Man, I love Apfelwein

[Gambrinus]

Also is it OK to use a 6.5 carboy for 5 gallons, I have brew going to the 5 gallon this weekend. If not what would be the recipe for 6.5 gallons. Thanks for the help.

Keith

Yes... it's actually better in the sense that you won't make as much (if any) as a mess. The extra room gives your brew room to "grow".:rockin:

 

[BierMuncher]

I am going to brew this up this weekend. I am new to brewing and have my first beer in the secondary right now, bottling it tommorow. I would like to make a 5 gallon batch. When it's ready to bottle, no keg yet, I would like to make half original and half sweet and carbonated. How is the best way to to do this? Also is it OK to use a 6.5 carboy for 5 gallons, I have brew going to the 5 gallon this weekend. If not what would be the recipe for 6.5 gallons. Thanks for the help.

Keith

I always use my 6.5 gallon carboys as primaries. I sleep better at night knowing I won't have blow off. Stick with the 5 gallon recipe.

When you're ready to bottle, move the batch into your bottling bucket and bottle half. Then take about a 3/4 cup of water, add 1/2 cup of lactose (available at your HBS) along with about 1/3 cup of corn sugar and bring to boil. You can do all of this part before you begin the bottling process. Let the mix cool and stir gently into your last half of brew and continue bottling. Don't get any extra air into your mix by over stirring.

The corn sugar will help carbonate and the lactose...because it is not fermentable, will add a touch of sweet. If I were you, I would add the lactose seperately...taste and adjust...and then add the corn sugar.

 

[BierMuncher]

So I guess I had a blowoff. At least I think thats what it is. The foam from the top of the juice has gotten into the airlock and over the stopper. Here's some pictures:

Now what do I do?

And that is why I love my 6 1/2 gallon carboys.

I would clean it out once it settles down. Lower the risk of contamination.

 

[psujeep]

Thanks for the quick replies. Is the corn sugar and priming sugar that comes with beer kits the same? Can't wait to get taste this. I read the whole thread today at work, not very busy today.

 

[BierMuncher]

Thanks for the quick replies. Is the corn sugar and priming sugar that comes with beer kits the same? Can't wait to get taste this. I read the whole thread today at work, not very busy today.

Yes it is. The priming (corn) sugar won't give any sweetness though because the yeast will ferment it and convert it to CO2...thereby carbonating your brew.

That's why I would add the lactose and taste first...so as not to be fooled by the sweet taste of the corn sugar. Lactose does not ferment and will retain some sweetness.

 

[EdWort]

Several folks here have asked about starting a new batch on the old yeast cake for the Apfelwein. Why, when the yeast is only 79 cents? is the usual question.

Mainly it's because folks don't want to have to mess with cleaning a carboy and sanitizing it.

Well, before I left town, I kegged a batch and poured another 5 gallons & 2 lbs. of corn sugar on the lees. There's not a lot of yeast left over when you use Montrachet.

Anyway, I just checked in and SWMBO reports that the airlock is vigorous and she can smell the fermentation. Whoo Hooo. I asked her to put some more vodka in the airlock which she did. I'll mark this batch to check for any differences in flavor & body.

In any event, it made for a pretty quick batch. It's good to keep at least 10 gallons in reserve in case of a party. Once folks get past the 3 glass rule, it disappears pretty quick!

 

[Schlenkerla]

Ed - Have you ever figured out how many of your 1083 posts are from this thread? This thing has really grown since I found it after new years.

 

[EdWort]

Ed - Have you ever figured out how many of your 1083 posts are from this thread? This thing has really grown since I found it after new years.

Good question, but I have not bothered to count them. I'm sure there is a good percentage from answering questions here and posting updates to the thread.

It's kind of cool how it's taken off. I was making this recipe back in the mid 90's when I got back from living in Germany for 5 years. Folks enjoyed it back then too, but the Internet was in it's infancy and I was a CompuServe geek (logged on for the first time in 1981).

The Net has changed Home brewing in such a big way.

 

[Schlenkerla]

It won't be long before this thread has a 1000 by itself!!

 

[DNisich]

So the main two things that we are looking for to indicate that the fermentation is complete are: 1. The juice clears and 2. the bubbles stop, right? BTW Ed, I am in ATX also and have noticed that neither has occurred by 4 weeks.

Do the bubbles totally stop or just slow down a lot when this is done?

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

So the main two things that we are looking for to indicate that the fermentation is complete are: 1. The juice clears and 2. the bubbles stop, right? BTW Ed, I am in ATX also and have noticed that neither has occurred by 4 weeks.

Do the bubbles totally stop or just slow down a lot when this is done?

Totally stop... and it clears... ALOT!

 

[Schlenkerla]

So the main two things that we are looking for to indicate that the fermentation is complete are: 1. The juice clears and 2. the bubbles stop, right? BTW Ed, I am in ATX also and have noticed that neither has occurred by 4 weeks.

Do the bubbles totally stop or just slow down a lot when this is done?

Your fermentation temp is a big factor on how fast it gets done. Mine is still going and it will be 7 weeks tomorrow. The passing of bubbles thru the lock has slowed considerably though. At least 6 per minute. My basement is in the mid 50's

I imagine with where you're at it should be warmer. At least in the mid 60's.

 

[natefitz]

My Sam's club doesn't carry Tree Top and I have yet to find any other juice that is completely addative free. I'm thinking I will make juice from frozen concentrate and proceed with Ed's original recipe from there. Does anyone see any problems with this?
Thanks

 

[Branket]

Your fermentation temp is a big factor on how fast it gets done. Mine is still going and it will be 7 weeks tomorrow. The passing of bubbles thru the lock has slowed considerably though. At least 6 per minute. My basement is in the mid 50's

I imagine with where you're at it should be warmer. At least in the mid 60's.

Perhaps this is why I had a blow off, its about 72-74F in the room that I'm fermenting in. Should it be cooler?

 

[Schlenkerla]

Perhaps this is why I had a blow off, its about 72-74F in the room that I'm fermenting in. Should it be cooler?

I don't think so. I think its OK. Ed could tell you. I had a post awhile back with range. It was from the yeast maker. I'm thinking it was about page 40. I'll check.

See post 548 for the Mfg'r Comments on temps. 86'F is the highest...

 

[Schlenkerla]

My Sam's club doesn't carry Tree Top and I have yet to find any other juice that is completely addative free. I'm thinking I will make juice from frozen concentrate and proceed with Ed's original recipe from there. Does anyone see any problems with this?
Thanks

Nice to see another Iowan on the board!!! I bought my juice at the local Hyvee. They should have them in Ames. $2.50 a gal for Country Faire Cider or Juice. I found at least three brands to choose from w/o preservatives.

 

[EdWort]

Perhaps this is why I had a blow off, its about 72-74F in the room that I'm fermenting in. Should it be cooler?

Nope, that temp is fine as mine ferments in that range too depending on the outside temp. In the summer time, my brew bench is right about that temp.

 

[EdWort]

I'm thinking I will make juice from frozen concentrate and proceed with Ed's original recipe from there. Does anyone see any problems with this?

Shouldn't be a problem. Just be sure to let it come up to room temp before you add your yeast. If it's too cold, it'll never start. I made that mistake 12 years ago.

 

[EdWort]

So the main two things that we are looking for to indicate that the fermentation is complete are: 1. The juice clears and 2. the bubbles stop, right? BTW Ed, I am in ATX also and have noticed that neither has occurred by 4 weeks.

Do the bubbles totally stop or just slow down a lot when this is done?

Yeah, our cooler weather has impacted the fermentation time, especially if you turn the thermostat down when you go to bed at night.

As the other folks mention, it's done when it clears and stops bubbling. I still have two batches from Jan. 15 & 16. They've cleared, but you can still see tiny champagne bubbles running up the side. I'll keg one this weekend to make room for primary bucket fermentor for beer this Sunday.

 

[seyahmit]

I would appreciate it if anyone with some experience with the Cotes Des Blanc yeast could tell me how vigorous a fermentation I should expect. I need my 6 gal carboy for a beer I am brewing this weekend, so I made my Apfelwein in a 5 gal carboy with about 4.5 - 4.75 gallons of juice. The temp of the liquid is 58-60 and will hold that temp pretty steadily. Can I expect to see any krausen in my airlock?

 

[Matt Dunn]

Thinking of giving this a try. If I use cane sugar will it have more of a cider flavor?

Sorry I went back about 50 pages on this thread and found my answer.
Thanks and happy brewing

 

[knarfks]

I tried using Cotes Des Blanc yeast, it hasn't cleared yet, but you should have no problem at all with krausen, there is extremely little in fact, just a few bubbles, but no foam to speak of.

 

[seyahmit]

I tried using Cotes Des Blanc yeast, it hasn't cleared yet, but you should have no problem at all with krausen, there is extremely little in fact, just a few bubbles, but no foam to speak of.

Sounds great! Thanks for the info.

 

[BierMuncher]

I took a whiff tonight after 4 days and wow. No vinegar. No sulfur. No P....U....

Just a nice pure apple essence.

But what would you expect from something that looks like this?

 

[natefitz]

Nice to see another Iowan on the board!!! I bought my juice at the local Hyvee. They should have them in Ames. $2.50 a gal for Country Faire Cider or Juice. I found at least three brands to choose from w/o preservatives.

Sure enough, for some reason I assumed all the generic brands would have more preservatives so I passed right over them. Thanks for the tip! I just mixed up a batch. Hopefully when my girlfriend gets back in town, she'll agree that it makes a fine center-piece for the coffee table. Really ties the room together.

 

[EdWort]

I took a whiff tonight after 4 days and wow. No vinegar. No sulfur. No P....U....

Just a nice pure apple essence.

But what would you expect from something that looks like this?

Looking good! Now if we could only have a time machine to head out a few weeks into the future.

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

Looking good! Now if we could only have a time machine to head out a few weeks into the future.

I still got a week on mine till bottling... truth be told it's clear enough now, but i'm giving it that extra week to mass condition... then i gotta wait for it to condition in the bottle... man... i dunno if i can control myself...

 

[EdWort]

I still got a week on mine till bottling... truth be told it's clear enough now, but i'm giving it that extra week to mass condition... then i gotta wait for it to condition in the bottle... man... i dunno if i can control myself...

I understand, that's why I have multiple carboys going at the same time. :cross:

 

[uglygoat]

i made it today. i think i have six gallons and about 2.3 lbs of corn sugar and the dried yeast! w00t fastest brew ever

 

[Paperface]

Ed, looking at your sig, do you ever have time to brew anything else?