Man, I love Apfelwein

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HemiPowered said:
You could do it however honestly I wouldn't as dry yeast goes for about a buck a packet and there is always a chance of infection by using old yeast cakes. When dealing with liquid yeast the small gamble can be worth is as it can be 1/3 of the total cost of your batch. In this case its about 1/18th and makes little sense. I would just buy 5 packets of dry yeast and use em as you need.

I think the yeast is pretty cheap but if you syphon off the 5 gallons of cider and add more juice how much more or less risk is there of infection?

If its done right after the transfer to the keg or bottling bucket, I don't think its a big deal.

Infections could occurr even if you start from scratch.
 
Schlenkerla said:
I think the yeast is pretty cheap but if you syphon off the 5 gallons of cider and add more juice how much more or less risk is there of infection?

If its done right after the transfer to the keg or bottling bucket, I don't think its a big deal.

Infections could occurr even if you start from scratch.

The major risk (aside from the usual chances of infection you might risk on any batch) is that there still may be bugs in there but they grew slowly from being overpowered by the yeast. You may not be able to tell that there were some bugs in there but over time they will populate and you can end up with off flavors (noticeable infection).

Yes, it is a small chance. Yes, people do it with beer all the time. It's up to you if you do it or not.

Another problem you might have is if the first batch was very high alcohol. With apfelwein though I don't see this as being a problem.

I say go for it!

Cheers!
 
Yeah, if there's a contamination in the first batch, it will carry through to the second. I'd say taste the previous batch and be damned sure there's no off flavor. If not, go ahead and give the billions of hungry yeast cells more work to do. You probably have more of a chance of contamination with 5 gallons of fresh juice without the huge competition from yeast and/or protection by alcohol. Bottom line, as long as there's no present contamintion, pitching on the cake is much safer IMHO.
 
Schlenkerla said:
I think the yeast is pretty cheap but if you syphon off the 5 gallons of cider and add more juice how much more or less risk is there of infection?

If its done right after the transfer to the keg or bottling bucket, I don't think its a big deal.

Infections could occurr even if you start from scratch.

I would agree the chances of infections are minimal and shouldn't occur. The main concern would be prior infection as well as possible wild yeast that can live in higher abv concentrations. Either way its probably ok and I've contimplated it myself, I just personally would prefer avoid the risk a bad batch and spend a buck. My first batch ended up getting a jelly like infection from autosiphoning 3 gallons into a 3 gallon keg and leaving the remaining in the carboy for a month. Not sure if it was contaminated by the outside air or by the siphon as I use loads of StarSan. If anything it added to the flavor of the remaining batch but its something to consider as it was able to grow in 8.5% abv.
 
Has anyone tried aging their apfelwein in bottle at all? Just curious. Also, if Edwort is reading this, in Germany is it traditional for it to be drank as soon as carbonated like most beer or aged more like wine?
 
Bromley said:
Has anyone tried aging their apfelwein in bottle at all? Just curious. Also, if Edwort is reading this, in Germany is it traditional for it to be drank as soon as carbonated like most beer or aged more like wine?

Never tried bottle conditioning but I can say for a fact it gets better with age. Drinkable after it becomes clear but tastes much better 2-4 weeks and even better 6-8 weeks after.
 
Yeah it's drinkable, but like the other replies, it gets much better with age. That's why you have to do multiple batches.

I just put in keg that was made in January. Since I've built up a supply all my kegs are at least 4 months old by the time they get tapped.

Pretty tasty stuff.
 
well Ed I have to say job well done again. I had a good friend come in town, that is from Argentina, He said they have this stuff down there, and that the stuff I had tasted just like what he remembered. He wants to start making it.
 
anyone had any bad results with this recipe?

mine was sour and yeasty, eww

i accually cant drink it either!
 
OK Ed,
After reading all 7,232,314.72 posts, I'm pulling the trigger on this one.
I'm an AG brewer and I've never done a "wine" so we'll see how she goes! I'll report back.

Thanks in advance,
Bob
 
XELA said:
anyone had any bad results with this recipe?

mine was sour and yeasty, eww

i accually cant drink it either!


I have not, nor have I heard more than one person say this. This one particular person used juice that was cloudy from the start.

Whatever you do don't pitch it out. Hold on to it can get better with time. I had a cider that I made in October of 06 that I thought sucked. Its not bad now. It not as good as what I've been making lately. I can at least drink it at this point.

Patience. BTW how old is the stuff you are talking about?
 
XELA said:
anyone had any bad results with this recipe?

mine was sour and yeasty, eww

i accually cant drink it either!

Sounds like a young batch. It should definitely not be yeasty. If you put it into a glass is it competely clear or a bit clouded?
 
XELA said:
anyone had any bad results with this recipe?

mine was sour and yeasty, eww

i accually cant drink it either!

Patience grasshopper. It's not going to be sweet, but it should not be yeasty either. How old is it and did you follow the recipe?
 
Ryanh1801 said:
well Ed I have to say job well done again. I had a good friend come in town, that is from Argentina, He said they have this stuff down there, and that the stuff I had tasted just like what he remembered. He wants to start making it.

Cool! I'm glad ya'll like it. Got to be an old German down there in Argentina.
 
Bromley said:
Has anyone tried aging their apfelwein in bottle at all? Just curious. Also, if Edwort is reading this, in Germany is it traditional for it to be drank as soon as carbonated like most beer or aged more like wine?

In Germany, it's traditional to make it as a still wine. Usually not aged much.

Note that while it is not carbonated, a popular serving method is the Sauergespritzer, which is a mix of sparkling water and apfelwein.
 
Schlenkerla said:
I have not, nor have I heard more than one person say this. This one particular person used juice that was cloudy from the start.

Whatever you do don't pitch it out. Hold on to it can get better with time. I had a cider that I made in October of 06 that I thought sucked. Its not bad now. It not as good as what I've been making lately. I can at least drink it at this point.

Patience. BTW how old is the stuff you are talking about?

erm, i forget how old but at a guess i started it 4 months ago

and i used cloudy juice cuz it was the only thing i could get at the time, still is cloudy too
 
Hold on to it and try starting another batch with clear juice. If you have too use concentrated over cloudy juice. I'm guessing the cloudy stuff is not pastuerized.

If its all you can get I think camden tablets are in order.

I wish you better luck on #2. Hold out on the first batch. I've heard unpasteurized can take longer to mature.

I think it can go a 2nd fermentation. - malolactic fermentation.

Is your stuff bottled or in a carboy?
 
Schlenkerla said:
Hold on to it and try starting another batch with clear juice. If you have too use concentrated over cloudy juice. I'm guessing the cloudy stuff is not pastuerized.

If its all you can get I think camden tablets are in order.

I wish you better luck on #2. Hold out on the first batch. I've heard unpasteurized can take longer to mature.

I think it can go a 2nd fermentation. - malolactic fermentation.

Is your stuff bottled or in a carboy?

its bottled

ill keep lookin for clear apple juice, cheers!
 
Had to taste a bit before she went into bottles. Why bottle drink from the carboy! Great stuff! Had a flavor of a cross between beer and cider. Think I will let it sit another week before bottling as I know it won't stay in the bottle!!

Thanks Ed
:rockin:
 
Hmmmm mine was in primary for four and a half weeks and is now in bottles. It is a lovely perfectly clear color with no sediment whatsoever in bottles. This is a bit wierd for me since all of my beer had sediment. Will I still have enough yeast left in my wine for it to carb up with the sugar I put in it?
 
This definitely gets better with age - my first batch is aboout 7-8 weeks old and is getting better and better. Too bad there is only a six pack left...:(
 
Hopleaf said:
This definitely gets better with age - my first batch is aboout 7-8 weeks old and is getting better and better. Too bad there is only a six pack left...:(


then make more
 
Bosh said:
Hmmmm mine was in primary for four and a half weeks and is now in bottles. It is a lovely perfectly clear color with no sediment whatsoever in bottles. This is a bit wierd for me since all of my beer had sediment. Will I still have enough yeast left in my wine for it to carb up with the sugar I put in it?

Yes! - Use corn sugar, 1oz by weight per gal. Wait 3 weeks for carbing at ambient.
 
I really need like a 10 gallon fermenter for this stuff. My friends and I have almost blown through this stuff. You can't just have one.
 
Schlenkerla said:
Yes! - Use corn sugar, 1oz by weight per gal. Wait 3 weeks for carbing at ambient.
Three weeks? That long? My last beer carbed up nicely in a matter of days...
 
HemiPowered said:
Sounds like a young batch. It should definitely not be yeasty. If you put it into a glass is it competely clear or a bit clouded?


I think something bad happened to mine. It's not yeasty, or cloudy, but it is very sour.
 
Ack... dilemma...

I bottled 5 gals 05/19/07.

I have 4 bombers left. :drunk: (told you I was going thru it faster than I should)

I won't be able to get any Red Star til next weekend, plus since I'll have the house to myself I was planning on cranking out the Honey Hefe and the Irish Red Ale that I've been sitting on for months now.

Not a biggie since the Hefe won't need a secondary, I can take up my one of my 5 gal carboys with a new batch of Apfel and have the other standing by when the IRA is ready to secondary...

The dilemma is that I'll still have 6 more weeks before the next batch of Apfel is ready... Which would put bottling it the weekend of August 18th.

FOUR bombers to get me thru til August 18th?

****.

:rolleyes: I gotta do better on my planning....

Ize
 
Ize said:
Ack... dilemma...

I bottled 5 gals 05/19/07.

I have 4 bombers left. :drunk: (told you I was going thru it faster than I should)

I won't be able to get any Red Star til next weekend, plus since I'll have the house to myself I was planning on cranking out the Honey Hefe and the Irish Red Ale that I've been sitting on for months now.

Not a biggie since the Hefe won't need a secondary, I can take up my one of my 5 gal carboys with a new batch of Apfel and have the other standing by when the IRA is ready to secondary...

The dilemma is that I'll still have 6 more weeks before the next batch of Apfel is ready... Which would put bottling it the weekend of August 18th.

FOUR bombers to get me thru til August 18th?

****.

:rolleyes: I gotta do better on my planning....

Ize



Here's a good plan: to avoid this ever happening again, buy at least 3 carboys and put up a new batch every month. You can drink it all, right? ...Right? :tank:
 
Well, I got quite a few people "feeling no pain" this weekend. Had a 5 gal corny of Ed's Apfelwein that was back sweetened with 2 cans of apple juice concentrate. I did some independent research and found this amount of sweetening seemed to appease the masses.

It was for our local wedding reception. I had many compliments. most of the compliments were: "Wow, that's great cider. But I've only had two glasses and am feeling drunk!" :)
 
Yanos said:
Well, I got quite a few people "feeling no pain" this weekend. Had a 5 gal corny of Ed's Apfelwein that was back sweetened with 2 cans of apple juice concentrate. I did some independent research and found this amount of sweetening seemed to appease the masses.

When did you back sweeten it in relation to when you served it?

Sounds like a great party! :D
 
Whelk said:
Here's a good plan: to avoid this ever happening again, buy at least 3 carboys and put up a new batch every month. You can drink it all, right? ...Right? :tank:

But of course! It pays to have kegs of this carbed & ready for....

When the Keg Blows!!! (sounds like a Soap Opera).
 
can you put this in a secondary like beer? Reason being, I'd rather have this sit in cheaper 5 gallon carboy's than 6.5.....or where to get better bottles?
 
98EXL said:
can you put this in a secondary like beer? Reason being, I'd rather have this sit in cheaper 5 gallon carboy's than 6.5.....or where to get better bottles?

Sure, but I make 5 gallons in 5 gallon Carboys. Using my recipe, you can fill it up and not worry about foam or blow off. Rack away to your 5 gallon carboy and while you are at it, start another batch. You'll need it. :D
 
Just bottled my first batch of the apfelwein yesterday. The entire experience, from start to bottling, has been practically effortless. I let my wife do the pouring when we put it together, and she had fun doing it.

The final product was super-clear... I could see my hand on the other side of the carboy. The flavor was kind of surprising. It was very clean, mostly dry, and just a hint of the original apple flavor remaining. If anything, I'd say the flavor was a little too understated, but it makes a great summer beverage. I might pull out a bottle or two for the rest of summer, but I plan on letting them sit until fall, when I'll start mulling them.

My wife also thinks they'll make handy Christmas gifts. Now, if I can only find a way to get them to Louisiana on an airplane...
 
Put them in a box lined with tin foil, keep it in one of the larger bags that you're checking?
 
Apfelwein is the shiznit. Also please don't try and use tin foil to block x rays. Tin foil is as transparent to xrays as glass is to your eyes. the only thing that would work is lead. good luck with that one....:tank:
 
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