Man, I love Apfelwein

[kc9eci]

Oh Lord, that Mr Beer Cider kit is horrible!

Just an FYI.

Just bottled it. Most of it anyway. I used 8 ounce soda bottles so the last pint went in to a glass. I'm sipping away on it now and it isn't bad. Tart, crisp, no aftertaste. Tongue goes a little dry but otherwise I'm ok with it. Spendy for what it is though. Did mess up though. When I bottled, I used primetabs and 8 ounce soda bottles. I was going to use 2 per bottle and for some reason only dropped 1 per bottle in. Oh well...lightly carbonated still equals refreshing in my book.

 

[cdubbaya]

I just kegged this last night after about 8 weeks in fermentation, and saved 1 bomber to compare "carbed vs uncarbed".

What a mess I had though, when I siphoned from the carboy to the keg! I forgot to attach my bottling wand, so I had to quickly pull the hose from the bottle to the keg and it splashed all over. The dogs had their way with the spillage on my floor!

On a related note, I'm guessing there is some level of oxidation I should be concerned about right? I had a fair amount of splashing, so hopefully it will come out OK.

 

[nukinfuts29]

I wouldn't worry, none of my stuff was oxidized and i made a massive mess the first time.

 

[SwampassJ]

Picking up juice tomorrow. Apple and eve is buy 1 get 1 at publix.

 

[garnede]

Picking up juice tomorrow. Apple and eve is buy 1 get 1 at publix.

That is a sweet deal on organic juice. Enjoy.

 

[SwampassJ]

That is a sweet deal on organic juice. Enjoy.

Yeah comes out to about 3.40 a gallon. Sale ends today so anyone else with a publix here is s your chance.

 

[kc9eci]

If you're fast, as I post this, woot.com is having a wootoff and the mr beer kit (premium) is $20 and $5 shipping. Good luck.

 

[daz57992]

So what is Dextrose please? Is this sugar ?

 

[rico567]

So what is Dextrose please? Is this sugar ?

Dextrose is another word for glucose. It can be labeled for sale to homebrewers as "corn sugar." It is like pure crack for yeast. It just turns into increased alcohol and no additional flavors or etc.

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

So what is Dextrose please? Is this sugar ?

yup its a corn sugar. so far i haven't seen it in any of the stores around me, bought mine from LHBS i think.

 

[RunnerDude]

I put my apfelwein at the bottom of some stairs (where I always ferment beer) because it is the most stable temp in the house and cooler year round. The apfelwein has been stable around 64-66 or so. It may have started out a tad warmer. I've been reading that it should really be 70-75 with the Montrachet yeast (which I used). But it fermented like crazy (had to use a blowoff tube). So I guess the temp wasn't an issue? I just moved it upstairs where the temp is higher but also less stable, mid to low 70s during the day and mid to high 60s at night. Sometimes gets even warmer during the day.

My question is since it was fermenting so actively was it necessary to move it upstairs. Or am I better off leaving it at the bottom of the stairs? It's been in the carboy for 12 days and fermentation has slowed a lot. Not sure if that makes a difference. Thanks.

 

[rico567]

My fermentation went very differently. My basement runs mid-60s, probably toward the low end at this time of year. The fermentation was slow to start, so after three days or so I put a "brew belt" electric heater on the Better Bottle, and things picked up. The rate of fermentation still remained pretty polite, nothing very fast...I'm between 6 and 7 weeks now, checked FG the other day and I'm at .998. Still cloudy, so I'm getting some pectic enzyme and will rack & add some, hoping to clarify. Will plan on bottling at 3 months or so....

 

[OpenContainer]

I put my apfelwein at the bottom of some stairs (where I always ferment beer) because it is the most stable temp in the house and cooler year round. The apfelwein has been stable around 64-66 or so. It may have started out a tad warmer. I've been reading that it should really be 70-75 with the Montrachet yeast (which I used). But it fermented like crazy (had to use a blowoff tube). So I guess the temp wasn't an issue? I just moved it upstairs where the temp is higher but also less stable, mid to low 70s during the day and mid to high 60s at night. Sometimes gets even warmer during the day.

My question is since it was fermenting so actively was it necessary to move it upstairs. Or am I better off leaving it at the bottom of the stairs? It's been in the carboy for 12 days and fermentation has slowed a lot. Not sure if that makes a difference. Thanks.

If it was working and doing what it's supposed to do at 64-66, I see no reason to have moved it. Set a reminder in your phone for what would be the three month mark and bottle it up. You'll be golden.

 

[RunnerDude]

If it was working and doing what it's supposed to do at 64-66, I see no reason to have moved it. Set a reminder in your phone for what would be the three month mark and bottle it up. You'll be golden.

Thanks. I kind of figured "if it aint broke don't fix it." But then it seemed so far off temp wise that I got concerned. I'll set the reminder, but for 6 months. I've decided to let this batch go long as many seem to think that it's worth the extra wait.

 

[nukinfuts29]

phone reminders work well unless the phone breaks I always put a strip of blue painters tape on the primary and label it with the name, date, transfer or finish date (expected), OG, and starting temp. The painters tape is great because it comes right off.

 

[RunnerDude]

phone reminders work well unless the phone breaks I always put a strip of blue painters tape on the primary and label it with the name, date, transfer or finish date (expected), OG, and starting temp. The painters tape is great because it comes right off.

LOL. Good point. Doesn't really matter though. I'm so anxious to try it, I won't forget. And the date we made it is in my wife's calendar since we also had friends over to make candles.

 

[TrooperThorn]

My first batch of Apfelwein is happily bubbling away in a quiet corner of the bedroom.

Thanks EdWort!

I'm having a blast watching that carboy bubbling away. It's my second brew but I think I'm having more fun watching this one through the glass than by waiting on that Stout in the bucket.

 

[MarkKF]

I just took a sip...

6 Gallons 100% Apple Juice (No preservatives or additives) from frozen concentrate
5 pounds of cane sugar
WLP775 English Cider Yeast

Started on 01/03/2012
Still bubbling and SG 1.010

Got a little fizz, still kinda sweet, clear
and oh sooooo good! Gonna rack soon.

 

[tlael]

I just took a sip...

6 Gallons 100% Apple Juice (No preservatives or additives) from frozen concentrate
5 pounds of cane sugar
WLP775 English Cider Yeast

Started on 01/03/2012
Still bubbling and SG 1.010

Got a little fizz, still kinda sweet, clear
and oh sooooo good! Gonna rack soon.

Holy Sheep ****!
Wishing you and yours luck with the hangovers.

 

[D_Ranged_Eskimo]

Tried a bottle the other day that has been aging for 3 months. It's worth forgetting about; it really does get great after aging a while!

 

[solbes]

Don't remind me. I'm currently trying to forget!

 

[Recluse]

My fermentation went very differently. My basement runs mid-60s, probably toward the low end at this time of year. The fermentation was slow to start, so after three days or so I put a "brew belt" electric heater on the Better Bottle, and things picked up. The rate of fermentation still remained pretty polite, nothing very fast...I'm between 6 and 7 weeks now, checked FG the other day and I'm at .998. Still cloudy, so I'm getting some pectic enzyme and will rack & add some, hoping to clarify. Will plan on bottling at 3 months or so....

Most of the online wisdom says Pectic enzyme is useless added at the END of fermentation. I would just let it sit. I find mine clears around 4-5 weeks but could take longer. I have been using EC-1118 instead of Montrachet and I think it clears much faster.

My latest batch is in the basement where temps are 57-61. Was 59 at pitch. I moved it closer to the furnace, but the temps were still not getting about 62 degrees. Fermentation was slow to start but was very active and continued for about a week or more. The last Winter Batch was one of the BEST, so I think the wine yeast do well at low temperatures, even if they take a bit longer. Mine is at 3 weeks now and airlock activity has pretty much ceased, but there are still some foamy islets on the surface.

As per usual, I will not even think about doing anything more with it until at least 8 weeks, by which time it is usually very clear...and I have no time, so it sits another 2-3 weeks before I get around to bottling

I read that most yeast really prefer much higher temps (hence the instructions to rehydrate around 98-104 deg F) but will be more stressed and yield off flavors. Not sure if being too cold stresses them as well, but my past winter batches turned out great.

 

[RunnerDude]

If it was working and doing what it's supposed to do at 64-66, I see no reason to have moved it. Set a reminder in your phone for what would be the three month mark and bottle it up. You'll be golden.

Well after moving it upstairs (before I could take it back down), the temp went from 64 to 70-72 and the airlock activity has increased. So, I think I'll leave it here for now. Maybe move it back down later when fermentation is done.

But since I needed a blowoff tube with the temp in the 60s, I can't imagine what it would have done had i started it up here!

 

[LowBudget]

Just joined the community. Been making beer for about a year. I am a week into my first batch of Apfelwein. Got it going in a Mr. Beer keg. Took a taste the other night to try and detect any off flavors or problems. Tasted pretty good, yeasty obviously. Original rec. except with brown sugar cause I didn't want to make a trip to the LHBS. Doin it old school, no meters, no math, as I don't own a hydro. I have made it this far without one. Can't wait.
As if I needed another reason to love my wife, we were sitting in the kitchen the other day discussing future batches and she says, " Why don't we get a 5 gal carboy just for keeping a batch going all the time?" I think I will keep her around.

 

[KWKSLVR]

So, just a little FYI for anyone that is looking for at least near-Champagne level carbonation. I bottled 4 gallons with 4.25oz of dextrose and they're bottle conditioning at somewhere around 72 degrees right now.

3 weeks after bottling, I stuck one in the fridge for about 24 hours. My my, talk about carbonated! Don't get me wrong, it didn't fizz for 15 minutes, but it went wild for a while. I had a hard time attempting to get my phone to take a decent pic.

Just thought that might help give someone some guidelines on what to do since I scoured the internet for a definitive answer to that question and didn't really find much. I bottled 33 12oz bottles and 4 22oz bottles, but it's roughly 1.5tsp of dextrose per 12oz bottle.

 

[hippo8046]

Okay, so after roughly 3 months I've finally tried my first 5 gallon batch. Tasted a little dry. The apple flavor was gone from the apple juice. I didn't really detect any alcohol. Could this be because I sipped only a bit? I will have more next time I get a chance. Just wondering what everyone else has come up with. Overall, this was really easy to "assemble" no problems at all, is this what everyone else came up with?

 

[KWKSLVR]

It's suppose to be dry.

After only 3 months, you aren't going to have much apple flavor. I decided to give mine a splash of cider extract and I back sweetened with Xylitol, but I was using Apfelwein as more of a "base" for more of a hard cider than a wine. You need to give it more time.

 

[nukinfuts29]

they say at 6 months the apple really comes out in it. Try waiting longer

 

[cdubbaya]

they say at 6 months the apple really comes out in it. Try waiting longer

I used brown sugar for mine and it really kicked up the apple flavor! I have mine kegged after about 8 or 9 weeks and it tastes great. I'm sitting on it for awhile to let it condition, but I tried some mixed with some 7up and it's amazing.

 

[nukinfuts29]

Yea I bottled a brown sugar one, going to let it sit till fourth of july

 

[Stauffbier]

I have a one gallon batch of this on it's 3rd week in a primary. I'm going to hide it in a dark closet for 6 months and forget about it..

 

[Stauffbier]

Yea I bottled a brown sugar one, going to let it sit till fourth of july

Hey that's a good idea! I'll leave mine untill the fourth and pop it open during the Twilight Zone Marathon and toast you to the end of the world in december! haha..

 

[nukinfuts29]

Yea I figure one bottle a few months early is all good

 

[Stauffbier]

Yeah I'll just keep drinking from that point on, and if the world don't end I'll let the hangover begin on the 22nd (which just happens to be my birthday.. haha)... Hmmm, that just gave me an idea for a Mayan Chocolate Chile Ale :rockin:

 

[nukinfuts29]

I'm stocking up on booze, guns, and ammo

 

[drewneely]

Got my dedicated 5 gallon Better Bottle today (thank you FedEx) and picked up my juice. Now it is time for my inaugural batch.

 

[Jponer]

I started a batch on New Years Day and it is still cloudy. When should I expect it to clear up? Should I degas?

 

[OpenContainer]

I started a batch on New Years Day and it is still cloudy. When should I expect it to clear up? Should I degas?

No need to degas.

I started mine on 23 December and it's been crystal clear for a week. I used Lalvin K1-V1116 though, since my LHBS didn't have Montrachet. I'm going to start another batch with Montrachet in the next week or so.

 

[nukinfuts29]

I started a batch on New Years Day and it is still cloudy. When should I expect it to clear up? Should I degas?

it hasn't even been 4 weeks yet....

 

[Grumpybumpy]

I started a batch on New Years Day and it is still cloudy. When should I expect it to clear up? Should I degas?

I had the same brew day and I'm still bubbling up the sides