Man, I love Apfelwein

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Ed - I shared a 6'r with the BIL's this weekend. They were amazed on how good it was and were interested in how to make AW. I told them how simple it was and also mentioned what they were drinking was 8 months old!

It definately gets smooooooth with some time to sit. I imagine most of you don't let it sit around long. Its worth making a bunch AW so you can accrue some inventory meanwhile brewing several beers so your not temped to dip into them so soon. Dedicate an extra carboy for awhile. I've thought of using champagne bottles so I wouldn't tie up my beer bottles for long storage. It also makes for a nice gift.

To me drinking young AW is the same as making a Imperial IPA and drinking it after two weeks in the bottle. Its a shame to discover how really good it is (3 months later) after you drink the last 3 out of 40. In some way its also like wasting your prized HB on drunk who can't appreciate the quality or flavor. I keep BMC around for this reason.

"Drink No Apfelwein before its time." - Paul Masson - If he had tried Edwort's AW :D

http://www.foodweb.com/maven/maven42.html

:mug:
 
RadicalEd said:
Well, I mixed up a 5'er today. I was just gonna make a 1 gallon batch, but my local Big Box store (AKA Meijer) had some local grown and pressed cider in stock and on sale for 2gal/$5, and I couldn't pass that up :D. Tossed in 6 apple juice concentrates to kick it up, but forewent the dextrose. Picked up 4 lbs of it at the LHBS, though, just in case it needs some more kick ;). Gravity of the cider was around 1.053, but I couldn't get a reading after the concentrate was added; I needed to pour it all directly into the carboy. I'd guesstimate the OG to be somewhere around 1.060-ish. Pitched in Cote yeast, but I have a Montrechet on hand. I think I'll use that last gallon of cider and do "the original", just to compare.

And just for you, Edwort, I'm gonna stow a few bottles for each batch somewhere I can't find 'em and open them up around the holidays. :D

EDIT: Pron!

apfelweintminuszeroyr6.jpg


Who needs clothes! That's them there a brew closet, now!

If yours stalls or doesn't get rip-roaring in 5-7 days try dropping in yeast nutrient at the rate of 1/2tsp per gallon. Cotes needs yeast nutrients to do well.
 
Aging is good. :rockin: I cracked one of my 4 remaining bottles that I bottled back in April last week and the first glass was nice and carbed. It didn't last mind you and I didn't add anything before bottling, but that first glass had a nice frothy head to start. I'll document the last 3 bottles... for pure research of course... :D

Ize
 
OK, newsflash!

I sold 8 Montrachet yeast packets, yesterday, to a guy who is planning on making 8 batches. (Possibly, much more!)

He scored some frozen concentrate, each container makes 5 gallons, with 3 containers per case. I think he said he got 10 cases! I suggested that he mix one case into 10 gallons, and forget the dextrose.

My calculations for a 5 gallon batch;
concentrate- $2.50.
water- $0.00
yeast- 1.19

Yep, $3.69 for each 5 gallon batch, unless he re-uses his yeast!

steve
 
Very cool. One thing about frozen concentrate, ya need to make it, then let it come up to room temperature before adding the yeast.
 
Schlenkerla said:
If yours stalls or doesn't get rip-roaring in 5-7 days try dropping in yeast nutrient at the rate of 1/2tsp per gallon. Cotes needs yeast nutrients to do well.

Forgot to mention, added some of that, too :D. Don't want any "elephant farts" :p.

But thanks for the heads up!
 
EdWort said:
Very cool. One thing about frozen concentrate, ya need to make it, then let it come up to room temperature before adding the yeast.

For some reason I thought it wasn't good to make it from concentrate, but now that I think about it most of the juice in the stores is from concentrate. Nice way to save some cash. :drunk:
 
No activity in mine yet. There was some whitish goop on top, which I'm telling myself is the yeast, and the top inch or so of liquid was fairly clear. My guess is that the yeast didn't get mixed in as well as it should have been, and so was top feeding right now at a slow rate, so I rocked the carboy around to get it all mixed in. Then I very decisively walked away and locked it up. I will relax, I will not worry, and I will studiously ignore the temptation to go poke at it. *repeats ten times* :D.
 
Just bottled mine after almost 2 months!. I made a paint bucket bottling bucket (HDPE is pretty much HDPE) and bottled up some 24 22oz's and gobbled down the remainder myself. 10 of the bottles I primed with 7 carbonation tablets just to see what I thought of the apfelwein carbonated. Time to put these suckers in a box (just in case, I don't want 22oz grenades) and let them sit for a wee bit. I'll let the hopefully soon to be carbonated ones go till next Friday, I'll start opening the others this weekend.
 
david_the_greek said:
Just bottled mine after almost 2 months!. I made a paint bucket bottling bucket (HDPE is pretty much HDPE) and bottled up some 24 22oz's and gobbled down the remainder myself. 10 of the bottles I primed with 7 carbonation tablets just to see what I thought of the apfelwein carbonated. Time to put these suckers in a box (just in case, I don't want 22oz grenades) and let them sit for a wee bit. I'll let the hopefully soon to be carbonated ones go till next Friday, I'll start opening the others this weekend.

3 weeks is typical for carbing. Give it time as you already know Monty is a lazy yeast! :D
 
Add 5 more gallons to the running tally. By the way this is my first attempt at anything fermented. Thanks to Ed for making it so easy.
 
I just sweetened my Apfelwine and bottled one bottle. SWMBO and I NEVER drink warm wine nor do we like it. Well let me tell ya, Warm Apfelwine was awsome!!!! Cold will be better I'm sure, but WOW! What do you guy's use to sweeten and how much. We like a sweet wine so I used 2 cups of splenda for 5 gallons.
 
I've been drinking my first batch for a while now.. but purposely used little glasses until last night, they were all dirty.

result: I've been on the porcelain phone all morning calling Ralph in Europe. uhg.

dale
 
Just over a week now :)...... have two layers of color heh.... and the bubbles are in a much smaller amount... Just got more airlocks in a few days ago but have yet to install it on instead of use the blow off (need to do that before Saturday). But lookin good so far. I think I remember reading somewhere long time ago in here that it is ok to use the original containers to store the Apfelwein for bottling. I have 10 - 1/2 gallon plastic containers. If not I would just buy 1/2-1 gallon glass jugs from my LHBS and bottle them there. Might even do some in 12's, 16's, or 500mL bottles along with jugs.

After the month is up I'm gonna test out some and see how it is and might have to let it sit longer but would rather not so I can brew another batch with dextrose instead of Dextrine. But who knows how this ill be.
 
phooka said:
I've been drinking my first batch for a while now.. but purposely used little glasses until last night, they were all dirty.

result: I've been on the porcelain phone all morning calling Ralph in Europe. uhg.

ROFLMAO! That's a good one! Remember the General Warnings!

Say Guten Tag to Ralph for me.:D
 
Well as I posted earlier I bottled almost half my apfelwein with carbonation tablets and was just wondering if anyone else has tried this. When I look at the bottles I just see dispersed white gunk. Doesn't seem like there are any little buggers working away (don't see bubbles at least). Also does apfelwein go through bottle shock? I threw 2 bottles straight in to the fridge when I bottled a few days ago but have been nervous about opening them.
 
Good stuff, Ed. Just racked mine....it came out so crisp and clean I could hardly believe I made it myself! It cleared so well after crash cooling, it looks professional! Now to see how it tastes with other yeasts!
 
98EXL said:
I need to bottle my Apfelwein!

It's been sitting for 2 months now

Is that bad? i think i'm getting up to that myself.... should i rack it again? or just leave it till i get the bottles?
 
david_the_greek said:
Well as I posted earlier I bottled almost half my apfelwein with carbonation tablets and was just wondering if anyone else has tried this. When I look at the bottles I just see dispersed white gunk. Doesn't seem like there are any little buggers working away (don't see bubbles at least). Also does apfelwein go through bottle shock? I threw 2 bottles straight in to the fridge when I bottled a few days ago but have been nervous about opening them.

Assuming you know this...but you have to let them carb in warm areas....
 
jjasghar said:
Is that bad? i think i'm getting up to that myself.... should i rack it again? or just leave it till i get the bottles?

Naw...I let mine sit for about 2+ months and you will know...without a doubt when it is done. It goes from OJ looking to apple juice looking. Don't even need to rack at all for this stuff.
 
Two months bulk aging isn't bad thing at all in my opinion. Mine sat for just about that long and I notice no off flavors from sitting on the yeast. I actually drank my first 22oz bottle of apfelwein tonight! mmmmmmm nice and cold and crisp. I think letting it sit for that long out of not having a way to bottle or store it helped to smooth it a bit. I'm very pleased on my <$20 investment
 
I had a little taste for the first time yesterday. I started my first batch on July 22, and just bottled yesterday. While I was at BJ's [insert joke here] getting more AJ for the second batch (and to fire up my better bottle) I saw Splenda in bulk. I knew that I was probably going to want to sweeten it up a bit, so I added 4/3 cups sugar to it, 3/4 cup priming sugar, and it tastes very dry, just a tad sweet!

I'm not going to crack one of these open until at least mid October (birthday - woot!) but I'm saving for the holidays.

I should go buy another Better bottle and make another batch right now, just for a 'backup'

Bottom line so far, cheers to you Ed, this stuff is stupid easy, and so good!
 
OMFG!!!(OH MY FRICKING GOSH!!!!!)

The Apfelwein blew a while ago and I just now got around to changing out the keg. I grabbed the oldest one in the Keezer and swapped it out this afternoon.

I just pulled a couple glasses and gave one to SWMBO. She tasted it and and said WOW, what did you do to this?

I told her, Nothing, except make it back in January. It's almost EIGHT MONTHS OLD!!!

It's the middle one in this pic.

15GallonsApfelwein.jpg


Unbelievably smoother with a more apple taste, yet still dry & crisp.

Made on 1-16-07, kegged on 4-6-07, and tapped on 9-3-07.

I still have one keg from 2-19-07 that was pitched on a yeast cake. That will be interesting to see how it turned out.

It pays handsomely to build a pipeline of this stuff!
 
If I used a dry ale yeast and left no room in the carboy is it going to blow over like no tommorow?
 
Ed, my SWMBO told me to tell you THANK YOU! I made my first batch on 7/23 and we had our first taste today, and all I can say is wow. Even room temp and flat it was amazing. Kind of a champaign aftertaste. I cant wait to get that stuff kegged and flowing. Only problem is that she was skeptical at first so we dont have a replacement yet. And yes I told her about the general warnings saying to make a second batch two weeks after the first. She never listens to me. :drunk:
 
be careful! I just threw a batch together standard recipe and filled to the top and mine clogged up the air lock.... twice. I wrapped paper towels in a vertical fashion to keep out any insects that might get curious. I would use caution or save a few inches at least.
 
david_the_greek said:
be careful! I just threw a batch together standard recipe and filled to the top and mine clogged up the air lock.... twice. I wrapped paper towels in a vertical fashion to keep out any insects that might get curious. I would use caution or save a few inches at least.

That has only happened to me one time. If you look at this pic, the Better Bottle in the middle had a bit of foam come up into the airlock. I had to clean it once and then took a sanitized wine thief and removed about 8 ounces and life was good. If you look at the two Better Bottles on the end, that amount was perfect with Montrachet yeast. No airlock problems.

15GallonsApfelwein.jpg
 
98EXL said:
I'm slowly building a stash.......I need more better bottles around the house
I'm probably going to buy another 1 or 2 carboys on my next trip to my LHBS this week so I can dedicate at least one to making apfelwein.
 
Ed.....

Last night was official first taste, 7 weeks old, 1 week in bottles with some slpenda.....

.....damn it's great cold and carb'd.......I'm so looking forward to thanksgiving
 
DeadDoc said:
Just wondering... hasn't artificial sugar been found to be not soo healthy over the past few years?

Yeah, but you can die from all sorts of activities like driving to work, dropping a carboy, plane crashes, asteroids, etc. :D
 
DeadDoc said:
Just wondering... hasn't artificial sugar been found to be not soo healthy over the past few years?

McDonalds and other places like that have been too, but they seem to be doing really well.

In all seriousness, it seems like they can link most things in life to something bad that can happen to your body.
 
Primed my first batch today (The martinellis make up). I sneaked a toke of it (or a half gallon of it). Gundamn this stuffs good. It almost has no flavor at all, and yes Edwort after a couple glasses this stuff is phenominal. I think Ive had about maybe 20oz's of it, and.... well Im playing with my Rubik's cube.

I should have listened to your advice edwort and made another batch 2 weeks later. Im running out tomorrow to get another 5 gallons of martinelli's.
 
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