Man, I love Apfelwein

[morbster]

Just drew my first sample to check the gravity and (more importantly) try a taste.

OG: 1.065
Current gravity: 1.003
8.1% ABV, 95% Attenuation

The taste is delicious. Smells strongly of apple. The taste has no apple flavor, and I would describe it more as a sweeter white wine, definitely has a bit of a dryness to it though. I have decided to not carb this up much, if at all.

I'm committed to aging it for a few months, but I would happily drink this now.

 

[MT2sum]

I misspoke, when I said champagne yeast I meant the montrachet yeast as recommended, it always treats me right.
Currently all three batches I've done with montrachet were better IMO than my first batch with mangrove Jack's.

Ahhh, gotcha! Yeah, I never had a problem with the one I made before - maybe this apple juice had some unlabeled sugar in it (?)! Hers is still bubbling away, and spitting out more krausen .... I've gotta watch it and maybe switch out the blow-off hose for a new one, the one that's on there now is getting full of dark stuff ;>). The water in the blow-off bottle is now about as dark as one of my porters or stouts!

I'd like to thief some outta there and give it a taste like you did, but she'd be upset at me if I started drinking her brew, so I better keep my lunch-hooks off!

This is her first wine-making project in several years - she liked the Apfelwein that I made a couple of years back so she thought she's try it out. She's the one who got me into home-brewing, she started out many years ago, making wines with a friend of hers, when we were first married.

 

[MT2sum]

I'm committed to aging it for a few months, but I would happily drink this now.

I understand the feeling - we bottled in gallon jugs ..... I wasn't too patient with mine - fortunately, she hid a gallon from me and we got into it about a year later - great stuff, if you've got the patience!

 

[CU_tony]

So I made a batch for a friend's wedding and all the homebrew for the occasion is getting a pun-y name. Im going to muse on this tonight, but does anyone have a groan worthy Apfelwein name?

 

[MT2sum]

All this talking about SWMBO's Apfelwein ..... I asked her today to let me see one of the bottles, because I was wondering if it had been 'sugar-fortified' or something, causing all the blow-off. Boy, was I surprised!!

She calmly told me that it wasn't Apple juice that she used - since she is a huge fan of Cranberry juice, she used Cran-Apple juice! So now I don't know what to expect! I finally changed out the blow-off tube, and today I put it back onto a regular airlock w/vodka ...... it seems to be going well, no blow-off for the past 10 hours, so maybe it's settled down enuff. It's still happily bubbling away ..... I'm not much of a wine drinker, and really not a fan of Cranberries (unless it's that sweet jell that you put on turkey and dressing - I love that stuff!), so it looks like she'll have to drink most of that 5 gal batch by herself!

 

[domingo3]

I started with too much sugar. Before you chastise me for not following the recipe, I started a 6 gallon batch using a recipe I found elsewhere (calling for 5 lbs of sugar) a month ago before I started reading this thread and the wisdom of EdWort.
I have a second batch that I started last weekend with the proper proportions, but what's the best course of action for the first batch, which is destined to be jet fuel? Just let it finish and condition for a long time? Can I mix that batch 1:1 with apple juice to cut the sugar/ alcohol down, or will it have produced strange flavors that can't be taken back?

 

[CU_tony]

Just let it ride, you could draw some off and refill with AJ but that will restart fermentation

 

[thippe]

i just sampled a cran-apfelwein i did last night (1 gallon cranberry, 5 gallons AJ) My wife said she preferred the regular apfelwein better.
I thought it was pretty good. I have never tried Cran-Apple but i'd like to know how that goes for you!

All this talking about SWMBO's Apfelwein ..... I asked her today to let me see one of the bottles, because I was wondering if it had been 'sugar-fortified' or something, causing all the blow-off. Boy, was I surprised!!

She calmly told me that it wasn't Apple juice that she used - since she is a huge fan of Cranberry juice, she used Cran-Apple juice! So now I don't know what to expect! I finally changed out the blow-off tube, and today I put it back onto a regular airlock w/vodka ...... it seems to be going well, no blow-off for the past 10 hours, so maybe it's settled down enuff. It's still happily bubbling away ..... I'm not much of a wine drinker, and really not a fan of Cranberries (unless it's that sweet jell that you put on turkey and dressing - I love that stuff!), so it looks like she'll have to drink most of that 5 gal batch by herself!

 

[gregsatt]

Hi Everyone,

I've just racked my cider to a second carboy to try and get it to clarify a bit as it is very cloudy. It no longer bubbles as it has been a few weeks...

I took a reading, but honestly don't really know how to interpret it. This is a very amature question ,but would someone tell me roughly what alcohol content you think my cider is based on this image? I didn't take an initial reading, but added about a pound of sugar to the apple juice before adding the yeast and letting it ferment.

 

[MT2sum]

Hi Everyone,

I've just racked my cider to a second carboy to try and get it to clarify a bit as it is very cloudy. It no longer bubbles as it has been a few weeks...

I took a reading, but honestly don't really know how to interpret it. This is a very amature question ,but would someone tell me roughly what alcohol content you think my cider is based on this image? I didn't take an initial reading, but added about a pound of sugar to the apple juice before adding the yeast and letting it ferment.

from craftbeeracademy.com Click here!

Calculating the ABV

Let’s look at an example. If you were brewing an IPA that had an OG of 1.070 and a final gravity of 1.018, you would subtract the FG from the OG and then multiply the answer by 131.

1.070 – 1.018 = 0.052
0.052 x 131 = 6.812

This means the beer is at 6.812% ABV, or as it is commonly listed, 6.8%

As you can see, it really isn’t that complicated to determine the ABV of a beer. When you brew, it is common to take this measurement a few times, so you know when to pull your beer out of the fermentor and bottle it. The longer it stays in the fermentor (with active yeast), the lower the FG will get, and the higher the ABV will get.

Since you didn't do the OG, you might try putting the recipe into BeerSmith (OR [I think] BrewToad online if you don't have BeerSmith) which will give you their estimation of your ABV. There are a lot of online recipe calculators from what I've heard.

I'm a computer illiterate AND math-challenged, and not into all these fancy formulas, etc., so I would recommend BeerSmith for anyone - even computer illiterates like me - if your intent is to keep track of your brews and the recipes you may want to try out in the future!

 

[gregsatt]

Thanks. I'll look into BeerSmith. How do I read the number on the hydrometer? Is it .996?

Once again, sorry for the stupid questions for those more experienced...

from craftbeeracademy.com Click here!


Since you didn't do the OG, you might try putting the recipe into BeerSmith (OR [I think] BrewToad online if you don't have BeerSmith) which will give you their estimation of your ABV. There are a lot of online recipe calculators from what I've heard.

I'm a computer illiterate AND math-challenged, and not into all these fancy formulas, etc., so I would recommend BeerSmith for anyone - even computer illiterates like me - if your intent is to keep track of your brews and the recipes you may want to try out in the future!

 

[MT2sum]

Sorry, for some reason I can't see the photo ..... hopefully, someone else will come by and help you out!

 

[SHAIV]

I really hope someone else tries to simcoe dry hop their apfelwein. It's been a big hit with everyone who's tried it. I need to make more!

 

[thippe]

I really hope someone else tries to simcoe dry hop their apfelwein. It's been a big hit with everyone who's tried it. I need to make more!

i'll do it. probably wont be kegging mine for another month. you dry hopped 2 oz? how many days?

 

[SHAIV]

i'll do it. probably wont be kegging mine for another month. you dry hopped 2 oz? how many days?

Yes I used two oz of simcoe. I want to try citra next. I let the primary go for 4 weeks as suggested then added the hops in primary for a week then racked to the keg. Oh man it's good

Edit. I also cold crashed it for about 2 days before kegging. That also helped the hops to sink so they didn't go in the keg.

 

[domingo3]

If its not pasteurized you might hit it with camden tablets. It will work. Every time I used canned juice I got an infection after few months, but it was not pasteurized.

I used the canned concentrate in place of corn sugar.

I know this is from a long time ago. I'm up to about pg 550 and didn't see any other discussion of this. If you remember, can you describe more what your process was when you got infection with canned juice? Do you mean juice in a metal can, or frozen concentrated juice?

I'm about to do a small batch with pasteurized juice and a can of frozen concentrate to compare to the same juice with the equivalent amount of sugar. Other people mentioned doing it, but I hadn't read of any other problems.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I know this is from a long time ago. I'm up to about pg 550 and didn't see any other discussion of this. If you remember, can you describe more what your process was when you got infection with canned juice? Do you mean juice in a metal can, or frozen concentrated juice?

I'm about to do a small batch with pasteurized juice and a can of frozen concentrate to compare to the same juice with the equivalent amount of sugar. Other people mentioned doing it, but I hadn't read of any other problems.

I was using frozen concentrate. The type in a cardboard can. Strawberry and Raspberry if I recall correctly. I think I made a batch of cider, let it ferment out, then split it into two 2.5 gallon batches and added thawed concentrate and let it go for another month. Every bottle was a gusher. Was rather disappointing.

If I was to do this again I'd use Oregon Canned Fruit Products

 

[MT2sum]

I know this is from a long time ago. I'm up to about pg 550 and didn't see any other discussion of this. If you remember, can you describe more what your process was when you got infection with canned juice? Do you mean juice in a metal can, or frozen concentrated juice?

I'm about to do a small batch with pasteurized juice and a can of frozen concentrate to compare to the same juice with the equivalent amount of sugar. Other people mentioned doing it, but I hadn't read of any other problems.

I believe if you look at 'Pappers' thread "Pappers Easy Stove-Top Pasteurizing -with pics" IIRC, there was some discussion of first pasteurizing, and then (once the yeast has been 'put out of commission') you could back-sweeten with the concentrate ---- IMO, without pasteurizing, there might/would be enough yeast left in the must (just like that which is available for priming if you want your beer/wine/cider carbonated), that the amount of sugars in the concentrate would over-prime causing the gushers Schlenkerla experienced - (Personally, I think he lucked out just having gushers, I'd be thinking bottle bombs with that much sugar content). You've got to kill off the yeast before back-sweetening, I believe! Myself, I did not attempt to pasteurize, back-sweeten, or create a 'sparkling' cider. To do that you would have to put a specifically measured amount of priming sugars, rather than just dump a whole can of concentrate in. Depending on your wishes for the end-result, you might PM Pappers if you don't find your answer in any of the threads.

Now I may be wrong on all this, since I'm an old codger (SWMBO says 'old goat' since I used to be a goat farmer), and have memory lapses sometimes - as always, RTM - and that would be threads concerning pasteurizing and back-sweetening - the Search function can usually be your friend ;>) ...... it's JMHO!

 

[domingo3]

Thanks, Schlenkerla, I put the concentrate in the same time I pitched the yeast. Hopefully that means the yeast will beat out any potential competitors.

May I ask why you waited for a month to add the concentrate, and if you think the timing was a factor in the infection?

 

[stever1000]

Brewed another batch today just as the original recipe.
Kegging my batch today from March 2 - 7 weeks is enough for me this time...I can't wait any longer!!

 

[Drumhogg]

I have a batch that I started on 2-2-17....I'm sure it's still fermenting, I know the room it's in is a little cold 60 - 70 F. I followed the recipe listed.... at what point should I bottle? It has cleared but there are still carb bubbles coming to the surface.

 

[morbster]

I have a batch that I started on 2-2-17....I'm sure it's still fermenting, I know the room it's in is a little cold 60 - 70 F. I followed the recipe listed.... at what point should I bottle? It has cleared but there are still carb bubbles coming to the surface.

How are you sure it's still fermenting? It's been in the fermenter nearly 3 months. The carb bubbles don't necessarily indicate fermentation is ongoing.

My suggestion is to take a gravity reading and bottle if it's finished. If you don't want to measure the gravity, then my suggestion is to bottle anyway. Let it age the next couple months in the bottles.

 

[friskytriscuit]

Hi all,

I recently purchased a 2.5 gallon glass barrel for making kombucha - it looks like this https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ce/2a/29/ce2a29aa7ca5a2e9d03c2c778e13a515.jpg

It came with a screw-on metal cap, but it doesn't fit on it very well. I am interested in using it to make a 2 gallon batch of cider. Any ideas of a cap or lid I could buy somewhere that might fit something like this?

 

[MT2sum]

Hi all,

I recently purchased a 2.5 gallon glass barrel for making kombucha - it looks like this https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ce/2a/29/ce2a29aa7ca5a2e9d03c2c778e13a515.jpg

It came with a screw-on metal cap, but it doesn't fit on it very well. I am interested in using it to make a 2 gallon batch of cider. Any ideas of a cap or lid I could buy somewhere that might fit something like this?

I bought that same exact jug for 1/2 gallon brews. We ended up going to Costco, bought a plastic jug of Animal Crackers, and used the plastic lid from that, which fits much better than the metal one that comes with the glass jug ..... we put the metal lid onto the animal crackers and gave them to the grandchildren (a 2-fer .... gift of cookies for the kids, and we switched the caps and they didn't even notice!) - this was a couple of years ago, so I don't know if Costco still sells them, but it might be worth your time to take a measuring tape along and see if you can find the animal crackers and then check out the size of the lid on them.
Other than that, it was suggested to me to wrap the top threads of the jug with tape to make that crummy metal lid fit better - I couldn't get a good seal even then (not counting the sticky mess on the jug) ..... but I was able to get a pretty good seal using saran wrap wound around a few times ..... too much hassle - just look for that plastic lid from the animal crackers in Costco, and if they sell them, Sam's club, Wally World, or some other big store. the cracker jug is about the size of a gallon or a gallon and a half, just to let you know what you're looking for. HTHs

 

[SHAIV]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1494025798.662317.jpg
5.5 gallons apfelwein with 3 oz simcoe dry hopped in primary after 4 weeks. Got another batch going and I got 2 oz citra for it in three more weeks

 

[friskytriscuit]

Love Simcoe! Citra is great for dryhopping cider too - I have done 4 small (1 gallon) batches dryhopped with Citra. Delicious

 

[SHAIV]

Good to know. I thought it would be. I've dry hopped a gallon with some homegrown cascade and bottled it still but it was still pretty good. I also did a gallon with some leftover cluster from a stout my buddy brewed and it wasn't that great not bad but just not flavorful. Now that I have a keg I keg 5 gallon batches. I love it carbed. I did 2 oz simcoe last time and it was awesome but I tried 3 oz this time

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

2 months since I bottled this stuff. To be honest, the first few bottles were pretty funky. But week by week, it's getting better. And it's getting more appley. Almost ready to start offering it to other people.

 

[detlion1643]

I just put together another batch of this tonight. I can't take an initial gravity reading as it's already put together in the carboy and I have nothing that can pull a small portion out. I opted to take a venture down the apple pie direction as I really like an apple pie moonshine that is made locally (I just want it less strong/abv).

So, here is what I pitched tonight:
- 1 packet montrachet
- 2 lbs white sugar
- 5 tsp's apple pie spice
- enough apple juice to fill to the neck of carboy (it had 1.05 gravity)

The plan is to let it ferment until done (under 1.000) and then use sorbate and finally backsweeten. I'll probably just start simple and backsweeten with sugar alone on this batch. I'll test backsweetening with concentrate next batch. The initial smell though is very nice!

Edit: Be very careful when using the apple pie spice. I've never seen montrachet act like this before. Everything you see inside and outside of the airlock becomes a long sticky string like substance. Cleaned it up, pushed down the cap and mixed it up, and reattached the airlock. This happened before 24 hours.

Edit again: I have now cleaned the airlock 7 times within 12 hours and it finally appears to have slowed down (the overflow part at least).

 

[detlion1643]

I was finally able to take a reading tonight. It's reading just over 1.03 so it's almost there. I've only taken the airlock off a few times to shake and aerate since pitching. It seems like it's taking longer than it really is. It tastes ok, like sweet apple currently. I can't really taste any apple pie flavoring...