Man, I love Apfelwein

[HBngNOK]

I just made a batch of Edwort's Apfelwein. I followed his instructions except I used a fermenting bucket instead of a glass carboy. There's a bit of head room.

Does it really matter? I used the bucket because that's what I had.

No. I start all my wines in a bucket, and rack to a carboy in a few weeks. The batch of cran-apple I have now spent a month in the bucket before I racked to carboy. Will be sweetening and bottling it tomorrow.

How's the hard lemonade coming?

 

[Culln5]

Being on a time crunch yesterday, I decided to give this a whirl. Everything went smooth, but when I checked it this morning there is no visible fermentation in my carboy or an inkling of a bubble? is 24 hours not enough time to expect to see fermentation?

George

 

[sparkshooter]

Bottled my first 5 gallon batch of Apfelwein after approx 6 weeks in primary. Made half bubbly, bottled in champagne bottles (with plastic champagne cork and wire). Other half is in wine bottles with regular cork and wire sleeve. Looks super classy.

It ended up finishing at 0.98, and I forgot to measure the OG (whoops!). I drank my hydrometer sample and was shocked at how good it was. I thought it would be quite alcoholic tasting, from how much people here talk about aging it, but it was very drinkable to me.

Now I've just got to move it to the basement to help with my will power not to break out a bottle prematurely.

 

[sparkshooter]

Has it gone cloudy? Mine took 24 hours (becoming increasingly cloudy) before the airlock started to do much.

 

[rhythmsteve]

The bucket will be fine, just transfer to carboy later in the process


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[Culln5]

Has it gone cloudy? Mine took 24 hours (becoming increasingly cloudy) before the airlock started to do much.

It doesn't look particularly cloudy....



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[sparkshooter]

I'm having trouble telling cloudiness from that picture, but I do see a ring of white bubbles around the edges - stare at them for a minute - do you see lots of little ones rising from below? That means you are fermenting. The little ring of bubbles is all you are likely to get. It doesn't build up a krausen or anything.

 

[SmokeyMcBong]

Just wondering, although its not mentioned in the original recipe, are you guys using yeast nutrient when you make this apple wine? If so, how much are you using?

Thanks.

 

[Swarley88]

Just wondering, although its not mentioned in the original recipe, are you guys using yeast nutrient when you make this apple wine? If so, how much are you using?

Thanks.

I don't. I just use apple juice, sugar, yeast and try to get a good, consistent ferment temperature and just give it time.

 

[Culln5]

I'm having trouble telling cloudiness from that picture, but I do see a ring of white bubbles around the edges - stare at them for a minute - do you see lots of little ones rising from below? That means you are fermenting. The little ring of bubbles is all you are likely to get. It doesn't build up a krausen or anything.

She's steadily fermenting now.... Guess I was a bit anxious.

 

[SouthernYankee]

She's steadily fermenting now.... Guess I was a bit anxious.

Wait till you start getting that rotten egg smell for a few days.

 

[pukexxr]

I recently brewed a batch of this (5 gal) and split that into two "secondary" fermentations, leaving half in the initial carboy. I dry hopped the half in the 3 gal carboy with 1 oz galaxy 5 days before bottling. THEN I carbed half of each of these at bottling with priming tablets.

I really enjoy the dry taste of the apfelwein (not generally a cider drinker, but have several friends with glutein issues). HOWEVER the dry-hopped half is truly phenomenal. The passionfruit aromas in the galaxy really draw out the fruitiness of the apfelwein, but retain the dryness that is desireable in the original to me.

Now I have a three gallon batch a couple weeks in. I intend to dry hop this iteration with 2 oz galaxy and see how that works out.

Sorry for the novel. Has anybody else had any particularly interesting hops in their apfelweins?

 

[WinterWarrior]

I took an OG reading of my apfel wine after 9 days and it was 1.001.

Should I continue to leave it for another 20-21 days?

 

[benco]

From what I've read on here a least a month. Most do at least 3 months. I assume if your bottling, you can let set for a few months. I'm doing my first batch, I plan on leaving in carboy for 3 months and keg it. They say the longer you can wait the better it gets.

 

[cpa4ny]

After the primary fermentation is over - has anyone tried to zap the cider with some gelatin to speed up the conditioning?

 

[BikeAndBrew]

After the primary fermentation is over - has anyone tried to zap the cider with some gelatin to speed up the conditioning?

Don't do it! Just be patient. It will clear on its own in time. Mine usually starts to clear up around 5 weeks or so, and after 8 weeks it's as clear as the apple juice coming out of the bottle was.

There really is no reason to rush the clearing process. Let it age in the carboy for a few months.I know it's tempting to drink this stuff young, but you will be rewarded if you let it age for 6 months or so! I usually let mine sit in the carboy for 12 weeks, then bottle & let it age until it reaches 6-8 months old. That's when the drinking is good.

Just let it clear on its own. If you have to, try a few bottles right after it's cleared. But, I promise you'll be happy if you just let it age.

 

[donttread]

If I used Apple Cider instead of Apple Juice, will it still clear?

 

[Pitman]

If I used Apple Cider instead of Apple Juice, will it still clear?

If you use pectic enzyme at the beginning it will. Otherwise it will take much longer if at all

 

[cpa4ny]

Thanks BnB!


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[jak1010]

OK, probably been asked a thousand times but can regular table sugar be used? I'm all out of corn sugar.

 

[MarkKF]

I use cane sugar to raise the starting gravity then brown sugar to prime.


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[JeffroDH]

I'm with him...I have 5 gallons I made from my own pressed apples. Astringent was a good word.

I pulled a couple of ounces from my trial batch last night. The flavor was starting to mellow significantly, and the apple was reasserting itself in both the aroma and the flavor. I'm thinking that adding a little bit of dextrose and carbonating it would improve the experience. I like bubbles.

I think the answer is to let it continue to age for a few more weeks, at least. Best of luck!

 

[BurgerBrew]

Anyone ever age some of this on oak chips?


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[brick]

I bottled my first batch at 6 weeks last weekend. It's fantastic. I know some people don't like the dryness but I think it's some of the best stuff I've ever made...perhaps even drank. It reminds me of a dry white wine but with a really nice apple presence. I used Langer's juice, brown sugar, and the recommended Montrachet wine yeast.

 

[Edbert]

I bottled my first batch at 6 weeks last weekend. It's fantastic. I know some people don't like the dryness but I think it's some of the best stuff I've ever made...perhaps even drank. It reminds me of a dry white wine but with a really nice apple presence. I used Langer's juice, brown sugar, and the recommended Montrachet wine yeast.

I agree about the dryness and have grown to like it. But it is too tart for my tastes without some backsweetening, I've had food results with honey or even straight apple juice in moderation of course.

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[yogi223]

I have mostly lurked and learned but I just had to say "thanks" to everyone that promoted this fine beverage. I started mine on 2/9 and I bottled it last night. I popped a top just now and I am very pleased. It is a little younger than recommended so I plan on starting a second batch this weekend and I hope it will make it for 3-5 months. Good stuff and thanks for all the inputs and information!

 

[finsfan]

Anyone ever age some of this on oak chips?


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I might have to do this soon. Anyone done this before?

I have mostly lurked and learned but I just had to say "thanks" to everyone that promoted this fine beverage. I started mine on 2/9 and I bottled it last night. I popped a top just now and I am very pleased. It is a little younger than recommended so I plan on starting a second batch this weekend and I hope it will make it for 3-5 months. Good stuff and thanks for all the inputs and information!

I think its fantastic young still. I usually ferment for a month and then bottle. I usually have a bottle that night and really enjoy it. Congrats! :rockin:

 

[yogi223]

I think its fantastic young still. I usually ferment for a month and then bottle. I usually have a bottle that night and really enjoy it. Congrats! :rockin:[/QUOTE]

Thanks and I have a question for you. I put 6 in the frig last night. When I popped the top I heard a little "pssft". The bulk of what I bottled was left out of the frig. I did not kill the yeast. Should I worry? Or should I just stay up tonight drinking? :cross:

 

[finsfan]

Thanks and I have a question for you. I put 6 in the frig last night. When I popped the top I heard a little "pssft". The bulk of what I bottled was left out of the frig. I did not kill the yeast. Should I worry? Or should I just stay up tonight drinking? :cross:

Did you carbonate them? What was your final gravity? I carbed my first batch but prefer them still. I never had an issue with bottle bombs when I carbed though.

 

[yogi223]

I didn't carbonate them but I did think about it but since I am very new to this I keep it simple. My final was less than 1.0. My second bottle out of the fridge didn't give any indication of any pressure. I am guessing that I am over thinking this. But to the experts....what say you?