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.
OK I believe you're correct as I took a reading last night of a different product and the (cheap) refractometer measured 1.032 and the hydrometer read 1.011. Now I'm not sure what I'll have but I'm betting it'll be stronger than expected

My guess would be a ~1.075 OG assuming a ~1.055 starting og on the plain juice. That would be ~9.8% abv.
 
My guess would be a ~1.075 OG assuming a ~1.055 starting og on the plain juice. That would be ~9.8% abv.

I took another measurement of the plain juice and got a 1.045 on the refractometer and 1.048 on the hydrometer, so you're right I'm about to get some strong cider
Thanks for your input but I'm going to have to figure out the Brix tool for fermented readings
 
Figured I'd come back in and re-visit this thread. I bottled my first batch of Apfelwein on 12/19/13. I still have a handful of bottles left and I still crack one open every once in a while. This stuff drinks like non-alcoholic light apple juice at this point. Goes down like water.

I still recommend trying out this recipe if you haven't already. Follow the directions and you'll be happy.
 
Figured I'd come back in and re-visit this thread. I bottled my first batch of Apfelwein on 12/19/13. I still have a handful of bottles left and I still crack one open every once in a while. This stuff drinks like non-alcoholic light apple juice at this point. Goes down like water.

I still recommend trying out this recipe if you haven't already. Follow the directions and you'll be happy.

I second this. Have also been "brewing" this one for about 4 years at this point and have converted many non cider drinkers to this one. It is so dry and drinkable but also strong. I've experimented with all sorts of different dry hops as well as the standard recipe and it has all been stellar. Watch out if you add corn sugar bc they are so strong but equally drinkable. Such a great, simple recipe.
 
I second this. Have also been "brewing" this one for about 4 years at this point and have converted many non cider drinkers to this one. It is so dry and drinkable but also strong. I've experimented with all sorts of different dry hops as well as the standard recipe and it has all been stellar. Watch out if you add corn sugar bc they are so strong but equally drinkable. Such a great, simple recipe.
Could you share some of the hops ratios and usages that have worked best?
 
I have tried all sorts of different hops and tend to have the best results using 1/4# hops for every 5-6.5 gal batch I do (depends). Fruitier hops don't necessarily draw out fruitier aspects of the end cider. Because my additions have always been dry hops they always contribute to the nose, but I have had gluten-free drinkers go on and on about how it's "just like an ipa" (they are wrong, but they love it, so I'm happy either way).

I have done mosaic, galaxy, chinook, liberty, EKG, cascade and maybe some others. All have turned out great. Some of the hops are earthier than others, but they all work out great. I'd be surprised to hear about a _bad_ hop combination with the cider tbh, since I've had nothing but luck. Usually the cider sits on there for a week or so. Would love to hear other people's experiences adding hops, or if anyone ever heated theirs to add bittering/flavor hops?
 
Also @ slym & andrew, not sure if you guys dig on the sours or not, but the Apfelwein I've got going right now had some "Magical Brettanomyces Tour #4: Afro Brett" dregs added to the fermenter. This is my first experience adding any bacteria to a cider. I can check back regarding this.
 
Also @ slym & andrew, not sure if you guys dig on the sours or not, but the Apfelwein I've got going right now had some "Magical Brettanomyces Tour #4: Afro Brett" dregs added to the fermenter. This is my first experience adding any bacteria to a cider. I can check back regarding this.

Sour apple sounds very interesting. Let us know how it turns out.
 
I have tried all sorts of different hops and tend to have the best results using 1/4# hops for every 5-6.5 gal batch I do (depends). Fruitier hops don't necessarily draw out fruitier aspects of the end cider. Because my additions have always been dry hops they always contribute to the nose, but I have had gluten-free drinkers go on and on about how it's "just like an ipa" (they are wrong, but they love it, so I'm happy either way).

I have done mosaic, galaxy, chinook, liberty, EKG, cascade and maybe some others. All have turned out great. Some of the hops are earthier than others, but they all work out great. I'd be surprised to hear about a _bad_ hop combination with the cider tbh, since I've had nothing but luck. Usually the cider sits on there for a week or so. Would love to hear other people's experiences adding hops, or if anyone ever heated theirs to add bittering/flavor hops?
one quarter pound, so 4oz in 5-6gal?
 
Last edited:
local yeast expert hooked me up with some yeast for a Basque cider, so that's next up on my list.

usually add extra sugar (brown or dextrose) but this one I'm going just straight up juice
 
Following up on my post the other day, I was curious if anyone had any experience with adding bacterial cultures to ciders? I know that traditionally spontaneous fermentations were common, so I'm sure bacterial additions can be favorable. My afro brett dregs got added a week in, the fermenter has been going for 3 weeks and I think I'm gonna bottle at 5 weeks and just let it keep aging from there. Anyone think I should let this go longer? Am I risking bottle bombs from bacteria continuing to consume yeast byproducts?
 
Following up on my post the other day, I was curious if anyone had any experience with adding bacterial cultures to ciders? I know that traditionally spontaneous fermentations were common, so I'm sure bacterial additions can be favorable. My afro brett dregs got added a week in, the fermenter has been going for 3 weeks and I think I'm gonna bottle at 5 weeks and just let it keep aging from there. Anyone think I should let this go longer? Am I risking bottle bombs from bacteria continuing to consume yeast byproducts?

You might want to research / ask that in the sours sub-forum, specifically, at what gravity is it 100% safe to bottle a live soured fermentation.
 
I kegged my 3 month old Apfelwein yesterday and let it chill until tonight. I have it on it's own regulator running at 4PSI so it just trickles out of the faucet in hopes that it won't carbonate too much. I'm sure it'll end up carbonating a bit but that's fine

Anyway...Holy Cow this stuff is good. I'm probably going to pick up some more apple juice and corn sugar this week to start another batch ASAP.
 
I just started brewing beer. Now I stumble upon this 1300 post thread... Lol. I think I'm going to give this a try. My neighbor will love it, she's gluten intolerant. This looks so easy. Thanks!
 
I just started brewing beer. Now I stumble upon this 1300 post thread... Lol. I think I'm going to give this a try. My neighbor will love it, she's gluten intolerant. This looks so easy. Thanks!

A lot of the gluten-free people I know love this stuff. It will go so quick because you will find that you yourself will enjoy it and lots of others will be surprised to find that they enjoy a cider. It's such a great, easy recipe. You should do yourself a favor and just go for it and brew up two batches so you have some that will start to age out properly. Mine always goes too fast otherwise.
 
Hello,

The first few times I've made this, I haven't been able to get it to carbonate in the bottle. After a month, the yeast seems to have run it's course so adding sugar then bottling it didn't create any carbonation.

This time I am using an Ale Yeast. I put about 1.5 packets in and about 2 pounds of sugar for 5 gallons of juice.

After the yeast drops out, should I had a tiny bit more when I add the extra sugar then bottle it or will that cause too much carbonation?

Thanks and please forgive the ignorant questions - I'm new to this!

Thanks,
Greg


It's very simple to make.

5 Gallons of Tree Top Apple Juice from Costco
2 pounds of Dextros (corn Sugar)
1 packet Dry Montrachet Wine yeast

1. Sanitize your carboy (I love my Better bottles) and big funnel.
2. Pour half of one gallon of juice in the Carboy. Then add 1 pound of Dextrose to the half empty bottle of juice. Put the cap on and shake it up to dissolve the sugar.
3. Repeat step 2 with another gallon of apple juice and the other pound of Dextrose
4. Pour the half bottles of juice/dextros into carboy
5. Pour the rest of the juice into the carboy saving about a quart
6. Sprinkle the yeast into the funnel then rinse with the rest of the juice so all the yeast is now in the carboy.

You can fit all the juice in it, don't worry.

Wait 4 weeks at least then keg, chill, & carbonate. I don't do a secondary, but you can if you want to age it beyond 4 weeks. I would not rack till it clears like the first bottle.

You can see the difference in the colors based on the date. The first bottle was made 9/12, the second on 10/5 and the third on 10/10. I use cheap Texas vodka for my airlocks. They burn through some during the first few days of fermentation, so I keep it handy there.

The end result is a crisp, dry, refreshing Apfelwein at 8.5% abv that rocks on hot summer days. SWMBO is loving it on tap. Her German mother is coming for Christmas, so I need to make sure I have enough to last.

Oh yeah, this makes a great Grog in the winter time.

Take a quart in a sauce pan, add some rum, turbinado sugar, and float a cinnamon stick in it and simmer for a while. Serve hot in mugs. It'll warm you right up.
 
I was thinking of trying this in my old Mr. Beer fermenter. Being only 2 gallons, could I just use a little under a pound of the sugar? Would I still use the whole packet of yeast?
 
Hello,

The first few times I've made this, I haven't been able to get it to carbonate in the bottle. After a month, the yeast seems to have run it's course so adding sugar then bottling it didn't create any carbonation.

This time I am using an Ale Yeast. I put about 1.5 packets in and about 2 pounds of sugar for 5 gallons of juice.

After the yeast drops out, should I had a tiny bit more when I add the extra sugar then bottle it or will that cause too much carbonation?

Thanks and please forgive the ignorant questions - I'm new to this!

Thanks,
Greg

Hey Greg I experienced what you are describing the first time I tried to carbonate as well. I have successfully carbonated every other batch of this I have made without doing anything any differently. I'd be curious to someone's explanation about why this could have happened, but I'd not worry about adding yeast at bottling in the future and just add a little club soda when you crack bottles from this batch. It's great still, but I for sure prefer mine carbed. Going forward I'd do it exactly like you did this time (assuming everything was correct --you let them sit at room temp to carb before you refrigerated, right?) and wait and see.

Hopefully that helps put your mind at ease even if it doesn't put CO2 in your brew.
 
kicked a 4 year old keg of Apfelwein today. it deserved a moment of silence, but I am definitely ready for the MLB Royals opener!
 
without Trawling throuigh 1300 odd pages of information, has anyone made this, then Ice concentrated it into something similarto an "Applejack"?
Interested to hear results?
 
I've jacked it before.

boozy, but tasty. needs time to smooth out.

wasn't happy with my last batch. have not used corn sugar, have been using brown sugar, but now I'm not sure I like it that way. next batch, still fermenting, has corn sugar. that has a ways to go before I jack it

haven't sampled my last one in 6 months. will do that, get back to you
 
wasn't happy with my last batch. have not used corn sugar, have been using brown sugar, but now I'm not sure I like it that way. next batch, still fermenting, has corn sugar.
I agree, had the same experience with molasses (the thing that makes sugar brown).
 
not an apfelwein, but my latest batch is a Basque cider

my first infection. kinda scary, even if it was deliberate

IMG_0627.jpg
 
So I made a batch of this about 9 weeks ago. It looks great, super clear. Hydrometer reading 1.004. I'd like to carbonate(corn sugar)and bottle. I read it's supposed to finish @ .99x
I'm thinking it's good to bottle but just asking all you super experienced folks
 
doesn't matter at all.

my latest batch of Apfelwein, currently still fermenting, is made from similar stuff. just LOVE honey crisp and the juice I got was delicious
 
Going to score some of that Honeycrisp cider at Whole Foods to make my second batch. I'll use 1 1/2 pounds of organic turbinado sugar and a pound of organic honey, a packet of Nottingham and wait longer for the bottling this time.
First batch hit .990 in about 10 days before bottling, I let it carb up and then pasteurized on the stovetop. Wanted a bit more carbonation as I believe the bottles were a little too cold to get where I wanted it but I was a bit afraid of bottle bombs so I might have jumped the gun

Looking forward to letting it sit for a while to see how it ages
 
What brand of apple juice are folks using these days? I was going to pick up some organic Honeycrisp juice from Whole Foods but it's almost $4 for 32oz. You're talking ~$60 for a 5 gallon batch!
 
What brand of apple juice are folks using these days? I was going to pick up some organic Honeycrisp juice from Whole Foods but it's almost $4 for 32oz. You're talking ~$60 for a 5 gallon batch!

Geez, I knew Whole Foods was pricey, but that's just ridiculous. I bought store brand (Wegman's, to be specific - it's a local store here in the Northeast) for $5 per gallon. Nothing fancy about it - just apple juice and vitamin C.
 
I can get "Indian Summer" apple juice at Meijer for $3.99 gal. says 100% juice made from fresh pressed apples and concentrate.
 
Omg, I love Meijer! (Or Meijers, because I'm a MI native and add an extra 's' to everything.)

Anyway, that juice you found should work. I just started my apfelwein last night, and the yeast had already started working by this morning. :)

Edit: Here's a pic.

26015801950_5d8362fd89.jpg
 
I just realized I followed the champagne yeast instructions for temperature of 70-74F

How will this effect the apfelwein vs fermenting at room temperature (68F)?
 
I've had a batch in the carboy since late November, and will be bottling it tomorrow. Would you guys add some yeast to the bottling bucket to help it carb up, or just add the corn sugar and expect the residual yeast to do the job?
 
OK tonight is the night. I'm using my Mr beer and going to make 2 gallons of this. I have Nottingham's ale yeast. 1lb of dark brown sugar, about 8oz of honey. I was thinking of throwing in a few cinnamon sticks, does this sounds OK?


Any thoughts on using agave nectar?
 
Back
Top