Man, I love Apfelwein

Williams 728
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I tried my apfelwein right out of the carboy on day 45. It is delicious. I love the dryness - I'm really glad it doesn't have a strong apple flavor. It's perfect. My question -

Should I carb it or not?
 
I prefer it carbed. This latest batch is in the keezer, 30 hours of 30lbs of pressure, and then backed down to 10lbs for two days. Damn tasty.

I'm guessing that the Montrachet yeast was the biggest improvement over my batch two, which featured premier curvee (the lady at the LHBS recommended it to me). This is better at it's current age (6 weeks from start) than the prior batch (PC yeast) at a year in the bottle.

First batch isn't spoken of.
 
I could be in trouble. I started up my apfelwein on Wednesday. Thursday evening it was bubbling away and I was all proud of my new baby and asked my wife if she wanted to see it. I opened the door to show her and she recoiled back saying "Oh my GOD! It STINKS!!!" and wouldn't go close.

Now, there were NO rhino farts! No trace of sulfer! I thought it smelled wonderful! All yeasty and appley and good. I don't know what she's going to do when I brew up something that really DOES stink!
 
planenut said:
Ok, My apfelwein is in the primary as of 9/19 @ 6pm.

Do I cover it to keep light out like my beer?
Click to expand...

You dont have to keep the light out of it because there are no hops in it. The hops are what need to be kept in the dark to avoid the skunk flavor. If you look at Ed's first post, that is how he stores them.
 
So disheartening. Mixed up my apfelwein on Wednesday evening. Thursday it was bubbling along slowly. Friday morning I was getting even more satisfying bubbles. Friday night... it's still. This morning... still no activity. Temps are low 70's so I know it's not too cold.

Don't worry. I'm going to leave it alone for now. Just makes me sigh when I check on it now.
 
JacktheKnife said:
Thanks 'Truck',

'Boone's Farm' apple wine definately did not taste bad,
especially back then.
But better flavor, and with more alcohol,
thats just what I wanted to know.
Yup, I'll get me 4 new 5 gallon carbouys
and devote them all to apfelwein.

I think I am onto a new thing here.


J. Knife
Click to expand...


Hey Jack!

Nice to see you 'round again. I just made my first 5 gallons over the summer. The sample after 2 months in the carboy was quite dry for my likeing, but tastey nontheless. I "backsweetened" at bottling with 1 lb of lactose. I just added the lactose to the priming solution I made up to carb the bottles. I couldn't wait for the carbonation to take place and cracked open a bottle last Friday after it was chilled. Split the bottle with SWMBO and we were both quite amazed at result. You will not be disappointed if you can backsweeten with some sort of unfermentable.

Loop
 
could you imagine if this was one long running hoax. that as soon as someone posted that they started the fermentation process that they got a pm saying "Sorry you've been punked".

that wood be too funny after almost 4000 posts. but gr8 for the apple industry.

i'm just saying what if? mine is done bubbling and it smells gr8, can't wait to carb & enjoy.

ok, i'm waiting for my PM :eek:

:cross::confused::p
 
Just kegged my first 5 gallons of Apfelwein last night, and it's currently carbing! :rockin: I think I'll have a sneak preview of it this evening...:D:drunk:
 
Maybe it has been discussed, but what about using apple cider insted of the apple juice? It is that time of year that I can get cider easily.

Thanks
jay8s
 
jay8s said:
Maybe it has been discussed, but what about using apple cider insted of the apple juice? It is that time of year that I can get cider easily.

Thanks
jay8s
Click to expand...

You can use fresh pressed cider. Some orchards still put preservatives in it so be careful. Use Campden so the Montrachet doesn't have to compete with wild yeasts. Based on the experiences in this thread, it will never clear up.
 
I started my Apfelwein on September 9th. Today I took a gravity reading. It started out at 1.050 and is now at 1.010. It's looking like fermentation has all but stopped. I'm going to let it sit for another 3 weeks at least before I bottle.

That said, I refridgerated the little bit I took off for the gravity reading and just drank it ice cold. Tastes great already!

Thanks Ed for this easy recipe that a noob like me can easily make!
 
I love apfelwein. I've had to purchase another carboy just to keep some on hand as my wife loves it too!
 
Waiting got to be too much for me so I took a hydrometer reading. It's doing good. Then I drank the sample. OMFG! It's only 6 days old and it's already good! Still a bit sweet, but it warmed my belly a little.
 
This thread is unreal - I made a version of this wonderful beverage in December of 2006. I am starting two new 5 gallon batches tomorrow. I am usuing Wyeast #4021 Champagne Wine Yeast - but other than that sticking to the recipe. I will prime both batches to have sparkling Apfelwein. Can't wait - this stuff rocks. It will be ready by Thanksgiving. :tank:
 
I'm new to these threads and to serious homebrewing (dabbled with Mr. Beer previously, but that's another thread...).

I have a batch of beer in a secondary and after spending serious time browsing these forums, got the idea to make cider using the Mr. Beer equipment gathering dust in the closet.

I used 5 gals of apple cider (pasteurized) and added 3 lbs of clover honey. Some cider yeast from my newly found LHBS (Maryland homebrew) and it's quietly fermenting away in the 2 Mr. Beer kegs.

I have a couple questions though. Since apple cider (as opposed to juice) is unfiltered and thus cloudy, will racking to a secondary help clarify it? Or is this something that will just be cloudy?
Is there any additional benefit to racking to a secondary? (any benefit would be helpful, as it will give me an excuse to go buy another carboy :)
Is there anything I should be concerned with regarding leaving the cider in the Mr. Beer kegs for a month or so?

I just want to say that I'm a rather green homebrewer and you guys on this forum have already proven to be a trove of information/advice. So thanks.
 
starting mine tonight. any suggestions for bottling?? I don't have a bunch of beer bottles, cant use wine bottles? I dunno. what are other people using for this? I want to make it carbed, but at the same time I might not for simplicity sake. I might even go half and half on it. I am going to pick up 2 carboys tonight so that I can make two things at once. right now I have a el-cheapo wine kit going (first time)


oh and can clear bottles be used? or is that a bad idea??
 
199q said:
oh and can clear bottles be used? or is that a bad idea??
Click to expand...

Don't see why not, light shouldn't cause any problems (the juice was exposed to light with no ill effects for who knows how long). Just make sure you clean them out well if you're re-using plastic.
 
199q said:
starting mine tonight. any suggestions for bottling?? I don't have a bunch of beer bottles, cant use wine bottles? I dunno. what are other people using for this? I want to make it carbed, but at the same time I might not for simplicity sake. I might even go half and half on it. I am going to pick up 2 carboys tonight so that I can make two things at once. right now I have a el-cheapo wine kit going (first time)


oh and can clear bottles be used? or is that a bad idea??
Click to expand...


This is only my first batch, but here's what I'm planning. Von's has 1-liter Arrowhead sparkling water at 10 for $10. I picked up 20 bottles. Because it's carbonated, you know the bottles can handle the pressure, vs. using water bottles -- some of which seem too thin to hold much pressure. I also liked the shape of these bottles; kind of like a big beer bottle, instead of looking like a soda bottle, though I'm not sure if that reduces the ghetto factor because it doesn't look like a reused soda bottle, or increases the ghetto factor because it almost looks like a 40. I think, as long as I pour it into glasses it reduces it. Between SWMBO and me, we shouldn't have a problem drinking a liter at a time, and if we do, I don't see a problem with capping it and saving it for the next day. Using 1-liters, that's only 18 or so bottles per batch instead of 50 or so with 12oz bottles. The .5 liter bottles look nice too. Almost like a tiny champagne bottle. I've tested the 1 liter bottles to 70psi. Don't want to go much more than that, especially after I realized that the valve stem on my homemade carbonator cap says 60psi max.:eek: BTW the homemade carbonator cap is extremely simple to make, and works flawlessly.

It should be simple enough to bottle carb. Just need a bottling bucket and some corn sugar. Dissolve, mix, bottle, wait 3+ weeks.

Clear bottles are fine. They're a problem for beer because of the hops.
 
icso said:
This is only my first batch, but here's what I'm planning. Von's has 1-liter Arrowhead sparkling water at 10 for $10. I picked up 20 bottles. Because it's carbonated, you know the bottles can handle the pressure, vs. using water bottles -- some of which seem too thin to hold much pressure. I also liked the shape of these bottles; kind of like a big beer bottle, instead of looking like a soda bottle, though I'm not sure if that reduces the ghetto factor because it doesn't look like a reused soda bottle, or increases the ghetto factor because it almost looks like a 40. I think, as long as I pour it into glasses it reduces it. Between SWMBO and me, we shouldn't have a problem drinking a liter at a time, and if we do, I don't see a problem with capping it and saving it for the next day. Using 1-liters, that's only 18 or so bottles per batch instead of 50 or so with 12oz bottles. The .5 liter bottles look nice too. Almost like a tiny champagne bottle. I've tested the 1 liter bottles to 70psi. Don't want to go much more than that, especially after I realized that the valve stem on my homemade carbonator cap says 60psi max.:eek: BTW the homemade carbonator cap is extremely simple to make, and works flawlessly.

It should be simple enough to bottle carb. Just need a bottling bucket and some corn sugar. Dissolve, mix, bottle, wait 3+ weeks.

Clear bottles are fine. They're a problem for beer because of the hops.
Click to expand...

sweeet!! I was thinking about using pellagrino bottles, they are sparkling water as well, with removable caps. not to worried about the ghetto factor, but I get what you are saying on this one. I will be using those bottles and at 750ml per bottle it wont be too many.

so if i bottle carbonate, I need to wait 3 weeks with this stuff?? not sure how to bottle carbonate because well I make wine! haha. but I am thinking that I would rack to a clean carboy that has 3/4 cup of sugar, then make sure its mixed up well, bottle and wait 3 weeks. (and probably start another batch too! haha) does that sound right? or can I jump the gun on the three weeks??
 
oh I almost forgot. I also added some cloves, cinnamon sticks, and a tiny bit of honey. and the sparking water idea for pellegrino is out. they cost more than just bottles at my LHBS and I would need to drink about 2 cases (I dont usually drink this stuff anyway!) to make it work. icso, might end up using your idea!
 
This is my first time making anything and I have a couple weeks to go until bottling so I searched the thread and found this link How to Brew - By John Palmer - Priming and Bottling recommended by Schlenkerla. You should boil the sugar first in a cup and a half of water.

To make it even simpler, use carb tabs. Pellets of sugar that you drop into each bottle.

Nothing wrong with opening before 3 weeks. It just won't be carbed as much.

95% of my knowledge comes from this thread and not experience, so anyone, feel free to correct me on anything.
 
sweet. october 22 thats when mine is all done! gotta try it all out! ill keep the carb ideas in my head, at this time I might or might not do it as of yet. it depends on the bottling of it.
 
I just used a gallon jug last night to calibrate my bottling bucket. So I think when I bottle mine, I'll put a bunch into wine bottles and then add sugar for whatever volume I have left and carb it in beer bottles.
 
Brutus Brewer said:
made a batch of apfelwein 11 days ago and just sampled some. It has a sour taste to it, is this normal?
Click to expand...

After 11 days it's going to taste bad.

Apfelwein is easy to make, but it takes more patience than beer does when it comes to drinkability.

I've never had a batch clear up before 8 weeks.
 
I dunno. I sampled mine after a week and thought it was pretty good. But then again, it might just be the proud papa syndrome going on. It's MY baby and it's PERFECT! :D
 
Just tried my first batch of Apfelwein:

5 gal white house apple juice
1 pound brown sugar
EC-1118 yeast

Primary 4 weeks, primed with 5oz dextrose, its been in the bottle for a week. Just chilled one down and gave it a try. Tastes pretty good and the clarity is spectacular.

Thanks EdWort for what will surely be a staple in my house from here on out. I can't wait to introduce it to friends next weekend.
 
Tossed my rendition in the bucket yesterday at about 2PM.

4 gallons of White House Apple Cider
1 gallon of White House Apple Juice
2lbs of dextrose
Montrachet yeast, thanks to <b>YooperBrew</b>

Stuff is going wild in the carboy right now.

2vnm8eq.jpg
 
Mine started clearing after 7 days. At 12 days it was completely clear. On Saturday (15 days) I pulled off a 1 gallon test sample. Finished at .998 (OG 1.066). SWMBO, my dad, and I finished it off that day. The stuff is so good already at only 2 weeks. Can't wait until two more weeks to see what it tastes like. I ended up bottling the rest of it yesterday so I could get my bb ready for the next batch this evening.

I added DAP and pitched 2 packages of Cote des Blancs. Also, temperatures were warm here in Southern California, when I first started it. It was around 78 degrees in the house. Fermometer was off the scale. Estimated around 80 to 82. When I sampled it at 7 days it was already at 1.010 but tasted like sour bananas. Completely different flavor a week later. Hopefully it lasts long enough now for the apple flavors to really come through.

The montrachet batch is still bubbling and hasn't begun clearing. Both batches had 6 cans of concentrate (6 gallon batch), and I cutback on the sugar to keep the OG close to 1.065.
 
This is proving to be a hard find for me

"1 five gram packet of Montrachet Wine Yeast"

2 local shops are all out and AustinHomeBrew says out of stock, backorder from mfg.

If anyone has a few packages they would be willing to sell, I would appreciate it. I am out of primaries but have a 5 gallon carboy I can dedicate.
 
You sure about AHB? I wanted to order today and they told me backorder and there is factory backorder.

Big Kahuna, there is plenty of Nottingham around here. I think I even have a few in the fridge.
 
My second batch is crystal clear and ready to go. Fermentation has stopped. Is it necessary to cold crash this before bottling?
 

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