Man, I love Apfelwein
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KoedBrew
Well-Known Member
@Colestr8 - you could juice your own apples and make applewein or hard cider, just remember there will be a lot of contact with un-sanitized surfaces and many apple skins have yeast on them. If you buy them from the grocery store they have wax on them.
My suggestion would be to pasteurize the juice. Personally after I juice the apples I would bring them to either 160 F for like 5 minutes...that will kill any wild yeasties or other that could hurt your AW...you could also use Potassium Metabisulfate(sp?) that kills yeast but that could hurt the montrachet you add.
My suggestion would be to pasteurize the juice. Personally after I juice the apples I would bring them to either 160 F for like 5 minutes...that will kill any wild yeasties or other that could hurt your AW...you could also use Potassium Metabisulfate(sp?) that kills yeast but that could hurt the montrachet you add.
The only difference as I see it is the ABV. Most ciders range from about 4.5 - 7 ABV and wines are obviously higher. Cider will require less aging before it tastes good. Mine don't usually make it past the 3 month mark and I always have some bubbling away. You should read up on the cider forum!
My first apfelwein is 2 weeks old today. Took my first gravity reading (0.995) today since breaking my hydrometer while mixing this batch. the only deviation from the recipe was that I used Red Star Cote des blancs.
The taste was light and crisp with a clean finish but lacking body and complexity. I know that age will remedy some of this but:
I want to cold crash it now then bottle and pasteurize because i love it at its current ABV.
It is still cloudy. Can i add pectic enzyme right before cold crashing.
I'm also thinking about adding some tannin. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Cheers
Dusty
The taste was light and crisp with a clean finish but lacking body and complexity. I know that age will remedy some of this but:
I want to cold crash it now then bottle and pasteurize because i love it at its current ABV.
It is still cloudy. Can i add pectic enzyme right before cold crashing.
I'm also thinking about adding some tannin. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Cheers
Dusty
Dusty,
You are pretty close to the FG for your yeast so I don't think your ABV will increase much, and 2 weeks seems a little fast for mature Apfelwein. The consensus seems to be 4 weeks minimum. And as you said more time will certainly help you with both the cloudiness and the taste. Just let it sit for a while longer, if you can, and it will naturally clear and the apple finish will come back.
Waiting is the hardest part of the game. Just get another batch going ASAP or sooner
brpruett
Active Member
There is no difference between wine and hard cider. Despite the current trend for American wines to have a high ABV (14%+), many wines have had much lower ABV. German Rieslings frequently have an ABV rating of around 7%.
Hard cider is simply apple juice (also called apple cider, interchangeably) which has fermented and created alcohol. Wine is just another term for a simple fermentation of fruit juice. It isn't 'brewed' like beer nor is it distilled. When wine is distilled it creates 'brandy'.
Hard cider is simply apple juice (also called apple cider, interchangeably) which has fermented and created alcohol. Wine is just another term for a simple fermentation of fruit juice. It isn't 'brewed' like beer nor is it distilled. When wine is distilled it creates 'brandy'.
Dusty,
You are pretty close to the FG for your yeast so I don't think your ABV will increase much, and 2 weeks seems a little fast for mature Apfelwein. The consensus seems to be 4 weeks minimum. And as you said more time will certainly help you with both the cloudiness and the taste. Just let it sit for a while longer, if you can, and it will naturally clear and the apple finish will come back.
Waiting is the hardest part of the game. Just get another batch going ASAP or sooner
Thanks. i think i will just let it finish, and i really do need to get a new batch started.
dan09554
Well-Known Member
I was wondering if this could be made in a regular 6.5 gallon bucket fermenter? I don't have a carboy just yet and I was looking to get this going.
lwlampy
Well-Known Member
Can't wait to try it out!
Of course you can use a bucket fermenter. The only difference is it's harder to tell when the cider has cleared because you can't see through it, unless your superman.
Just give it plenty of time to clear (2-3 months) and your good to go.
dan09554
Well-Known Member
Thank you, Doctor.
Bottled my apfelwein on Friday night. Carb'd half the batch and sweetened the other half with wine conditioner.
Drinking a bottle of the sweetened now. Yummm
Can't wait til the unsweetened carb'd stuff is ready to go. Only been about 8 weeks since pitching so it can only get better from here 
Drinking a bottle of the sweetened now. Yummm
Can't wait til the unsweetened carb'd stuff is ready to go. Only been about 8 weeks since pitching so it can only get better from here 
thadeus_d3
Well-Known Member
I carbed my first ever batch of apfelwein with 6oz dextrose on Tuesday, March 29th. I have very little airlock activity (once every 2 mins) and there are no bubbles yet. I have quite a bit of headspace in the 6 gallon carboy if that matters. Should I top the carboy with water or just be patient? This is the first wine I've ever made, so I just want to do it right. TIA!
Hey man, hate to break it to you, but you don't carbonate in the fermenter. You transfer the beer to a bottling bucket, add dextrose, then transfer to bottles. That way pressure will build up inside the bottles.
By adding dextrose in the fermenter, you've just increased the gravity a little bit.
chemman14
Well-Known Member
Curious what other yeasts people have used? I have used Montrachet for my last 3 batches and would like to use another yeast. I see people use ec-1118 and cotes de blanc but haven't seen any comparisons between the two. I don't want anything sweeter than the Montrachet.
thadeus_d3
Well-Known Member
jbrookeiv said:
Thanks for the response. I should've clarified that I carbed in a clean secondary by transferring the apfelwein on top of the priming solution. Should I bottle the apfelwein now or bulk Carb in the secondary? Is there a such thing as bulk carbing? Do you think its too late to bottle them now?
Even though you racked onto priming solution, you still cant carbonate in a fermentor, especially with an airlock. all of the c02 produced by the fermenting priming solution is escaping out of the airlock instead of being forced into the liquid under pressure. and if you seal a carboy tight enough in an attempt to "bulk carb" IT WOULD EXPLODE! carboys are not designed to handle increased internal pressure. you need to bottle and cap after racking onto priming solution to build pressure and carb in the bottle.
thadeus_d3
Well-Known Member
That makes sense. Thanks for helping me with my rookie mistake. I'll bottle tonight.
Just wanted to chime in on my first apfelwein experience over the weekend. I "brewed" this for the gf cause she loves chardonay and not much beer. Wow, this stuff packs a punch! I had three glasses and got the spins, lol! And I'm not usually a lightweight with alcohol. She only had two and had to call it quits. This stuff is great if you want to get yourself, or someone else hammered! Plus it's pretty darn tasty. I'm already planning a second batch for the empty carboy.
hammered! Plus it's pretty darn tasty. I'm already planning a second batch for the empty carboy.smurfjuice
Well-Known Member
When it's clear, it's done... and ayup' , use 3/4 cup corn sugar to prime....
Buona fortune'..
Buona fortune'..
smurfjuice
Well-Known Member
Thad, you should be carbing at bottling tyme mon.....
bc5000
It's not too late, the yeast have gone inactive but will start up again with the addition of the dextrose.
In fact, I am sure that you will have your self some great tasting Apfelwein after the 2-3 weeks for bottle conditioning. Just follow the priming recipe for how ever much you've made (usually 3/4 cup dextrose per 5 gal.)
Most of us don't have the constitution to wait as long as you did
Enjoy!My Apfelwein (my first home brew) has been sitting for a lonely month and I have to get out of the house or I go mad just looking at it thinking about how long it needs!
So that's why I recently started a batch of Graff. That stuff is supposed to be good in about a month including bottle conditioning.
As soon as that is done and I can start sipping on it (er, chugging) I will get Grahams going. And that one also seems like a long one.
Good things to those who wait, I guess!
Let me know how both of your batches taste.
So that's why I recently started a batch of Graff. That stuff is supposed to be good in about a month including bottle conditioning
.As soon as that is done and I can start sipping on it (er, chugging) I will get Grahams going. And that one also seems like a long one.
Good things to those who wait, I guess!
Let me know how both of your batches taste.
Hi,
I was hoping to increase the batch size to 30L (8 gallons) with 3.2 pounds of sugar because I will have a huge headspace otherwise and I plan to age it for a while in the primary + more apfelwein for me.
Will the 5 grams of yeast be enough or should I add some extra / another packet??
thanks for the help
I was hoping to increase the batch size to 30L (8 gallons) with 3.2 pounds of sugar because I will have a huge headspace otherwise and I plan to age it for a while in the primary + more apfelwein for me.
Will the 5 grams of yeast be enough or should I add some extra / another packet??
thanks for the help
incredablehefey
Member
Yeast packets are usually for "up to 5 gallons" but yeast reproduce every 20 minutes so i think if you plan on leaving the 8 gallons to sit for a long time any way that one pack should be plenty. Im sure someone will come behind me with more experience and settle this.
jb721
Well-Known Member
Colesrt8 said:
She Who Must Be Obeyed
BrewersKaramazov
Well-Known Member
Wow, a straight answer to the SWMBO question. I feel like I have entered an alternate universe or something.
She Who Must Be Obeyed
Yeah really. Gotta make em' work for it like the rest of us noobs.
Apfelwein on the left and Grahams English Cider on the right after 5 mos.
The Apfelwein looks more like grapefruit juice. I used Musselman's Apple Cider, which was cloudy to begin with.
Just figured I would take a pic before I bottled.
The Apfelwein looks more like grapefruit juice. I used Musselman's Apple Cider, which was cloudy to begin with.
Just figured I would take a pic before I bottled.
brpruett
Active Member
Never had a batch of Aepfelwein stay cloudy for more than 5 weeks. Did you boil the Musselmann's or did it have sorbates added?
All my bottles look like the one on the right.
All my bottles look like the one on the right.
jb721
Well-Known Member
dusty1025 said:Yeah really. Gotta make em' work for it like the rest of us noobs.
Oops- didn't realize it was a secret
it'll be buried in this monster thread in no time. That is if a mod doesn't get it first. Cheers!Musselman's Fresh Pressed Apple Cider. The only ingredients were juice and ascorbic acid.
Thats the way it looked in the jugs. Not clear like Tree Top or Langers.
I've made a couple batches of this apfelwein, only difference being I'm using EC-1118 champaign yeast.
First batch: Awesome - made from juice with vitamin C. Cleared out nicely. Stopped at 0.994
Second batch: Fermented but not done clearing yet - made from concentrate juice, only vit C added. SG is 0.990
But egads! I tasted the sample I used to do the SG with and it tastes vaguely reminiscent of urine - smells funky too. The juice concentrate I used tasted fine. The sample taken a week before when SG was 1.010 tasted fine (if a bit yeasty obviously).
Anyone experience anything similar?
First batch: Awesome - made from juice with vitamin C. Cleared out nicely. Stopped at 0.994
Second batch: Fermented but not done clearing yet - made from concentrate juice, only vit C added. SG is 0.990
But egads! I tasted the sample I used to do the SG with and it tastes vaguely reminiscent of urine - smells funky too. The juice concentrate I used tasted fine. The sample taken a week before when SG was 1.010 tasted fine (if a bit yeasty obviously).
Anyone experience anything similar?
