Man, I love Apfelwein

[usnsti]

Ed Wort.....you have created a monster. I think I will be getting drunk off this for years to come. Hopefully I go back to beer someday....:rockin:

 

[Ryanh1801]

my mom took a 6 pack of my beer on the plane (checked luggage) with no problem.

 

[EdWort]

Ed Wort.....you have created a monster. I think I will be getting drunk off this for years to come. Hopefully I go back to beer someday....:rockin:

Great! I like both pretty much the same. Enjoy!

 

[Yanos]

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

Sounds like a great party!

I threw in the concentrate a few days prior, with a campden tablet, post racking.

It was a great party! Thanks for the recipe.

 

[Evan!]

Wow...dude...just tried a thief sample of my first batch. SG is just below 1.000. Still not clear enough, but it tastes amazing. Like Vinho Verde---the Portuguese white table wine---but with a touch of apple. I'm super-impressed, and I haven't even had it cold or carbonated yet!

SWMBO had a great idea, too. I just put 4 Muntons carb tabs in a 12oz bottle, then used the thief to fill the bottle, then capped it. Just because I'm anxious to try the finished product, but I know the batch as a whole needs longer to clarify. Wheee!

 

[BlindLemonLars]

I'm going to try a 2 gallon batch this weekend, just to see if I've got a taste for the stuff. I've never liked commercial cider, but it sounds like this is a different animal entirely.

I suspect it will be great, and I'll regret not going for the whole 5 gallons!

 

[EdWort]

I went over to a neighbor today to pick up 9 gallons of rain water for a batch of beer. I took them a 1/2 liter of Apfelwein fresh from the keg at 10 this morning.

My neighbor's wife took the water bottle, twisted of the cap, hoisted in cheers to me, and said "It's Happy Hour Somewhere" and took a long swig.

She said it was like champagne.... Tasty stuff.

Go for 5 gallons man, you won't be sorry. Do 2 gallons, and you'll be crying inside of 2 days of starting to drink it.

Sound advice. Trust me, I'm an EAC.

 

[Evan!]

Hey, so, since I've never used montrachet yeast before, I'm just curious: how long will it take before my test bottle is carbonated?

 

[EdWort]

I force carb mine in the keg. I would guess it would take a week to 10 days to carb at 70 degrees.

 

[Beerrific]

I force carb mine in the keg. I would guess it would take a week to 10 days to carb at 70 degrees.

Yup. Took me about a week. Give it two or three though, it gets tastier.

 

[david_the_greek]

made my first batch about 5 minutes ago, I had to subsitute for a different dry wine yeast though, the LHBS was out of everything almost Oh well, I think this is going to go very well. Anyone else not rehydrate their yeast prior to pitching? I just followed Ed's directions to the T, although minus one quart because I accidently pour it on the iodophore that I forgot to empty out On my way to add to the "how many gallons..." thread.

 

[Captain Tex]

Will this ferment okay around 75 degrees or so?

 

[Evan!]

Yup. Took me about a week. Give it two or three though, it gets tastier.

Well, this is my first batch, so I took a hydro sample with my thief, and it was so delicious that I had to prematurely bottle just one single bottle using carb tabs and the thief, because I couldn't wait to try it carbed and cold. The rest of the batch will stay put for another week or two so it can clarify more. And batch #2 is finishing up fermentation right now. Airlock's starting to slow down.

 

[BlindLemonLars]

Go for 5 gallons man, you won't be sorry. Do 2 gallons, and you'll be crying inside of 2 days of starting to drink it.

Sound advice. Trust me, I'm an EAC.

I'm sure you are right, I would never doubt the word of an EAC. Still, I've already bought the 2 gallons of juice, and while I don't have a spare carboy or bucket (they are all full of beer!) I've got two 1 gallon glass jugs available. If I fall in love with the stuff, I'll pop for another carboy and get a full batch underway.

I'm gonna get started tonight after dinner. I've got both Montrachet and Premier Cuvee yeast...any thoughts on the latter? It's supposed to ferment very dry, clean and neutral, but I'm not sure how much of a role the yeast is supposed to play in developing the flavor of apfelwein.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I've got both Montrachet and Premier Cuvee yeast...any thoughts on the latter? It's supposed to ferment very dry, clean and neutral, but I'm not sure how much of a role the yeast is supposed to play in developing the flavor of apfelwein.

FYI - http://www.lesaffreyeastcorp.com/wineyeast/products.html

Premier Cuvee will make a dry Apfelwein. Like Montrachet.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I picked up some Splenda for back sweetening. Does anybody recall the quantity used?

 

[EdWort]

Here's how Sirsloop used Splenda to sweeten.

FYI,

I just racked my 6 gallon batch into a keg. I did a taste test using a half cup of Apfelwein. I started out with 1/4 tsp of splenda added, tried 1/2 and then 1tsp per half cup. Turned out 1/2 tsp per half cup works out just about right...a touch under what I would call perfect sweetness. You can always add more...

Anyways....

1tsp per cup...16 cups per gallon... works out to 16tsp per gallon or 1/3 cup of splenda per gallon. A 6 gallon batch took 2 cups.

Mine fermented down to .998 and turned out to be 8.3% ABV.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Ed - Thanks a bunch!!!

I'm splitting my current 5 gallon batch today.

2 - Gallons normal.

3 - Gallons racked to 2ndary - w/ 3 cans of oregon fruit (blackberry) then back sweetened w/ Splenda. Gonna try pectic enzyme too.​

 

[mgayer]

Racked off the 5 gallons and did a bit of back sweetening tonight. It seems that I had to pull off 3 bottles however! It's still great at room temp.

 

[N3WWN]

Hello everyone!

I wanted to let everyone know that I gave in and tapped a mini-keg of EdWort's Apfelwein that I prepared and primed per Ed's original recipe and posts.

After leaving in the primary for 1 month, I kegged into 4 mini-kegs (2 primed, 2 non-primed), a couple 750ml bottles (non-primed) + as many 12 oz beer bottles (primed) as necesary.

The bottles were given away as Christmas and New Year's presents and the kegs kept for myself!

I drank two of the mini-kegs immediately (non-carbonated), which were very good, but incredibly light in color and somewhat lacking in strong apple flavor.

After approx 6 months of aging the primed mini-kegs, I decided to celebrate the 4th of July by tapping one. The color has darkened considerably, the flavor has matured and increased in "appleness" and the carbonation is mild, but enjoyable!

It's possible that the carbonation has resulted in some of the change in the flavor, but I doubt it can account for all of it.

I'm going to let the 2nd primed mini-ked age as long as I can stand to wait and see how more aging effects the outcome.

Thanks, EdWort!

 

[david_the_greek]

holy Toledo, wasn't able to watch my apfelwein for a night because of a wedding reception/day after at the pool doing absolutely nothing, and what did I find? and airlock of full of juice and some juice on the floor and my other carboys. Boy am I glad it didn't completely blow out the top though, that would have been a pain in bum to come home to.

 

[Movinfr8]

have had my first batch in an ale pail for a week now, the bubbles are just starting to drop off. kinda worried that leaving it a month may not be good for it in the pail. should I rack to a secondary??
Noobie Norm

 

[dutchboy62]

this may be a stupid beginner question but is splenda like lactose in that it wont ferment and ill be able to sweeten with out over carbing

 

[prey]

this may be a stupid beginner question but is splenda like lactose in that it wont ferment and ill be able to sweeten with out over carbing

Yes, splenda will not ferment

 

[PsiWulf7]

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.

Get a demijohn! With the nifty wicker carriers.

 

[Evan!]

holy Toledo, wasn't able to watch my apfelwein for a night because of a wedding reception/day after at the pool doing absolutely nothing, and what did I find? and airlock of full of juice and some juice on the floor and my other carboys. Boy am I glad it didn't completely blow out the top though, that would have been a pain in bum to come home to.

what did you use for yeast? Montrachet won't blow off like that.

 

[EdWort]

have had my first batch in an ale pail for a week now, the bubbles are just starting to drop off. kinda worried that leaving it a month may not be good for it in the pail. should I rack to a secondary??
Noobie Norm

If you have a carboy, then rack it in a week, otherwise it makes no sense to rack it to another pale. I have had mine sitting in a primary for 3 months (Better Bottle) with no ill effects. Montrachet packs down very nice over time.

 

[Evan!]

Hey, Ed, you say in your main directions that it takes 2 weeks for the yeast to start to fall. Mine didn't take that long---still got completely fermented (sg=0.098), but...do I still need to wait all of 4 weeks before bottling?

 

[EdWort]

It depends on your fermentation temp. During winter, my house was cooler and the temp drops at night, so it took longer. I would wait till it is pretty clear before bottling. It looks like it is finished fermenting, but not aging.

How old is it?

 

[Evan!]

It depends on your fermentation temp. During winter, my house was cooler and the temp drops at night, so it took longer. I would wait till it is pretty clear before bottling. It looks like it is finished fermenting, but not aging.

How old is it?

2 weeks as of this past weekend---but the yeast has been falling pretty steadily since early last week.

Yeah, if you couldn't tell, I'm anxious to try some. My one little test bottle will have to do for now. I swear this stuff tastes like Vinho Verde when I thieve samples from the fermenter.