Man, I love Apfelwein

[EdWort]

Really to dry for my liking but the wifey really likes it! Simply for the ease of this, it's definelty a winner!

Yeah, I know. But chill it, carb it if you can, then drink 3 glasses and tell me what you think then.

It takes a few glasses, but it's an aquired taste.

 

[ColoradoXJ13]

Yeah, I know. But chill it, carb it if you can, then drink 3 glasses and tell me what you think then.

It takes a few glasses, but it's an aquired taste.

You have said this so many times, I think it could probably taste like goat piss and I think I would still drink 3 pints of it

 

[newguy]

LOL @ Colorado.

Yeah Ed trust mate I had a few pints of it! It's just I'm not a dry wine fan. I found it to be more enjoyable with some sprite mixed in and some splenda. I didn't keg it this time around, I just bottled it off and left it el'natural Maybe next time I'll try carbing some bottles, or just kegging.

Damn I need more kegs! The only reason I didn't keg is I have a FT clone and a Hefe getting rdy to come up to the plate in a couple weeks.

I also think that I'm going to try and experiment with some different juices using this recipe.

Also any advise on a different yeast strain?

 

[lord byron]

hey newguy Cotes Des Blancs give it a try it is recommended for fruit wines. I made a batch with it as well as a batch with montrechet the cotes batch cleared faster and the airlock smelled like apples also it has lower alc tolerence so it will leave some residual sweetness in the wine depending on your starting gravity. My batches i made 6.25 gallons with 2 lbs of brown sugar and 1 lb of light brown sugar. Mine finished this thurs so i am planning on bottling it then so will post how it tastes then.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I think what the Lord said is right. (No pun intended.)

I read in several places that Cotes Des Blancs is good with apple.

http://www.cfhb.org/mead/yeast_strains.htm#mont

http://www.lesaffreyeastcorp.com/wineyeast/cote.html​

I think the non fermentable sugar route will work.

I think you can also hit with a camden tablet then add a sweetener. After that you have to force carbonate.

I have also read you can add a can of apple concentrate at the beginning of the batch. It must have some unfermentables. I think this would be the easiest. Got this out of In-Cider Section of "Brewing for Dummy's." They say it takes the puckery twang out of cider that most people find objectionable.

Like Ed said, you need to give it a chance first.

 

[dmiller038]

First of all, I'd like to say hello to everybody, I'm new here and I've chosen this recipe to be my first brew. Just made it tonight and that month-long wait is definitely going to suck.

Anyhow, I was wondering if 65 degrees is alright for fermentation? Or is it much better to go higher to, say, 70 or 75? Sorry if this was already asked, but I didn't have time to read all 76 pages.

 

[chillHayze]

Ed, I have a bone to pick with you.

This durn Apfelwein is too good! So far it has caused me a hangover on two separate occasions. :cross:

 

[BoxerDog]

I am making a batch today, I was wondering if I should pitch my yeast in a bowl with some warm water? I am using champagne yeast. thanks

 

[RichBrewer]

First of all, I'd like to say hello to everybody, I'm new here and I've chosen this recipe to be my first brew. Just made it tonight and that month-long wait is definitely going to suck.

Anyhow, I was wondering if 65 degrees is alright for fermentation? Or is it much better to go higher to, say, 70 or 75? Sorry if this was already asked, but I didn't have time to read all 76 pages.

Hey there and welcome!
This is a good way to learn fermentation.65 degrees is fine but it will ferment slower. At this point relax and let it ferment away.

 

[EdWort]

Ed, I have a bone to pick with you.

This durn Apfelwein is too good! So far it has caused me a hangover on two separate occasions.

I can happen, but I recommend drinking a liter of water and popping a B Complex vitamin before heading to bed. You'll wake up feeling better.

Then again, if you are waking up still tipsy, then you need to sleep longer. :cross:

 

[ColoradoXJ13]

Hey there and welcome!
This is a good way to learn fermentation.65 degrees is fine but it will ferment slower. At this point relax and let it ferment away.

mine is fermenting like gangbusters at 60*F...
the package said anywhere from 59-86 is fine...

 

[MidRex]

Still not clear after 2 months? Used a pack of KC finings and still no go after another 4 days. Could I have a pectin problem? If so, how to fix.

 

[the_bird]

You know, I hadn't had any of this in a while until last night...

This really is damn good stuff, Ed. I'm starting to come around to the taste. It's definately more wine-like than cider-ey. I'm still going to try it as close to your original recipe as possible, as soon as I see a deal on some better-quality apple juice, but even the $1.49/half gallon Stop & Shop juice made a damn nice wine.

 

[ill.literate]

It's much more wine-y than cidery, and I think that threw me off at first.

But I do like it now... might have some tonight actually

 

[EdWort]

It's much more wine-y than cidery, and I think that threw me off at first.

It is different than what most folks are anticipating. I'm glad it's growing on you.

 

[ill.literate]

Thanks again for sharing the recipe Ed

 

[BoxerDog]

You know, I hadn't had any of this in a while until last night...

This really is damn good stuff, Ed. I'm starting to come around to the taste. It's definately more wine-like than cider-ey. I'm still going to try it as close to your original recipe as possible, as soon as I see a deal on some better-quality apple juice, but even the $1.49/half gallon Stop & Shop juice made a damn nice wine.

Bird, I really miss stop and shops.....they dont have any in Texas.


Ed made 5 gallons today. Looking forward to opening the first bottle.

 

[Orpheus]

I still can't believe how active this fermentation is. Again, I've only ever done beer besides this one batch. It's been a steady stream of bubbles for the last 12 days straight.

 

[dibby33]

Had some straight out of the primary last night. Was just sitting in my cellar and it was beside me on the work bench with the tap staring me down saying open me up and have a pint. It has been there a month and is tasting very nice. will be better chilled me thinx.

 

[EdWort]

I still can't believe how active this fermentation is. Again, I've only ever done beer besides this one batch. It's been a steady stream of bubbles for the last 12 days straight.

Ya, it's got to make up 8.5% abv. That's hard work.

 

[Schlenkerla]

To those of you who asked about the low temps.

Montrachet will work at pretty low temps. Last week and this week my batch is cracking away at 53-57'F in the basement. Mostly 55'F. IMHO the low temp has not made much of a visual impact when looking at the air lock.

I'm on day 26 and its still cranking away full bore... similiar to a normal ale ferment. :rockin:

Day 1-3: Nothing, no activity

Day 4: Some bubbles, many really tiny ones floating up.

Day #5: It really took off, blew out my sanitzer in the lock and filled it with cider (I have a Sideways-S lock in place)

Days 6-21: The cider in the lock was suspended in the 2nd half of the lock.

Days 22-Now: Its now decended into the bottom of the trap, it still passes a bubble every 2 seconds.​

The only question is when will it stop??? I need to have it bottled & bubbly by 3/1

 

[olllllo]

The only question is when will it stop??? I need to have it bottled & bubbly by 3/1

You jinxed yourself.

 

[Schlenkerla]

You jinxed yourself.

Damn it!!! I have to stop doing that! :cross:

I've been watching the thing to closely. I think its like watching water boil. If you watch it will never boil. I this case I have to forget about it for now. Start another batch get primary #3 into action.

 

[Orpheus]

Ya, it's got to make up 8.5% abv. That's hard work.

Hehe..

To be honest, I had a 2.5 lb. jug of dextrose from the LHBS that I dumped in the carboy. I figured there was no need to waste a good .5 lb of dextrose.

 

[lord byron]

So bottled my Cotes des Blancs and my montrechet batches last night. Both were 6.25 gallon batches made with 2 lbs of dark brown sugar and 1 lb of light bron sugar. So when we were bottling we tried a little. First taste of the Cotes batch was awesome and we continued to drink a couple of glasses. We tried the montrechet batch and after drinking the cotes neither of us finished a glass. The montrechet batch tasted bland after drinking the cotes batch. It had a really good apple taste and was slightly sweet at the start of you sip but finishes crisp and slightly dry. If making it again i would definitly go with the Cotes. Also i still have to do edworts try 3 glasses then make your decision for the montrechet batch. Threw both batches into bottles and will try them in two weeks when carbed.

 

[EdWort]

Hehe..

To be honest, I had a 2.5 lb. jug of dextrose from the LHBS that I dumped in the carboy. I figured there was no need to waste a good .5 lb of dextrose.

SWEET! Nothing like a little kick. I did one once with 3 lbs. and folks LOVED it......till the next day. Big hangover. I found that 2 pounds adds enough kick without after effects if you drink some water before hitting the sack.

 

[werb]

Bottled my first 5 gallon batch of the sweet, sweet nectar last night; one that I started on December 30. I had three glasses left over and stuck them in the fridge. On my third now and have now joined in lock-step with the righteous men and women marching in celebration of Apfelwein.

I used the original recipe, thanks Edwort. Now the experimenting starts.

Has anyone tried adding applejuice, or any other flavor, concentrate?

:fro:

 

[Onescalerguy]

We also bottled our first batch of this stuff today,after 30 days in primary.Frankly,it's way drier and un-sweeter than i expected.We added 1 can of Apple Juice concentrate and almost a pound of lactose along with our priming sugar at bottling.Still dry and sour,but i'm not too big on wines anyway.SWMBO likes it better than me.So maybe after a few weeks in the bottle and some carbonation it might be better(to me).In all fairness though,i haven't given it the 3 glass test.I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Cheers

 

[werb]

I think a bit of it is about taste. I don't like sweet alcoholic drinks at all. Give me vodka, bourbon and gin on the rocks and I am happy. I like my coffee black and strong.

I have tried three or four commercial ciders in build up to the one I was fermenting and they are all too sweet for me. When I read about dryness of this one, I jumped at it. The dryness is perfect for me.

:fro:

 

[MikeRLynch]

I just killed about a 1/2 gallon of my latest batch of apfelwein last night, and after two broken glasses, a soaked shirt/pair of pants, and a hangover like the ones from my college days, i can safely say this is some awesome shtuff I used eds recipe with the dextrose, and found that i prefer his way to the brown sugar method i used last. The molassass contributed to some off flavors in the wine last time, and since this is a quick fix i didn't let it sit around to age. The dextrose contributed to a much cleaner, brighter taste. I was hooked on my apfelwein after only one and a half glasses, not the requisite three

stop and shop has 1/2 gal of apple juice for $1. I'm putting on my coat as i type...

mike