Man, I love Apfelwein

[Kayos]

I know nothing of lactose. It was mentioned to add a pound at bottling. Can I pour it back into a carboy, add lactose, (or dextrose) mix it up and bottle again?

Betchya can't tell I'm a noob that doesn't follow directions very well, can ya

Dexdtrose will ferment into alcohol. Lactose will not ferment, just sweeten. Make sure you use the right one.

 

[Orpheus]

Let me first state that I'm not usually in this big a hurry, and I know better.

But, this thing's been fermenting going on 7-8 weeks soon. I've tasted it and it's fantastic! It is very clear (see through) and yet it is still bubbling.

I like the taste now and know it's close to done. Be nice, really nice, to have it on tap for St. Patty's day this weekend.

If.. if I decided to just go ahead and keg it tonight, is there anything I should worry about?

 

[sirsloop]

naw man... keg it up. If anything you'll stall fermentation and keep the sweetness where you like it.

 

[EdWort]

If.. if I decided to just go ahead and keg it tonight, is there anything I should worry about?

Yeah, LOTS to worry about....like you lying on the floor under your fermenter with the racking hose stuck in your mouth enjoying this fabulous libation till you pass out and drown...Be very careful. :cross:

 

[MikeRLynch]

I been there man. No worries, it's surviveable...

btw, I just popped a bottle of apfelwein from two months ago...bliss. Everything balanced out nicely, and was bloody refreshing cold. It was still, which wasn't all that bad, but once I figure out how to carb without a keg system (i.e. in bottles w/ sugar) I'll give that a whirl.

i've said it before, but props ed, you've opened my eyes to all things fermentable...

mike

 

[Schlenkerla]

Ed - I'm in the same boat as Orpheus. Mine is at 9 weeks, clear and still bubbling...

.......If my stuff is 1.000 or less should I bottle?

MLynchLtd - Did you try carbing or did you go the still route? I'm contemplating whether I should prime along with my other pack of Monty.

 

[EdWort]

.......If my stuff is 1.000 or less should I bottle?.

Yeah, go ahead. I have one from Jan. 16th that is still bubbling. I'll keg that one this weekend. That'll be two months old.

At 4 weeks, it's drinkable, but with patience, it just gets better. That why you need multiple carboys. Multiple carboys = increased patience ability. :cross:

 

[BoxerDog]

What is the average Carb time on Apfelwein?


Will there be any taste issues if I break into it a little early, its been carbing for about 8 days.

 

[EdWort]

I carb mine for a week at 12 psi. I have not bottle conditioned it, though loads of other folks have. They'll chime in here soon.

I've always waited 4 weeks before tasting, but go ahead, try some and let us know.

 

[Schlenkerla]

What is the average Carb time on Apfelwein?


Will there be any taste issues if I break into it a little early, its been carbing for about 8 days.

I've heard 3 weeks. The taste issue is if you break into it early there's nothing left to taste when it should be fully carbed!!!

 

[ColoradoXJ13]

Mine doesn't seem to be clearing.

I 'brewed' it 6.5 weeks ago, and heated about 1/2 gallon of the apple juice to dissolve 2lbs of dextrose and 1lb honey, I may have boiled, can't remember. I am afraid that I may have set the pectins and that is causing the cloudiness. It stopped fermenting about 2 weeks ago, and has cleared a little, but not to the extent I would have expected.

SG is 1.002, and it tasted like apple champagne. Should I bottle this weekend?

I am planning on bottling a few 22oz'ers w/out priming, then priming, and bottling about 2 gallons worth of bottles, then back sweetening with lactose for the last 2 gallons to figure out which I like best for future batches.

 

[EdWort]

If you used Montrachet yeast, the only variables are the honey and that you heated some. I don't know if honey is 100% fermentable, but if it is not, then go ahead and bottle if you want. Letting it sit in the carboy longer won't hurt it either. I have some going on 2 months, but I'll keg those this weekend.

 

[MikeRLynch]

Honey takes a while to clear, mead is infamous for that. You can try to cold stabilize and rack off the sediment, but I personally have found that only a hell of a lot of time makes honey clear. Also beware of renewed ferments. My honey-pom wine is hella carbonated now, though it was still when I bottled it. Thank god for swingtops, they sound like a gun going off when I pop them to relieve pressure.

mike

 

[Schlenkerla]

Honey takes a while to clear, mead is infamous for that. You can try to cold stabilize and rack off the sediment, but I personally have found that only a hell of a lot of time makes honey clear. Also beware of renewed ferments. My honey-pom wine is hella carbonated now, though it was still when I bottled it. Thank god for swingtops, they sound like a gun going off when I pop them to relieve pressure.

mike

I'm glad you said that. I made a honey blueberry beer that took almost 6-7 months to clear. It was never super clear.

I never thought it was the honey, I was thinking it was the fruit. hmmm.

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

Man oh man what a day... we celebrated St. Patrick's Day yesterday instead of today... after drinking... well alot of beer, i thought eh how about some apfelwein... Would have been fine, but i poured a liter of it and drank it all... Whatever you do, DON'T mix wine with beer, and DON'T drink a liter of it... Talk about a ****ty hangover...

 

[Schlenkerla]

Man oh man what a day... we celebrated St. Patrick's Day yesterday instead of today... after drinking... well alot of beer, i thought eh how about some apfelwein... Would have been fine, but i poured a liter of it and drank it all... Whatever you do, DON'T mix wine with beer, and DON'T drink a liter of it... Talk about a ****ty hangover...

I would say a liter of Apfelwein is enough to get you feeling less than 100% on the next day.

12oz beer @ 3.8%ABV = .46 oz of alcohol

32oz Apfelwein @ 8.5%ABV = 2.72 oz alcohol

2.72/4.6= 5.9​

Therefore one liter of apfelwein is equivalent of 6 beers. So add this to whatever you drank beer-wise.

My recomendation....chug some water and grab another liter of Apfelwein.

 

[dmiller038]

Well, my first batch, following the recipe to the T, turned out great But I'm thinking of adding a little sweetness for the next batch. I'm thinking 2 pounds of corn sugar again for the alcohol boost, plus a pound of lactose for sweetening. Sound good? Also, can I just add the lactose along with the rest of the ingredients at the beginning, since it doesn't ferment? Thanks!

 

[EdWort]

My recomendation....chug some water and grab another liter of Apfelwein.

Yeah Baby!!

 

[Reidman]

This is one of those recipes that just begs to be tried by newbies like myself.
Seems pretty easy and I have 2 empty carboys which I believe is considered a sin in the homebrew world isn't it...

I think I'll give this a try this week...

 

[Orpheus]

Had some guests over last night to celebrate. We got into the Apfelwein.

I called it cider, as I figured who the hell would know what apfelwein is anyways.

A couple pints in, this guy says, "Man this tastes just like this stuff I used to drink when I was stationed in Germany.. Apfelwein."

I laughed my ass off.

 

[EdWort]

A couple pints in, this guy says, "Man this tastes just like this stuff I used to drink when I was stationed in Germany.. Apfelwein."

There ya go. Independent Validation! Sounds like you had a great time!

 

[Schlenkerla]

I'm at the start of week 11. It measured at 1.004, so I'm gonna let sit for another week. My temp is now been at 60'F for a couple weeks, up from the mid 50's.

The taste was a little different than I expected. It had a subtle apple-beer like taste. I think some aging would help with that though. Kind of dry but not too dry like a batch I tasted made w/WL-775 Cider yeast. Not bad in my opinion, alcohol was pretty much undetectable.

SWMBO thought it was gross, but managed to get her to take two sips.

Getting her to drink three glasses now would require full body restraints. -

I'm guessin' I be using that 1-lb bag of lactose I bought this weekend.

Question: Has anybody noticed a flavor change after being fully carbed and chilled?

My other ciders have improved slightly with age, but they were cloudy when bottled. This stuff is pretty clear right now.

 

[EdWort]

Question: Has anybody noticed a flavor change after being fully carbed and chilled?

Yeah, it tastes much better and disappears at a much higher rate. :cross:

All ciders can benefit from aging and this one does as well. It's kinda neat being able to drink it 5 weeks after starting, but if you have a few carboys laying around empty, it does not take much to keep an eye on the airlock once a week after fermentation is done.

BTW, I SWMBO just compared an imported UK cider called Dry Blackthorn Cider. No comparison. Mine won hands down. The Blackthorn was not very dry.

 

[BierMuncher]

Well, my first batch, following the recipe to the T, turned out great But I'm thinking of adding a little sweetness for the next batch. I'm thinking 2 pounds of corn sugar again for the alcohol boost, plus a pound of lactose for sweetening. Sound good? Also, can I just add the lactose along with the rest of the ingredients at the beginning, since it doesn't ferment? Thanks!

FWIW - I added Splenda and it did nice job of sweetening it up without the slight "thickening" I sometimes get with Lactose.

 

[butler1850]

FWIW - I added Splenda and it did nice job of sweetening it up without the slight "thickening" I sometimes get with Lactose.

How much for a 5gal batch?

 

[ColoradoXJ13]

How much for a 5gal batch?

x2, I am lactose intolerant, and I don't think my LHBS sells lactose.

 

[Preliator]

well EdWort all i can say is thanks again......the first batch was a huge hit.....pushed me to make a second.....and 3rd and 4th just got the stoppers and airlocks.....cant keep the stuff around. soon as the boys get a whiff i made a batch they seem to flock over to help with whatever project i got going on.....lol.....4th batch was a thank you to my cousins who helped me move last week.....
20 gallons and going strong
anthony

 

[EdWort]

well EdWort all i can say is thanks again......the first batch was a huge hit.....pushed me to make a second.....and 3rd and 4th just got the stoppers and airlocks.....cant keep the stuff around. soon as the boys get a whiff i made a batch they seem to flock over to help with whatever project i got going on.....lol.....4th batch was a thank you to my cousins who helped me move last week.....
20 gallons and going strong
anthony

You're quite welcome! I just put a new keg in the kegerator this morning. I had to defrost the sucker (I hate that about my Haier kegerator, but I love my triple tapper).

It's such a favorite, I'll always have it on tap. Key is to have several carboys going so you don't ever run out. Seems like you have that down pat!

Prost!

 

[joebou4860]

I plan on bottling this in 2 weeks. But I am going to run into a slight problem. I am short on bottles. SWMBO insists that buying a kegging system is NOT and I repeat NOT the way to solve this problem. IIRC in the hard lemonade thread there was talk about soda bottles. Is this a viable container for Apfelwein?

 

[EdWort]

I had to bottle, I would use these 1 Liter plop tops. You'd only need 20 for a 5 gallon batch or so.