Man, I love Apfelwein

[DeadYetiBrew]

Going to have to wait to bottle till tomorrow... I have some pop offs, a couple twist offs that MAY work and about 18 Coca Cola pop top bottles (the little 8 oz ones). I forgot i had the coca cola bottles and just stumbled onto them... they would essentially be the perfect serving size...


EDIT: damnit I took the first page 100 post... Yay it made 100 but i wanted ed wort himself to make the post... sorry ED, and Congrats...

 

[EdWort]

EDIT: damnit I took the first page 100 post... Yay it made 100 but i wanted ed wort himself to make the post... sorry ED, and Congrats...

No prob. My interface is set to 40 messages per page, so my system shows we are on page 25. We have a ways to go to hit 100. :cross:

 

[jdcoffman]

I don't suppose anyone would be willing to do a little sampling for me would you? I'm going to start an Apfelwein and I'd like to get a taste of a good one...

 

[BoxerDog]

I looked around for this using the search and wanted to double check .....anyways I want to bottle carb. my apfelwein, just use the standard 3/4 a cup of corn sugar??

 

[Schlenkerla]

I looked around for this using the search and wanted to double check .....anyways I want to bottle carb. my apfelwein, just use the standard 3/4 a cup of corn sugar??

Yes - 3/4 cup is correct. I contacted Lesaffre Yeast, maker of Red Star Montrachet. This was their recommendation. Be generous time-wise for letting it carb. A couple people have said the carb was poor at this rate but shortly later said it improved. It carbs slower than beer.

 

[NOVA Brewer]

Well, I'm ready to jump on the apfelwien bandwagon. Today I bought 5 gallons of Wegman's brand apple juice - ingredients are apple juice, apple juice concentrate, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Thursday, on my day off, a trip to my LHBS will net me the dextrose and Montrachet yeast that I need, and we'll be off to the races!

I plan on bottle conditioning mine, so I'll let everyone know how it's going.

 

[jdcoffman]

What do you all typically bottle the deliciousness in? I was thinking about picking up a few big growlers, I am going to try my throwing my first batch together this week (hopefully), I thought I might throw a couple sixers and make them fizzy, but other than that I figured I'd leave the rest dry.

 

[dmiller038]

I bottled mine last week and I just used a bunch of bottles I had lying around - Heineken, New Belgium, a couple microbrews, etc. I'm not really presenting to anyone though - if my friends want some, they get reused bottles.

 

[Schlenkerla]

What do you all typically bottle the deliciousness in? I was thinking about picking up a few big growlers, I am going to try my throwing my first batch together this week (hopefully), I thought I might throw a couple sixers and make them fizzy, but other than that I figured I'd leave the rest dry.

Its funny you ask this. I was researching the same thing.

I found this....

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/08/wolf_blass_wine_1.php

I'd like to find sombody who sells these.

I will most likely bottle in PET quarts or pints. Last resort - 12oz glass bottles.

If this gets to being a regular thing I'm gonna go with champagne bottles.

16 oz swing tops would be ok too.

 

[jdcoffman]

I'd like to mark this occasion by saying that I'm now making the 1,000th post on this thread! that's really awesome!

Congrats EdWort for all the hard work and time put into this thread... I'd say there are other homebrew forums out there who wish they had this pmany posts total!

 

[EdWort]

I'd like to mark this occasion by saying that I'm now making the 1,000th post on this thread! that's really awesome!

Congrats EdWort for all the hard work and time put into this thread... I'd say there are other homebrew forums out there who wish they had this pmany posts total!

Thanks! It's hard to believe there are 1,000 posts on this thread. Is this a record for HBT?

 

[the_bird]

Thanks! It's hard to believe there are 1,000 posts on this thread. Is this a record for HBT?

We had about 1,400 in the fantasy football thread, but this thread has twice the views.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Thanks! It's hard to believe there are 1,000 posts on this thread. Is this a record for HBT?

Congratulations Ed! - You're a HBT Legend!!!!

 

[EdWort]

Thanks guys. Over 36,500 views. Did we hit 500 gallons yet?

SWMBO just phoned me to tell me she floated the Apfelwein keg. I guess I'll be bringing a keg in from the garage cooler when I get back in town and starting a new batch. That one only lasted 3 weeks.

 

[Schlenkerla]

If you just made some, rachet up the total gallons.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=20383&page=11

:rockin:

 

[jdcoffman]

Well, I tried to start my first batch today and got so darn excited I screwed the thing up... used nearly 5lbs of dextrose instead of 2... I guess if I start working on that airplane I've always wanted maybe I can use this for fuel?

Damn i'm an idiot. any ideas on how to salvage it?

I guess, I could try siphoning half of it into another carboy and adding 2 gallons to each carboy?

Of course then i've got 10 gallons of apfelwein that I don't even know if I'm going to like (although you all keep telling me that I will, so hopefully that's the case! lol)

le sigh.

 

[BierMuncher]

Get it to a gravity reading you want and kill the yeast.

You'll have to settle for the non-carb'd version and it will likely be sweeter than dry but that may be okay.

 

[jdcoffman]

What do I need to do to kill off the yeast? Is there an appropriate FG that I should be aiming for?

 

[Markusface]

Campden and wine stabilizer tablets will do a fine job of killing the yeasties.

 

[BierMuncher]

What do I need to do to kill off the yeast? Is there an appropriate FG that I should be aiming for?

Without knowing your starting gravity, it's hard to say.

It's up to you to decide. Calculate your alcohol percentage ((Starting Gravity - Current Gravity) x 131)). If the alcohol is where you want it, take a taste. If that's fine...hasta la vista my yeastie friends. :rockin:

 

[jdcoffman]

Poor little yeastie beasties, they've always done so well for me! K-meta kills 'em off doesn't it? I think i might have a little extra sitting around, I'll have to look up the dosage though.

I might just cry a little as I dump it in.

After about 12 hours I haven't seen any action yet from the little guys (since pitching) but I'll give them time, I trust that they'll make me a proud daddy as they multiply like little yeasties do so well.

 

[Tophe]

Ive got some 6.5 gal carboys sittin around, and was thinking about making this. If i just use 6 gallons of Apple juice instead of five will I be fine? Should I add a little extra dextrose too?

 

[Schlenkerla]

Well, I tried to start my first batch today and got so darn excited I screwed the thing up... used nearly 5lbs of dextrose instead of 2... I guess if I start working on that airplane I've always wanted maybe I can use this for fuel?

When I spoke to Lesaffrey Yeast (Makers of Red Star Montrachet) they said 2lbs will give you 5% ABV.

Ed regularly says his recipe turns out 8.5% w/ 2lbs of sugar. So the base cider will make 3.5% ABV

You are boosting your cider by 12.5% for what will probably 16% ABV!!!!

I would cut it with cider now or at drinking time. You could leave it go the full strength. If its too much sugar the yeast will stop on its own and the rest will be for sweetness. Nope - Just checked it will work up 18%

If you go that route might go get wine bottles & corks then serve it at the dinner table.


I drank my cider from October (not apfelwein) it 7.5%. Its frickin' dangerous.

I was brewing last night, racked my Dort over the 2ndary and started brewing another Pilsner. The last I remember I was already to pitch the yeast....

I woke up on the couch at 7AM. Thinking WTF!!!! I don't remember pitching it, the yeast was gone. I know I didn't drink it too.

8.5 will be just as dangerous. At least at 15.5% you'll definately taste the alcohol.

 

[BierMuncher]

Ive got some 6.5 gal carboys sittin around, and was thinking about making this. If i just use 6 gallons of Apple juice instead of five will I be fine? Should I add a little extra dextrose too?

6 gallons in a 6 1/2 gallon carboy may be a little close. My first batch of Apfelwien had a great kruesen on it (see below).

I used half the sugar and used brown sugar. My latest batch was 5 gallons of just applejuice and Splenda. I want a low ABV and a sweetly carb'd version.

This time there was hardly any foaming but it is fun to watch the yeast action in this much clearer version.

 

[BierMuncher]

The last I remember I was already to pitch the yeast....

I woke up on the couch at 7AM. Thinking WTF!!!! I don't remember pitching it, the yeast was gone. I know I didn't drink it too.

Been Der Dun Dat... :cross:

 

[Ize]

I picked up some Dextrose and Montrachet for my Apfelwein today...

Unfortunately they only had a 4 LB bag of dextrose...

Crap.

Now I have enough for 2 batches AND I'm gonna have to buy a scale to measure it out.

That's a damn shame.






Ize

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

I picked up some Dextrose and Montrachet for my Apfelwein today...

Unfortunately they only had a 4 LB bag of dextrose...

Crap.

Now I have enough for 2 batches AND I'm gonna have to buy a scale to measure it out.

That's a damn shame.






Ize

Measure my way... 4 lb bag.... hmmm i think about 'here' is half, *dumps into carboy*...

 

[Ize]

Measure my way... 4 lb bag.... hmmm i think about 'here' is half, *dumps into carboy*...

LOL...

Shhhh... SWMBO will just think it's one less thing to buy when AG fever hits me.


Ize

 

[Tophe]

Alright guys....I went and bought juice today. My selection sucked and I dont have a Sams membership. I bought Meijer brand. I didnt realize it til I got home that they have Vitamin C added. I was reading the half gallon bottles and they didnt have VC added, so I grabbed the big ones without thinking.

Should I not use this juice, whats going to happen? Will I just have a healthier drink?lol.

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

Alright guys....I went and bought juice today. My selection sucked and I dont have a Sams membership. I bought Meijer brand. I didnt realize it til I got home that they have Vitamin C added. I was reading the half gallon bottles and they didnt have VC added, so I grabbed the big ones without thinking.

Should I not use this juice, whats going to happen? Will I just have a healthier drink?lol.

Pretty sure the added Vitamin C is ok....