Man, I love Apfelwein

[RonRock]

OK after a little research. They are Muntons Carb Drops. And the lable says


"Muntons Carbonation Drops 250 TABS are made of a special blend of Dextrose, spray dried extract and heading powder. Place 4 tabs per 120z bottle for a normal - high carbonation level. Muntons Carbonation Drops amount can be varied to gain different levels of carbonation. We do not suggest going over 5 per 12 oz bottle, but hey it's your mess, try six if your adventurous."

So should be safe with 4. But I also read that the carb drops will leave white flakes in your beer, Apfelwein in this case. Yuck! Hope that don't happen.

 

[mmc1]

I made a batch of Eds Afpelwein today and after I got everthing mixed together and moved my carboy to the closet I noticed about 5 or 6 gnat sized insects floating on top. After checking everything I found that they were in my corn sugar not many just 3 or 4 in a 1lb bag. I really wouldn't worry if they had been boiled but now I'm afraid they might give my Afelwein an infection. What do you guys think?

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

Hmm. drop some campden (sulfite) into it and wait 24 hours then repitch. That's what you do when making wine from pressed fruit.

 

[ArcaneXor]

Just chiming in with my latest update on the Red Stone Meadery Nectar of the Hops-inspired dry-hopped version of my Honig-Apfelwein, taking it closer to the realm of a cyser. Accordingly, I doubled the amount of honey I usually add to 2 lbs per 2 gallons of juice, and used orange blossom instead of my usual clover. I dropped the brown sugar, but used the same old California Ale yeast/Koelsch yeast blend as usual. I cannot emphasize enough how wonderful this yeast blend is for making any variation of Apfelwein if you prefer a slightly less dry character that retains more apple notes in aroma and especially flavor than the original recipe.

It's almost four weeks old now and has been on the hops for one and a half weeks. It had yet to clear (it's taking unusually long with this batch). It obviously still tastes a bit green at this point, but it has developed enough to judge its characteristics quite confidently.

The aroma is dominated by the wonderfully floral notes of the honey, overwhelming the apple and hops notes entirely. The honey adds a sweet note to the flavor that is almost perfectly balanced by the tartness of the Apfelwein. The Cascade hops (I only added 0.2 oz for this 2-gallon batch) are barely perceptible at this point, adding perhaps just a hint of citrusy flavor that I expect will become slightly more assertive with another week or two of aging before bottling.
The overall impression is simply wonderful, but it is clear that this beverage is much more akin to a light mead than wine. If anything changes about these impressions after I bottle, I'll post another update. As this point, I'd probably boost the hops to 0.5 oz per 2 gallons of juice and leave everything else the same.

 

[EdWort]

I helped out a friend make some Apfelwein without spending a bunch of money. We just used the jugs that it came in. I picked up a couple of airlocks and #8 drilled stoppers. I then opened the jug of apfelwein and poured out about 8 ounces to make room for dextrose and foam. I added 1 cup of Dextrose, recapped and shook. After the foam died down, I took the cap off and added 1/2 packet of Montrachet Wine yeast and put on the stopper and airlock. It's a tight fit for a #8, but it worked.

Here they are at 24 hours from pitching.

And again at 48. They are going to town now.

This is a cheap way to get started.

 

[Saccharomyces]

I like Homer buckets for wine fermenters now. $3.97 plus tax with airtight lid. Drilled a 5/8" hole for an airlock on a #3 bung and a 3 piece airlock (about another $2). The wine gets stirred daily for the first 3-4 days then the lid gets tightened down and the airlocks filled. For secondaries (fermenting with added fruit here) I'm using apple juice bottles. I have gallon sized glass ones which take a #6 bung, though the plastic ones would certainly work too if you remember to relieve the pressure periodically...

Nice thing about winemaking is it is cheap AND easy. Even my dog could do it. Though I doubt she would sit or stay or walk on a leash for me anymore if she started ...

 

[Beau815]

very nice, ill have to show that to my cheap friend who wont buy any brewing equipment. Too bad we dont have tree top on the east coast. Wonder if its the same size opening and most common apple juice containers... looks like it.... either way them #8 stoppers look to get thicker and thicker so im sure they would work

 

[EdWort]

If I had to do it again, I would buy #7.5 drilled rubber stoppers.

 

[Korben]

Wow Ed... ingenious design there! Now, no one has a reason not to make some of this stuff. I will be bottling my first batch with (3068) this next Monday. Lil over 2 months in primary. I am just gonna dump 5 more gallons on the cake to make one a lil less dry for some of the lady friends.

 

[Beau815]

So Ed, I am going to bring my first batch to a camping trip June 12th. Its been in the fermenter since March 25th, about 2 weeks. I intend on leaving it in for 4 weeks as suggested and then bottling on April 25th. This would leave a month and a half to bottle condition. Now, would I be better off leaving it in the fermenter a couple more weeks (6 weeks) as I see alot of people doing? It would then be a shorter time in the bottle (one month) Or just bottle it after the 4 weeks and let it condition for a month and a half in the bottle? I know its kind of a weird question. Leave it in primary longer which cuts back on bottle conditioning time because I have a June 12ty deadline. Or bottle it up 4 weeks as originally planned.

 

[yaleforks]

Alright first post here. I read through the first 200 hundred pages and decided to make this wit SWMBOs blessing. I went out and bought a better beer bottle, star san, carboy cap, airlock, funnel, and all the ingrediants(Following the original recipe). But I am a little worried. I sanitized the bottle by using a small amount of star san and 1 gallon of distilled water and shook the hell out of it for 5 minutes. Then i turned it upside down and squeezed 85% percent of the foam out. I loaded the carboy and there was quite a bit off foam on top. Should this worry me? It has all dissapeered and i have been getting 1 bubble per second on the airlock for week. I know people say to rack beer onto the foam, but is it ok to load a carboy with foam still in it?

 

[dap325]

is it ok to load a carboy with foam still in it?

I've quickly learned to not fear the foam. Everything will be ok.

 

[yaleforks]

I've quickly learned to not fear the foam. Everything will be ok.

Awesome!!! Its only been 1 week and I cant wait to try this stuff. I also had a lot of fun making this with SWMBO and she wants me to pick up 2 more better bottles on the ride home!!

 

[TheCapn22]

It's been a month in the primary for me so far. What Final Gravity should I be aiming for? I'm holding steady at 1.005, should I wait a few more days and see if gets any lower?

Tasting the hydrometer readings have been great. I let my mother / father taste it, they loved it, my brother also liked it, but thought it'd be better backsweetened. Looking good so far.

 

[Beau815]

For the heck of it i sampled at 2 weeks. I bottled 2 of them. Most of the dark apple juice color is gone. It is more like a cloudy pee color now. Tastes pretty darn good too. Its actually gonna clear up like your first better bottle Ed? The one that was at one month in your 1st post? Its ALOT darker than mine. That looks like the apple juice before the ferment. Will mine get darker once it clears? My gravity is at 1.000 so looks like its done... just needs another few weeks to clear.

 

[BlindLemonLars]

For the heck of it i sampled at 2 weeks. I bottled 2 of them. Most of the dark apple juice color is gone. It is more like a cloudy pee color now. Tastes pretty darn good too. Its actually gonna clear up like your first better bottle Ed?

It will eventually get crystal clear, and will be substantially lighter in color than the original juice. I don't bottle or keg it until it has completely cleared, about 5-6 weeks.

 

[portlandbeergeek]

wine yeast is a trip. it'll go from scary cloudy to crystal clear very quickly. It's totally worth the wait, cuz wine yeast tastes like, well.....yeast. And so will your wine. Not plesant until the yeasties drop out.

 

[Korben]

i just noticed my almost finished 3068 apfelwein (gravity at 1.008) only has a very thin layer of yeast on the bottom. Is this normal for apfelwein. I am used to beer seeing a pretty large yeast cake. It is not really a yeast cake on the bottom just a film from what I can tell. Also, will there be enough here just to pour 5 more gallons of juice on top and let it go?

 

[TheCapn22]

Just finished bottling my first batch. Ran out of bottles at the end, so my bro and I poured off two glasses each. It's pretty damned good for being green. I can't wait for it to condition a bit, it should be amazing.


Definitely packs a punch, after two glasses I can feel it. I'll probably keep a carboy devoted to Apefelwein 100% of the time.

 

[Myrdhyn]

Got my first batch of Apfelwein going (and just got to add apfelwein to Firefox's dictionary) just now. I went with:

-5.25 Gallons of Member's Mark from Sam's Club (going with 5.25 leaves one 96oz bottle for SWMBO since she likes apple juice)
-32oz Dextrose
-5g packet of Montrachet

All inside a 6G Better Bottle happily tucked away in my closet. I can't wait to try this stuff, it'll be ready to drink right on the day I graduate from college if it takes 4 weeks.

 

[RandalG]

I'm about to bottle my first batch tomorrow after 7 weeks in the fermenter.My question is do I need to be careful not to aerate the apfelwein like I would wort when racking to the bottling bucket?

 

[JBooze]

Bottled my first gallon of Apfelwein lastnight. I took a taste and it tasted like an apple flavored wine. I could really taste the alcohol, and I even felt a little burn going down the throat. The OG was 1.070, but I was unable to take a FG. It fermented for 6 weeks. How long should I leave it in the bottles before I drink it?

I also have a gallon in the fermentor using Ale yeast. It's been in 6 weeks, but isn't as clear as the Apfelwein, so I was going to let it stay in a couple more weeks. I think it's going to be better than the Apfelwein, but we'll see.

To the post above me, you don't need to worry about aerating cider/apfelwein.

 

[RandalG]

^ Thanks. It seems a lot of people say after 6 months the apple flavor really comes out. If you can keep it around that long.

 

[Notnice]

damn mine is crystal clear now after close to a month. i may let it go for a few more weeks then bottle. damn the patience is killing me

 

[danorocks17]

I'm getting ready to bottle my first batch sometime this week. plus i just inhereted a dedicated apfelwein carboy, w00t!

 

[BlindLemonLars]

i just noticed my almost finished 3068 apfelwein (gravity at 1.008) only has a very thin layer of yeast on the bottom. Is this normal for apfelwein. I am used to beer seeing a pretty large yeast cake. It is not really a yeast cake on the bottom just a film from what I can tell.

Perfectly normal, it leaves just a thin layer of fine white silt. It's pretty much pure yeast, since you don't have all of the proteins and hot/cold break you get with beer.

I'm of the opinion that you could throw a new batch right onto the cake, although I've never tried it. When a fresh packet of yeast costs just 60 cents or so, it's hard to justify it. Let us know if you try though, I'm guessing it will take off fast and furious and probably finish a lot quicker.

 

[BPD]

when is Apfelwein best to drink when it is young or should it be aged in the bottles some. will be doing this as soon as the Muller Thurgau is in the secondary next week. will be pitching the apple juice onto the yeast cake from this.
Ben

 

[KatoBaggins]

I'm of the opinion that you could throw a new batch right onto the cake, although I've never tried it. When a fresh packet of yeast costs just 60 cents or so, it's hard to justify it. Let us know if you try though, I'm guessing it will take off fast and furious and probably finish a lot quicker.

Unfortunately, Wyeast 3068 is $7 a smack pack at my LHBS, which is a decent price. I can see wanting to go right on top of the yeast cake. I plan on yeast washing mine so I can used if for a wheat beer sometime down the road, as well as doing more apfelwein.

 

[Korben]

Perfectly normal, it leaves just a thin layer of fine white silt. It's pretty much pure yeast, since you don't have all of the proteins and hot/cold break you get with beer.

I'm of the opinion that you could throw a new batch right onto the cake, although I've never tried it. When a fresh packet of yeast costs just 60 cents or so, it's hard to justify it. Let us know if you try though, I'm guessing it will take off fast and furious and probably finish a lot quicker.

Unfortunately, Wyeast 3068 is $7 a smack pack at my LHBS, which is a decent price. I can see wanting to go right on top of the yeast cake. I plan on yeast washing mine so I can used if for a wheat beer sometime down the road, as well as doing more apfelwein.

yeah, My local HBS doesn't even have 3068 (i don't think so anyway) and the apple juice is cheap. I think it should be fine. I mean the worst thing that could happen is i take up a primary for two months and i am out 20 bucks for apple juice. The upside I would have 5 more gallons of a not as dry apfelwein for the ladies

 

[Beau815]

Does anyone else call this stuff apple feeny?