Man, I love Apfelwein

[david_the_greek]

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

Good thing I didn't throw my garbage away yet The package says Lalvin D 47. It is a Canadian company. Its a 5gram dry yeast. A guy at the LHBS recommended it to me because they were out of Montrachet. Anyone try this out yet? There are bubbles flying up the side of the carboy like no other, looks like a giant bottle of orange pop. Hopefully this'll turn out as tasty as I hear it does with the Montrachet.

 

[Schlenkerla]

About Lalvin D-47

Found this info....

ICV D-47 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) This strain was isolated from grapes grown in the Côtes-du-Rhône region of France by Dr. Dominique Delteil, head of the Microbiology Department, Institut coopératif du vin (ICV), in Montpellier. ICV D-47 strain was selected from 450 isolates collected between 1986 and 1990. The ICV D-47 is a low-foaming quick fermenter that settles well, forming a compact lees at the end of fermentation. This strain tolerates fermentation temperatures ranging from 15° to 20°C (59° to 68°F) and enhances mouthfeel due to complex carbohydrates. Malolactic fermentation proceeds well in wine made with ICV D-47. Recommended for making wines from white varieties such as Chardonnay and rosé wines. An excellent choice for producing mead, however be sure to supplement with yeast nutrients, especially usable nitrogen. An excellent choice for dry whites, blush wines and residual sugar wines.

It might be a good choice if you want residual sweetness.

 

[david_the_greek]

wow thanks guys, I love how quick it seems that I can get an answers to my silly mistakes and questions one after the other. arg my basement is a wee bit high right now for that yeast. I knew I should have built a fermentation box

 

[JustDave]

It's been a little over 3 weeks since I made my first batch, and tonight I stole a sample (I used the excuse that I was "checking the gravity"). That is good stuff Ed! It's definitely dry like you said, but even warm and flat, it was still really good. Thanks!

 

[mgayer]

I am Saddened by my loss! I got a used 5 gallon glass carboy over the weekend and racked the Apfelwein into it to do a bit of sweetening Sunday. Went home last night and went into the basment to do a check. I see that the carboy if half gone and a large puddle on the floor. Found a hairline crack in the bottom.

Needless to say I ran around last night cleaning and racking what was left into another carboy. I just poured off 3 glasses and chugged them down. At least I felt a bit better after the 3 glasses!

 

[EdWort]

I am Saddened by my loss! I got a used 5 gallon glass carboy over the weekend and racked the Apfelwein into it to do a bit of sweetening Sunday. Went home last night and went into the basment to do a check. I see that the carboy if half gone and a large puddle on the floor. Found a hairline crack in the bottom.

Needless to say I ran around last night cleaning and racking what was left into another carboy. I just poured off 3 glasses and chugged them down. At least I felt a bit better after the 3 glasses!

Ouch! I feel your pain. Sorry to hear that.

No go out today and order a Better Bottle and sleep better knowing your next batch won't end up on the floor and your main arteries & tendons are safe.

 

[pfranco81]

So I'm entering week 5 and I took a grav sample it's at ~0.998, which puts the alcohol content at around %10! I tasted the sample and it doens't really taste like anything, sorta dry, smells like white wine, but no over-whelming flavors good or bad. Is this what its supposed to taste like? I chilled it down and it tastes like cold, dry, water. It's 10%ABV so I'm not complaining, but not sure if I got the desired result, or if I messed up.

 

[EdWort]

So I'm entering week 5 and I took a grav sample it's at ~0.998, which puts the alcohol content at around %10! I tasted the sample and it doens't really taste like anything, sorta dry, smells like white wine, but no over-whelming flavors good or bad. Is this what its supposed to taste like? I chilled it down and it tastes like cold, dry, water. It's 10%ABV so I'm not complaining, but not sure if I got the desired result, or if I messed up.

How did you make it? Sounds like you deviated from the recipe.

 

[pfranco81]

2# Dextrose
2 Cans Concentrate
~4 Gallons Apple Juice (to 5 gallon mark)
Montrachet

My OG was ~1.075

 

[jvh261]

Well, its about time to bottle my Belgian Tripel and rack my IPA to a secondary. That leaves me an empty bucket and an empty carboy. After reading all the raves, it was inevitable that I'd have to give Apfelwein a go.

Just got back from the LHBS and picked up a packet of Montrachet and 2 lbs of corn sugar. Just need to get the juice.

So by saturday afternoon I'll have a Hefeweizen going in the bucket and Apfelwien in a carboy.

I have a feeling I'll be needing to buy some better bottles real soon.

 

[EdWort]

2# Dextrose
2 Cans Concentrate
~4 Gallons Apple Juice (to 5 gallon mark)
Montrachet

My OG was ~1.075

Wow, that's going to be some potent stuff. How much juice was each can supposed to make? That's your deviation and most likely the root cause of your high ABV% and extra dryness. I'm betting some aging will mellow it out.

 

[Hopleaf]

So I'm off to bottle my second Apfelwein tonight. It's been 2 months, I took a reading and I'm at 1.001.

I did 5 gallon Tree Top, 1 lb honey, 1 lb turbinado and Cotes de Blanc yeast.

One thing I noticed though, it's bubbling like it's already carbonated.. I wondered if this is just because I moved the carboy to the kitchen..

is this something I should be concerned about or should I go ahead and prime normally? I was going to do 3/4 cup priming sugar.

Thanks

 

[Schlenkerla]

So I'm off to bottle my second Apfelwein tonight. It's been 2 months, I took a reading and I'm at 1.001.

I did 5 gallon Tree Top, 1 lb honey, 1 lb turbinado and Cotes de Blanc yeast.

One thing I noticed though, it's bubbling like it's already carbonated.. I wondered if this is just because I moved the carboy to the kitchen..

is this something I should be concerned about or should I go ahead and prime normally? I was going to do 3/4 cup priming sugar.

Thanks

1.001 is very close. You should be OK, prime with 5oz by wt ~3/4 cup .

The bubbling keeps going like the energizer bunny.

 

[HCNate]

I made the Apfelwine today after the following blunder. I am so pumped!

I had my most non-fine moment ever today.

I filled up a 5 gal. carboy with apple juice, corn sugar and yeast. I picked it up around the neck to get my hand on the bottom to move it to its final resting place, and.....

dropped it.

5 gallons, all over my kitchen floor and 1 broken glass carboy.

I feel dumb. I was so excited. I talked about Apfelwein to my fiance all day.

 

[Mr_Moe]

My first post, and today I used my carboy for the very first time to brew Apfelwein.

I hope to brew my first beer soon.

Hello all.


edit: I followed Ed's recipe to a T. I hope I sanitized enough.

edit 2: its been a few hrs and no bubbles yet. the room is at 70,
I hope the yeast was okay, i didn't prime it.

 

[The Drizzle]

Oh lord baby jesus, i just tried some out of the fermenter after 4 weeks. There is no way this is going to be around long enough to age. I need to start on batch #2 right away!

 

[Mr_Moe]

Oh lord baby jesus, i just tried some out of the fermenter after 4 weeks. There is no way this is going to be around long enough to age. I need to start on batch #2 right away!

oh no, i think that i should of done a double batch!

I am getting stoked.


I will wait for Apple Juice to come on sale and then I will start a second.

 

[98EXL]

I had the SWMBO make Apfelwein this weekend, she was pretty pumped about it!

 

[Mr_Moe]

update: she is bubbling like rabid dog.

I am happy my yeast is alive.

 

[EdWort]

I had the SWMBO make Apfelwein this weekend, she was pretty pumped about it!

Sweet! An Apfelwein trained SWMBO machine! That means you'll never run out. Better get her some Better Bottles soon.

 

[ReverbbqBrew]

I have 5 gallons of the apfelwein in the fermenter but substituted a gallon of Pomegranate and a gallon of Blackberry juice for kicks. T

hat montrechet yeast is ferocious - a much more vigorous fermentation than most of my brews to date.

 

[98EXL]

Sweet! An Apfelwein trained SWMBO machine! That means you'll never run out. Better get her some Better Bottles soon.

I knew you'd be proud! She can't wait for it, man I love this woman! Did I miss the fine print of how long it needs to sit before it gets bottled?

BTW, speaking of better bottles, where can I buy some off teh internets? Neither one of my LHBS's have them.....and I'd like to pick 2-3 up.

 

[EdWort]

I got mine at Morebeer.com for $18.99 each, but I just went out there and they are sold out and the price now is $24.00. Ouch.

Heartshomebrew.com has them for $18.99, but I've never done business with them before.

 

[98EXL]

awesome, thanks a bunch!

I was debating on putting them in a 5 gallon water jug, but I'm on the fence about that

 

[BlindLemonLars]

awesome, thanks a bunch!

I was debating on putting them in a 5 gallon water jug, but I'm on the fence about that

Argghh....I'm on that same fence. My two carboys are booked solid for the next few months, but I do have that old Arrowhead bottle sitting there....?? I even cleaned it up, it looks nice.

Hearing everybody rave about thier Apfelwein is unsettling, as I look at my two pathetic gallon jugs. (A mere twenty bottles or so!) I also don't want to dedicate a kegerator slot/tap to Apfelwein, but I could simply stash the keg in the garage brew fridge and use a picnic pump. Still, do I flaunt conventional wisdom and use the water bottle?

 

[EdWort]

do I flaunt conventional wisdom and use the water bottle?

You can try it for a month and see if it clears out enough to bottle or rack to a keg. The key with water bottles is it can oxidize as the blue water bottles are not concerned with oxygen permeability.

What have you got to lose? Only about $18 and a month of waiting. Then again, that's the cost of a Better Bottle which will provide you with batch after batch of delicious home made Apfelwein..

 

[Alamo_Beer]

I did mine in a water bottle with no complaints...

I won't be doing it again but it turned out fine

 

[98EXL]

What have you got to lose? Only about $18 and a month of waiting. Then again, that's the cost of a Better Bottle which will provide you with batch after batch of delicious home made Apfelwein..

yeah, that's what I was thinking too

 

[Warped04]

You can try it for a month and see if it clears out enough to bottle or rack to a keg. The key with water bottles is it can oxidize as the blue water bottles are not concerned with oxygen permeability.

What have you got to lose? Only about $18 and a month of waiting. Then again, that's the cost of a Better Bottle which will provide you with batch after batch of delicious home made Apfelwein..

I got to do it...Just got too...I'm mean seriously...What's the total...more than 1700 gallons? I'm just going to have to get a fermentor... SWMBO is going to LOVE that

 

[98EXL]

I forgot to mention....

my airlock is going mad crazy, and there seems to be shoit-tons of activity going in the carboy. I thought I read it's really minimal activity to be going on?