Man, I love Apfelwein

[BowAholic]

ok... I read a bunch, but still have to ask. Mine is in the carboy for over 2 months now at 75* constantly the entire time. It tastes like weak dry sour apple something... does it need more time or is there something I need to do to make it more like something my wife might like? I thought about adding cinnamon sticks/allspice/honey to the secondary because she loves apple pie.
thanks.

 

[SupervisingChildren]

Check out the caramel apple hard cider thread for possible ideas. I've done apfelwein fermented with a cinnamon stick or 2 in it several times, but find that it gives me wicked heartburn so I stay away from it now. I'd assume adding honey would just ferment out without giving it much flavor, but I could be wrong...

 

[trborex]

As much as I would like to read through 1288 posts, is the OP still the most accurate recipe?

 

[withoutink]

Ok I'm bottling my first batch. Call me crazy, but I waited a year to bottle. I made the batch back on 9/26/2014. So we are just a couple weeks shy of a year.

Since its waited so long, I suspect I don't have to let it sit in bottles too long?

I am not going to prime, I'm ok with still Apfelwein.

Wish me luck.

 

[Subdivisions]

As much as I would like to read through 1288 posts, is the OP still the most accurate recipe?

Try more like 12000 posts. There are so many variations but yes, The first post recipe hasn't been changed.

 

[withoutink]

Well I'm not sure what this tastes like after a couple months, but a year later this stuff is brilliant. It's smooth, crisp, a bit dry. Very Apple-y. Definitely tastes like a wine. I like it with and without 7up. Not sure how much a difference conditioning for a year made, but I'm pretty happy.

 

[NateX]

ok... I read a bunch, but still have to ask. Mine is in the carboy for over 2 months now at 75* constantly the entire time. It tastes like weak dry sour apple something... does it need more time or is there something I need to do to make it more like something my wife might like? I thought about adding cinnamon sticks/allspice/honey to the secondary because she loves apple pie.
thanks.

Check the FG, it's certainly not weak - if you followed the original recipe, you will have something near 8% ABV when it finishes. I find that a little Splenda and some carbonation make it much more palatable, although 6 months to a year in a bottle, still (degassed), will do wonders - it gets better with age, like any wine.

Check out some Angry Orchard for an idea of what you are shooting for with the cider modifications. My wife loves Apfelwein with carbonation, even more with just a hint of sweetness. AO is fermented from apples, not a malt beverage like some. They do all sorts of stuff with theirs, most of which is probably done post primary fermentation. Ginger, Spice, and more, all of which you can easily do in secondary or tertiary racking, even in primary if you account for the changes to the environment for the yeast, created by whatever you add.

Any way you go, experiment and have fun with it. Make small, one gallon batches of experiments, so you don't throw as much away if it is bad. If you hit on something great, scale it up and make a bunch. Take notes, always, because you will never remember what you did 6 months ago when you are making your next batch

I have made successful batches of:

Sweet Apfelwein
Black Cherry Apfelwein
Cranberry Apfelwein
Cranberry Pomegranate Apfelwein (really good)

I plan to make a batch of cinnamon/apple apfelwein for the upcoming holiday to give as gifts and bring as compliments to holiday meals.

 

[BowAholic]

Check the FG, it's certainly not weak - if you followed the original recipe, you will have something near 8% ABV when it finishes. I find that a little Splenda and some carbonation make it much more palatable, although 6 months to a year in a bottle, still (degassed), will do wonders - it gets better with age, like any wine.

Check out some Angry Orchard for an idea of what you are shooting for with the cider modifications. My wife loves Apfelwein with carbonation, even more with just a hint of sweetness. AO is fermented from apples, not a malt beverage like some. They do all sorts of stuff with theirs, most of which is probably done post primary fermentation. Ginger, Spice, and more, all of which you can easily do in secondary or tertiary racking, even in primary if you account for the changes to the environment for the yeast, created by whatever you add.

Any way you go, experiment and have fun with it. Make small, one gallon batches of experiments, so you don't throw as much away if it is bad. If you hit on something great, scale it up and make a bunch. Take notes, always, because you will never remember what you did 6 months ago when you are making your next batch

I have made successful batches of:

Sweet Apfelwein
Black Cherry Apfelwein
Cranberry Apfelwein
Cranberry Pomegranate Apfelwein (really good)

I plan to make a batch of cinnamon/apple apfelwein for the upcoming holiday to give as gifts and bring as compliments to holiday meals.

thanks! It's still sitting in the glass primary...but I do have a few 1 gallon glass jugs...maybe some cinnamon stick in one..? I'm sure it's strong as far as ABV since I followed the original recipe, but it tasted watered down, which may have just been the lack of apple flavor that I expected.

 

[indolent]

I find that a little Splenda and some carbonation make it much more palatable,

I've been meaning to try this with a batch. Just curious, about how much splenda do you use? Do you sweeten the entire 5 gallons or just add the splenda with each glass?

 

[NateX]

I've been meaning to try this with a batch. Just curious, about how much splenda do you use? Do you sweeten the entire 5 gallons or just add the splenda with each glass?

In my experimentation, around 2 or 3 teaspoons per 8 oz seems to be a good, not-too-sweet mixture. Scaled up to 5 gallons, that would be 3/4 to 1 cup of splenda per 5 gallons, if my math is not faulty.

I have only tried small amounts at a time, but I am about to put in another 3 gallon batch, plus a smaller 1 gallon batch. I may back sweeten the 1 gallon batch and see how that goes. Whatever you do, know that adding sucralose to carbonated beverages creates a reaction similar to the Mentos trick. Add in small amounts, and be ready to lose a lot of CO2 from suspension.

After back sweetening, If you are force carbonating, you would just keg it, hook up your CO2 at the desired pressure, and wait. If you are bottle carbonating, you would need to add the right amount of dextrose (or other fermentable sugar) and wait 2 weeks or so.

Not sure if sucralose has a negative effect on viable yeast, as I have never bottle carbonated after adding sucralose. It shouldn't, as it is supposed to be chemically inert, but who knows?

Let us know how it turns out, and what you decide to do.

 

[NateX]

thanks! It's still sitting in the glass primary...but I do have a few 1 gallon glass jugs...maybe some cinnamon stick in one..? I'm sure it's strong as far as ABV since I followed the original recipe, but it tasted watered down, which may have just been the lack of apple flavor that I expected.

I have 5 1 gallon fermenters, and I try to keep them full if I can. I have had a couple of batches of Apfelwein come out a little flat, only to really wake up after carbonation and aging. I think a lot depends on the quality of juice, as well as the yeast, and the temps they ferment under. I find using Montrachet, a little on the cold side, and additive nutrients seem to produce better results, with temperature being the key. If yeast ferment too hot, es no bueno!

I use a space under the stairs in my basement, and most of the year, it's in the perfect range for most wine yeast (~68 F) but in the summer, it can climb up as high as 74 to 76, and that is normally when I notice odd results. I may try a cheap wine cooler, or adapt a freezer as anyone who brews lagers must do, just so I can really control the fermentation temps. I make beer with a club, and we always have superior results using cooling to maintain temps even for ales. I just made a California Common that turned out very nice.

 

[indolent]

In my experimentation, around 2 or 3 teaspoons per 8 oz seems to be a good, not-too-sweet mixture. Scaled up to 5 gallons, that would be 3/4 to 1 cup of splenda per 5 gallons, if my math is not faulty.

I have only tried small amounts at a time, but I am about to put in another 3 gallon batch, plus a smaller 1 gallon batch. I may back sweeten the 1 gallon batch and see how that goes. Whatever you do, know that adding sucralose to carbonated beverages creates a reaction similar to the Mentos trick. Add in small amounts, and be ready to lose a lot of CO2 from suspension.

After back sweetening, If you are force carbonating, you would just keg it, hook up your CO2 at the desired pressure, and wait. If you are bottle carbonating, you would need to add the right amount of dextrose (or other fermentable sugar) and wait 2 weeks or so.

Not sure if sucralose has a negative effect on viable yeast, as I have never bottle carbonated after adding sucralose. It shouldn't, as it is supposed to be chemically inert, but who knows?

Let us know how it turns out, and what you decide to do.

I came up with some different numbers:
128oz/gal=16 8oz. servings
@2tsp; 32 tsp/gal = 2/3 cup/gal = 3 1/3 cup per 5 gallons
@3tsp; 48tsp/gal = 1 cup/gal = 5 cups per 5 gallons

I'll try it in a couple glasses before I scale up to a whole batch. I figure if I dissolve it in a little apple juice before adding it to the glass, it will prevent the foaming and loss of carbonation. Thanks for pointing that out, I probably would have made a mess the first time I tried it.

I keg all mine so I won't be any help on how it might effect bottle conditioning.

 

[BowAholic]

I have 5 1 gallon fermenters, and I try to keep them full if I can. I have had a couple of batches of Apfelwein come out a little flat, only to really wake up after carbonation and aging. I think a lot depends on the quality of juice, as well as the yeast, and the temps they ferment under. I find using Montrachet, a little on the cold side, and additive nutrients seem to produce better results, with temperature being the key. If yeast ferment too hot, es no bueno!

I use a space under the stairs in my basement, and most of the year, it's in the perfect range for most wine yeast (~68 F) but in the summer, it can climb up as high as 74 to 76, and that is normally when I notice odd results. I may try a cheap wine cooler, or adapt a freezer as anyone who brews lagers must do, just so I can really control the fermentation temps. I make beer with a club, and we always have superior results using cooling to maintain temps even for ales. I just made a California Common that turned out very nice.

Mine is still in the carboy but I heard that it will improve with time...and I have lots of beer and lots of time... I will likely pull a gallon and add some priming sugar just to see how it tastes carbed.

Thanks!

 

[Brian77095]

Ok I'm bottling my first batch. Call me crazy, but I waited a year to bottle. I made the batch back on 9/26/2014. So we are just a couple weeks shy of a year.

Since its waited so long, I suspect I don't have to let it sit in bottles too long?

I am not going to prime, I'm ok with still Apfelwein.

Wish me luck.

You waited a year? Well played Sir well played! Now did you follow the rest of the directions and make another batch a few weeks later? If not you are going to have a long wait for more lol.

 

[NateX]

I came up with some different numbers:
128oz/gal=16 8oz. servings
@2tsp; 32 tsp/gal = 2/3 cup/gal = 3 1/3 cup per 5 gallons
@3tsp; 48tsp/gal = 1 cup/gal = 5 cups per 5 gallons

I'll try it in a couple glasses before I scale up to a whole batch. I figure if I dissolve it in a little apple juice before adding it to the glass, it will prevent the foaming and loss of carbonation. Thanks for pointing that out, I probably would have made a mess the first time I tried it.

I keg all mine so I won't be any help on how it might effect bottle conditioning.

Math! Hah! I converted tsp to tbsp and then to cups in my head and somewhere I didn't carry a 1 or something. Your #s look better.

I learned from experience not to add powdered substances to fermented wine prior to degassing, so I am happy to share!

 

[NateX]

Mine is still in the carboy but I heard that it will improve with time...and I have lots of beer and lots of time... I will likely pull a gallon and add some priming sugar just to see how it tastes carbed.

Thanks!

The longer the wait, the better. But like Tom Petty said...

 

[BowAholic]

The longer the wait, the better. But like Tom Petty said...

If you're not getting older, you're dead.
Tom Petty

 

[NateX]

:rockin:

 

[EtchyLives]

So I bought into the hype and made up a batch tonight. We'll see how this tastes in... oh well... January. Seems like a nice New Year's kind of thing.

 

[Brian77095]

Tasted my first batch last night. I drew off a half a cup to try because I was sure I would need to sweeten it or add something. It tasted great and I was really surprised and just how good it was!! Yeaaa for me!!!

Unfortunately I did not follow his directions and make another batch two weeks later... Booo for me!!!

Mine turned out really mellow with a very mild flavor uncarbed.

 

[NateX]

Tasted my first batch last night. I drew off a half a cup to try because I was sure I would need to sweeten it or add something. It tasted great and I was really surprised and just how good it was!! Yeaaa for me!!!

Unfortunately I did not follow his directions and make another batch two weeks later... Booo for me!!!

Mine turned out really mellow with a very mild flavor uncarbed.

Just hit the 3 week mark on a 4 gallon (3 for kegging +1 for bottling) batch. I am about to start another 3+1, probably next week. I only have two 3 gallon fermentors, my 6 gallon is for beer.

I like the flavor when it is still, especially with some age. It reminds me of a Chardonnay, but from apples. It's got a lot going on. I tried some Pasteur Champagne in my last batch to see if it makes a difference over Montrachet. Hoping for good results.

 

[Dominic1920]

I made a peach version of this. I added a pound of frozen peaches to the primary and then topped off with a quart of Knudsen organic peach nectar. It started fermenting again after adding the peach nectar and dropped alot of lees. Once it cleared I backsweetened with a little honey, which really brought out the peach flavor. Its very good.

 

[bwdilli]

You added the peaches on top of the apple and then went through fermentation? Or added it after initial fermentation and it started again?

 

[MarkKF]

You added the peaches on top of the apple and then went through fermentation? Or added it after initial fermentation and it started again?

I add peaches to my primary bucket for the first two weeks of fermentation. Then rack the liquid into a carboy leaving the lees and peaches behind. Yum!

 

[bwdilli]

That sounds really good. I'll have to try it.

 

[Dominic1920]

You added the peaches on top of the apple and then went through fermentation? Or added it after initial fermentation and it started again?

I added the frozen peaches on top of the apple juice, then racked to secondary after it slowed down and dropped lees, then topped it off with the peach nectar.

 

[brianh0669]

With 12000+ comments I knew I had to give this a try. Been a beer and wine maker for a bit over ten years so decided to deviate a bit. Used 5 gallons of apple juice, 3 lbs dextrose and 1 lb granulated sugar. Been wanting to give distillers yeast a try so gave that a go as well. The basement has been a bit cool so I brought out my Igloo cooler that I used to use when I made lagers a few years ago. I had cut a hole in the lid for the airlock to poke through and it fits my 6 gallon bucket and 5 and 6 gallon carboys perfectly. Decided to put the carboy in the cooler with my reptile warmer set to 72 degrees. Worked like a champ! No sulfur smell when it got going, just smelled like fermenting apples. Took just over a week to ferment to dry. Very steady fermentation with the distillers yeast and virtually no foaming. Took off the airlock and smelled great. Took it out to let sit for the next month or so in the cool basement then will keg and carb. Looking forward to trying this in a few months! Thanks to all for all the great reading on this thread. Love to see all the great ideas and tweaks everyone has done to make this their own! To me, that's what this hobbys all about.

11-5-15 - So it has been in the keg carbing for two weeks now. Since it was my first batch I had to give it a go. Dry, carbonated, and was pleased it has a nice apple finish. Especially for being so young, dry, and a bit over 10% alc. My wife is very critical and she even liked it so I'm really looking forward to aging this for a bit. Still amazed it had such a strong apple finish for being so early and dry. Wondering if the distillers yeast had something to do with it retaining the flavor. Have a couple batches of higher gravity concentrate wine going right now with distillers yeast so I am very curious to see how they turn out as well.

 

[NateX]

This opened my eyes to what one could do with just plain juice. Sure, you may not get all of the character you do with raw ingredients, but my perceptions of what defines "hooch" were certainly shifted by this recipe. My favorite and most surprising variation to date was an "accidentally" sparkling Cranberry Pomegranate Apfelwein I made. Good luck with the batch!

 

[nine16ths]

i've never personally brewed anything but most of my friends are brewers and i bugged my wife 'till she started brewing kombucha. i just got back from shopping at sam's & the LHBS with 6 gallons of member's mark apple juice, a carboy, no-rinse, a 4 lb. bag of dextrose, redstar montrachet yeast, and a hydrometer. 45 minutes later we're off and running. my label reads: "EdWort's Post #1."

if i have managed not to infect the batch (my biggest concern before jumping into brewing), i can't wait to test this around thanksgiving. thanks to all who shared their experiences with this recipe.

 

[gitmo234]

Anyone have any experience in bottling this, and preservation? Should I add in some sulfites or campden tablets for it to keep a year in the bottle?