Man, I love Apfelwein

[Evan!]

Does anyone know how long before the bottles are carb'd? I bottled my first batch last Saturday but somehow I doubt that the montrachet yeast has carb'd it yet.

 

[EdWort]

It takes about 2 weeks from what some folks say. I force carb mine in the keg. I'll be popping a 32 oz. bottle tomorrow that I filled from the tap on Wednesday, so it will be interesting how much carbonation carried over.

 

[Beerrific]

Mine carbed up very quickly. IIRC, I open one after 5 days and it was very fizzy, at 10 days I think they were done.

 

[david_the_greek]

shoot man, mines been in for almost a month and the gravity is 1.01 This stuff if going to be gone by the time its technically done because of all the "readings" I've had to take :cross: Sure is tasty thus far

 

[Edcculus]

Anyone use Motts apple juice.
I'm christening my first carboy with a batch of Apfelwein but I don't have a wine theft to a sample for a gravity check. I didn't think of that until I had it all in the carboy.
I just need a rough idea of OG so I don't bottle to soon.

I used Motts because they don't carry Tree Topp where I am.

 

[Mutilated1]

Ok I got mine going. I used "Sam's Choice" Apple Juice from Wall-Mart, 6 bottles @ $1.96 ea put me right at 5 gallons.

 

[Shakz]

Ok I got mine going. I used "Sam's Choice" Apple Juice from Wall-Mart, 6 bottles @ $1.96 ea put me right at 5 gallons.

Ditto I used 8 96oz bottles to fill mine though

If I like it I will be using Carboyzilla 13.5 Gallons or 18 bottles fer the next batch :rockin:

 

[BlindLemonLars]

So today marks four weeks and one day since I made my initial 2 gallon batch. While it's cleared a lot, it's nowhere as clear as the original juice. Ed, I seem to remember a picture of a glass of Apfelwein on top of your kegerator, and if memory serves it was crystal clear and a little lighter in shade than straight apple juice.

Should I prime and bottle, or wait a week or two longer?

Batch #2 (5 gallon!) has been going a week now, still bubbling strong! Once it's done, I expect I'll keg & force carb and serve from a picnic tap in the garage brew-fridge.

 

[Whelk]

So today marks four weeks and one day since I made my initial 2 gallon batch. While it's cleared a lot, it's nowhere as clear as the original juice. Ed, I seem to remember a picture of a glass of Apfelwein on top of your kegerator, and if memory serves it was crystal clear and a little lighter in shade than straight apple juice.

Should I prime and bottle, or wait a week or two longer?

Batch #2 (5 gallon!) has been going a week now, still bubbling strong! Once it's done, I expect I'll keg & force carb and serve from a picnic tap in the garage brew-fridge.

My Apfelwein was in primary for almost three months. It clarified probably around the two month mark, I think. It turned out brilliantly clear and tasted awesome.

 

[efreem01]

Ditto I used 8 96oz bottles to fill mine though

If I like it I will be using Carboyzilla 13.5 Gallons or 18 bottles fer the next batch :rockin:

What the heck is carboyzilla? I want one!

 

[BlindLemonLars]

Okay...curiosity got the better of me. I just sanitized the old turkey baster, and stole about two ounces, depositing it into a small glass.

In the glass, it's clear as a bell, and very pale...much lighter than apple juice. (I poured a few oz of juice into an identical glass, for comparison.) Amazingly, it's somewhat carbonated already! While there is a strong yeasty nose, it doesn't taste overwhelmingly of yeast. The taste is, well....just imagine a glass of dry champagne with a slice of apple floating in it and you'll have some idea!

I think I'll go ahead and prime & bottle this first two gallon batch. This stuff is going to be great!

 

[Wrey]

So I just made my first batch of apfelwein. I made the excuse to buy a new carboy and once I got all the stuff in there I realzed I didn't have anyway to take a SG reading since I didn't have a theif and I couldn't get the hydrometer out if I just dropped it in there.

So my question is if I followed the recipe exactly what will the OG be and what should the FG be?

 

[hoplobster]

I bottled my first batch today and added a cup of Splenda to sweeten and 2.5oz of corn sugar to carb in the bottle. I filled a sample bottle and chilled it a bit and it tastes excellent! Really, I'm sorry I only made three gallons, this stuff is awsome! I think I will purchase another three gallon carboy (I like doing small batches for some reason) and dedicate the two carboys to making 6 gallons of Apfelwein at a time from now on.

 

[Schlenkerla]

So I just made my first batch of apfelwein. I made the excuse to buy a new carboy and once I got all the stuff in there I realzed I didn't have anyway to take a SG reading since I didn't have a theif and I couldn't get the hydrometer out if I just dropped it in there.

So my question is if I followed the recipe exactly what will the OG be and what should the FG be?

Your OG should be about 1.065 and it'll stop at 1.000 thus making it a dry but tasty 8.5% ABV.

 

[djhead]

Looks like I am not the only one who's making this today. I am pretty excited! I saw the recipe, and when I was shopping, picked up some Montrachet yeast, ans said "why not?"

Just so I dont have to browse 100+ pages, it does prime in a normal beer bottle right?

 

[Beerrific]

Just so I dont have to browse 100+ pages, it does prime in a normal beer bottle right?

Yup. Or you can bottle it still.

If you have anymore easy questions, Ed's has put together a FAQ on page 1, or post here most people don't mind answering easy questions.

 

[djhead]

nope, that was it.

 

[Mutilated1]

Hey guys, I saved the bottles that my Apple Juice came in. I was wondering if the plastic bottles would be ok for bottling the Apfelwein when its finished ?

Just a 96 oz plastic bottle with a screw top.

 

[EdWort]

Hey guys, I saved the bottles that my Apple Juice came in. I was wondering if the plastic bottles would be ok for bottling the Apfelwein when its finished ?

Just a 96 oz plastic bottle with a screw top.

I've done it before when I made 6 gallons and kegged 5. The extra went into the jug and right into the fridge for immediate consumption. Hmmm Good.

 

[Edcculus]

Hey guys, I saved the bottles that my Apple Juice came in. I was wondering if the plastic bottles would be ok for bottling the Apfelwein when its finished ?

Just a 96 oz plastic bottle with a screw top.

I was thinking about doing this with my whole batch since I'm probably not going to carbonate. It would save a little time, and make a very easy bottling day. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Mutilated1]

hmm... do you suppose it would be ok to carbonate in the bottles ?

 

[CBBaron]

hmm... do you suppose it would be ok to carbonate in the bottles ?

Not in the original Apple juice bottles. These are not designed to hold pressure and will expand under pressure. They may hold, but it won't be pretty.
Now soda bottles would do the trick if you have some empty 2 liters.

Craig

 

[98EXL]

I was thinking about doing this with my whole batch since I'm probably not going to carbonate. It would save a little time, and make a very easy bottling day. Let us know how it turns out.

I dunno about that, but I saved them to use sometime...then I found they make great yeast washing bottles

 

[Schlenkerla]

Now soda bottles would do the trick if you have some empty 2 liters.

I suppose you can tell SWMBO that you're only having one!!!

A 2-liter once opened will start going flat.

Also if you drink a two liter it will get you F-U-B-A-R-ed. Alcohol-wise it would be equivalent to ~10 BMC's. However it would hit you real fast!!! (since its no more liquid than 5-12oz bottles.) You'll be saying WTF happened.

It'll be easy bottling.

 

[Adolphus79]

If yer worried about it going flat too quickly, maybe try 1 liter or even 20 oz. bottles instead. Save the 2 liter bottles for when there more than 1 person drinking...

 

[BlindLemonLars]

I dunno about that, but I saved them to use sometime...then I found they make great yeast washing bottles

I fill em' 3/4 full with water, toss them in the freezer and use them to cool the water baths my bucket and carboys are sitting in.

 

[98EXL]

I fill em' 3/4 full with water, toss them in the freezer and use them to cool the water baths my bucket and carboys are sitting in.

I use cranberry jugs for that, sit nicely with the brew pot to chill the wort, but I get what you are saying though

 

[mrk305]

I am trying 1 gallon made right in the Kroger apple juice bottle. I just bought a rubber stopper and an airlock at the home brew, drank 1 glass of apple juice to make room for the sugar & pitched some yeast. I can go through 5 gallons of beer a week, but I am just going to try 1 gallon of this. Thanks for the recipe Ed.

 

[hoplobster]

If yer worried about it going flat too quickly, maybe try 1 liter or even 20 oz. bottles instead. Save the 2 liter bottles for when there more than 1 person drinking...

I've got a bunch of 22 oz glass bottles that I used for my first extract batches about two years ago and havent touched since and bottled my initial 3 gallon batch in 16 of those. I inspected them after 48 hours of conditioning and a very fine layer of yeast has settled on the bottom and I'll be opening one soon to check it's progress.

I love Apfelwein too!

 

[98EXL]

I ordered a better bottle just for more Apfelwein (ok, I'm 3 weeks behind not 2) but they sent me a 6 gallon. SHould I get more sugar or what? I don't want the headspace do I?