yeah it is...what is that from?

 

[BierMuncher]

Looks good. What yeast did you use?

BTW. Your avatar is awesome.

I used SafAle American Ale (DCL Yeast #US-56).

It happened to be lying around. I happened to be itching to "brew" something.

Avatar? - Thanks. Homemade. It's also the centerpiece on my American Red Pale Ale bottle.

I figured it was time to ante up for a membership. This forum has saved me a lot more than the nominal expense to belong. Plus I was tired of uploading pics to Google-Picasa everytime...

 

[Schlenkerla]

Check out this incredible Kruesen.

This looks like some sort of early sci fi special effect landscape...or a slice of great apple crumb cake.

I modified the recipe to try for a lower ABV%...that's why you see a 1054 OG. Also added some chopped apples and skins along with cinnamon and dark brown sugar.

Kal - I would not be surprised if you have long ferment or a 2nd ferment. I think I read somewhere that you can get a malolactic ferment. I think thats because of the fruit w/ skins.

If anybody knows about this chime in...

The krausen looks awesome!!

 

[seyahmit]

Man, Kalvin, your pic is making me want some apple crumb cake right now

So if I want to carbonate about half of the bottles, I can just sprinkle corn sugar into the bottles I want to carbonate, yes? I think I heard something about 1/2 teaspoon per bottles, does that sound about right?

If you have a scale that measures grams, it is about 3 grams of corn sugar per bottle if you figure 5 ounces of corn sugar for a 5 gallon batch. I don't know off hand how much a teaspoon weighs, but I would guess that a 1/2 tsp would not be enough.

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

If you have a scale that measures grams, it is about 3 grams of corn sugar per bottle if you figure 5 ounces of corn sugar for a 5 gallon batch. I don't know off hand how much a teaspoon weighs, but I would guess that a 1/2 tsp would not be enough.

Wouldn't it be easier to say 3/4 cup for 5 gallons and figure it from there? Yeah i know 5 oz of corn sugar isn't exactly 3/4 cup but this isn't rocket science either... you could also take 5 oz and divide it by 50 (bottles) and get .1 in each... of course weighing it would be much easier...

 

[Branket]

So I guess I had a blowoff. At least I think thats what it is. The foam from the top of the juice has gotten into the airlock and over the stopper. Here's some pictures:

Now what do I do?

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

So I guess I had a blowoff. At least I think thats what it is. The foam from the top of the juice has gotten into the airlock and over the stopper. Here's some pictures:

Now what do I do?

Either rig a blowoff tube or let it go till it calms down and clean the airlock...

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

Never mind made a mistake....

 

[Schlenkerla]

So I guess I had a blowoff. At least I think thats what it is. The foam from the top of the juice has gotten into the airlock and over the stopper. Here's some pictures:

Now what do I do?

Mine did the same! I let it go. It still has juice in the lock. I'm not going to worry about it at all. When its done it'll get cleaned. There's nothing to plug it right? Its not like you have a hop pellet that will get jammed inside.

Mine will get a thorough soaking in BTF Line Cleaner after I finish bottling and drinking a few.

 

[Branket]

I guess I'll just let it go for now then, maybe after the bubbling slows down I'll clean it out. Thanks for the help.

 

[EdWort]

There's a fine line in how much juice you can put in the carboy and not have that happen. My last did that as I put all but 2 oz. of 5 gallons of juice. I just swapped out the airlock with a freshly sanitized one a couple of times. It subsided after a day or so.

 

[psujeep]

I am going to brew this up this weekend. I am new to brewing and have my first beer in the secondary right now, bottling it tommorow. I would like to make a 5 gallon batch. When it's ready to bottle, no keg yet, I would like to make half original and half sweet and carbonated. How is the best way to to do this? Also is it OK to use a 6.5 carboy for 5 gallons, I have brew going to the 5 gallon this weekend. If not what would be the recipe for 6.5 gallons. Thanks for the help.

Keith