Man, I love Apfelwein

[Txbigfoot]

Hi guys, I made my first batch following the original recipe and its now 2.5 weeks into it and bubbling away. I cant wait. Bottle date May 15. I wanted to start another batch with honey and raisins but without reading over 1k in posts I would like to know if someone could pitch me the quick answer as to when to add them and if you need to filter, etc.. This is my second attempt at home brew so play nice. Thank you!

 

[BamaProud]

Add both when you add the Sugar(dextrose) , the honey will just be another fermentable sugar. (you might want to cut back on the dextrose accordingly) The raisins are a yeast nutrient. Lots of people boil them first to sterilize, cut them in half using and on sanitized equipment and add them.

 

[cpesko]

Drink it and tell us. No reason it should not be just because of time - assuming it was treated correctly otherwise.

Yea it taste fine. Been air tight except one siphon because I put it in a 15 gallon demijohn. Just didnt know if it would turn to vinegar or go bad.

 

[jeuentes]

I'm thinking of making some apflewein, but using the bottling sugar I have laying around and boiling it like a brew and using ale yeast. Getting 6 gallons and boiling it down to 5. What do yall think?

 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Gotta try making this stuff.............sounds awesome!

 

[Leadgolem]

Yea it taste fine. Been air tight except one siphon because I put it in a 15 gallon demijohn. Just didnt know if it would turn to vinegar or go bad.

Possible, but not typical. Unless your sanitation was a little off.

I'm thinking of making some apflewein, but using the bottling sugar I have laying around and boiling it like a brew and using ale yeast. Getting 6 gallons and boiling it down to 5. What do yall think?

Boiling apple juice isn't usually the greatest idea. Over about 160f you start losing flavor.

If you are wanting something with a more concentrated apple flavor, I would add frozen apple juice concentrate instead of sugar.

Happy brewing.

 

[bleme]

If you are wanting something with a more concentrated apple flavor, I would add frozen apple juice concentrate instead of sugar.

+1
Frozen apple juice concentrate rocks! :rockin:

 

[MooseRider]

If I brew a 6 gallon batch of this will 1 packet of yeast still be sufficient? Im new to brewing and would rather buy the 6 gallon better bottle becuase I feel it would be a better addition to my limited equipment.

 

[jeuentes]

Now that is an "eye deer". Never thought of doing that. I'm going to try that.

 

[BrewerBear]

If I brew a 6 gallon batch of this will 1 packet of yeast still be sufficient? Im new to brewing and would rather buy the 6 gallon better bottle becuase I feel it would be a better addition to my limited equipment.

Yes,one pack is fine.

 

[MooseRider]

Yes,one pack is fine.

Alright. Thanks!

 

[Leadgolem]

If I brew a 6 gallon batch of this will 1 packet of yeast still be sufficient? Im new to brewing and would rather buy the 6 gallon better bottle becuase I feel it would be a better addition to my limited equipment.

Welcome to the addiction.

Yes,one pack is fine.

And, +1 on one packet being fine.

 

[timcadieux]

I have 2 Carboy's, dating from Dec and January, they're both bulk conditioning, still on the yeast cake. I'm storing them in the room i use for fermenting, therefore a constant 70f. I have another room i keep at 64f, I was wondering if I should move them into the colder storage for the remainder of their stay with us ??

 

[Raenon]

I have 2 Carboy's, dating from Dec and January, they're both bulk conditioning, still on the yeast cake. I'm storing them in the room i use for fermenting, therefore a constant 70f. I have another room i keep at 64f, I was wondering if I should move them into the colder storage for the remainder of their stay with us ??

I would think that the 70F sounds a little warm for storage, but only by a few degrees. Cold will drop your yeast really nicely, but will slow down the aging (from both the temp and loss of yeast)

If you like how it tastes right now, go ahead and move to cold, then keg/bottle... but I'd leave it "warm" for a few more months yet.



On my own note, I just started 24 gallons this week. Used a mixture of corn sugar, a little light brown, and sucrose. Just used up some old bags to make up my total sugar weights.
Picked up the gallons of apple juice from Wal-Mart for ~2.50 apiece.

This is all being made to be given away as wedding favors when I get married this summer. Plan is to force carb in a keg and then bottle in 1L swingtops, with instructions on the label to drink on our 1st anniversary

 

[carlk47]

I'm curious to know the taste of this at 6-12 months.. I see everyone say it tastes like a dry white wine with an apple taste.. would you say it would make a good house white wine? Wondering if this could be a good replacement versus actually making wine(which I haven't done yet)?

 

[DerrangedPOJO]

Can not wait to make this. Getting the ingredients to make this weekend.

 

[Ridenour64]

When I started my carboy was topped up fine. Is it usually to lose volume like that? Should I top up? It's been fermenting for like 5-6 days.

 

[Leadgolem]

I'm curious to know the taste of this at 6-12 months.. I see everyone say it tastes like a dry white wine with an apple taste.. would you say it would make a good house white wine? Wondering if this could be a good replacement versus actually making wine(which I haven't done yet)?

Yes and no. The flavor is definitively good enough, but a bit to distinct in my opinion to totally replace white wine. I would say the flavor would tend to overwhelm delicate flavors, fish, vanillas, etc... It should be fine with something with a stronger flavor, chicken, or pork. Probably a little weak, unless you make a spiced version, for beef.

When I started my carboy was topped up fine. Is it usually to lose volume like that? Should I top up? It's been fermenting for like 5-6 days.

I wouldn't bother. The liquid probably just dropped in temperature a little.

 

[SupervisingChildren]

Just made this a few minutes ago... Thanks for the recipe!

 

[Ridenour64]

Yes and no. The flavor is definitively good enough, but a bit to distinct in my opinion to totally replace white wine. I would say the flavor would tend to overwhelm delicate flavors, fish, vanillas, etc... It should be fine with something with a stronger flavor, chicken, or pork. Probably a little weak, unless you make a spiced version, for beef.

I wouldn't bother. The liquid probably just dropped in temperature a little.

Ok thanks! I'm gonna let it sit in there for like 6 months I just didn't know if it could oxidize or something from not being topped up.

 

[BamaProud]

When I started my carboy was topped up fine. Is it usually to lose volume like that? Should I top up? It's been fermenting for like 5-6 days.

Hmmmm My batch has about 2-3 inches more headspace than yours. Its been in the fermenter for 10 days or so. Should i top it off or will the Co2 layer be enough to protect it from oxidizing?

 

[Justdrumin]

Just finished a batch. It was in the 1g glass jug for a month. Not thinking I put a can of frozen apple juice in the bottling bucket...the whole can. Am I gonna have bombs? Should I wait a day or two then use the stove top pasteurize method? Thanks for the help...what would I do without HBT?!?

 

[BamaProud]

Just finished a batch. It was in the 1g glass jug for a month. Not thinking I put a can of frozen apple juice in the bottling bucket...the whole can. Am I gonna have bombs? Should I wait a day or two then use the stove top pasteurize method? Thanks for the help...what would I do without HBT?!?

Yes I think you might have a problem there. Sorry, hopefully someone with more knowledge than me can help you fix things.

 

[Leadgolem]

Hmmmm My batch has about 2-3 inches more headspace than yours. Its been in the fermenter for 10 days or so. Should i top it off or will the Co2 layer be enough to protect it from oxidizing?

It will be fine.

Just finished a batch. It was in the 1g glass jug for a month. Not thinking I put a can of frozen apple juice in the bottling bucket...the whole can. Am I gonna have bombs? Should I wait a day or two then use the stove top pasteurize method? Thanks for the help...what would I do without HBT?!?

You are definitely going to want to pasteurize. The priming sugar calculator I like indicates that about 0.8 oz of sugar would be right for 1 gallon of cider. A can of frozen apple juice concentrate usually has about 25 gravity points. 1 lb of sugar has 46. So you added roughly 4 oz of table sugar equivalent. That's pretty rough estimation, but your still at 3-4 times more fermentables then you would want to carbonate.

 

[fenners]

I kegged my first batch of apfelwein today - 5 gallons that I started right after Christmas. It hit FG1.000 according to my hydrometer. I've drank two flat pints of it already & yeah this warning is right on the money.

My wife's not a beer drinker, she likes fizzy girly drinks and her social group regularly have "Moms nights in". I'm looking forward to it carbing so my wife & her friends can drink it. :rockin:

 

[Justdrumin]

You are definitely going to want to pasteurize. The priming sugar calculator I like indicates that about 0.8 oz of sugar would be right for 1 gallon of cider. A can of frozen apple juice concentrate usually has about 25 gravity points. 1 lb of sugar has 46. So you added roughly 4 oz of table sugar equivalent. That's pretty rough estimation, but your still at 3-4 times more fermentables then you would want to carbonate.

I thought so. I mean the swmbo doesn't mind cuz its a lil sweeter, but now I need to pasteurize. How long should I wait to pasteurize? I've seen some put it in a pet bottle but mine is bottled and it bein such a small batch if I kept opening em they'll all be gone by the time its carbed. If I have to, I put another gallon of apple juice right on top after I transferred so I have another batch comin and ill be able to do it right then. Should I use a small 12oz soda bottle next time? This is only my second batch. I tried the 5 day cider and didn't care for it much. The sample of this I had was AWESOME and I look forward to aging my next batch a while. Thanks!

 

[IsildursHeir]

I just made my first batch. I used EC-1118 instead of Montrachet, Indian Summer Apple Juice, and 2lb Dextrose. O.G. is 1.066, so pretty much on target. I'll probably backsweeten half of it for SWMBO, can't wait to try it!

 

[SFGiantsFan925]

+1
Frozen apple juice concentrate rocks! :rockin:

Are you adding this at bottling or in place of the apple juice at the start?? I am wondering what to back sweeten with. O have heard Splenda or lactose or something thats not fermentable.

Also, is the ratio of sugar to carbonate the same as beer? About 4 oz dextrose for 5 gallons? Im thinking you would want it a little less carbonated.

 

[bleme]

Are you adding this at bottling or in place of the apple juice at the start?? I am wondering what to back sweeten with. O have heard Splenda or lactose or something thats not fermentable.

Also, is the ratio of sugar to carbonate the same as beer? About 4 oz dextrose for 5 gallons? Im thinking you would want it a little less carbonated.

It's been a while so I'm not positive what that reply was to but I believe he was using it for priming. You can use it to back sweeten also. If you use it to backsweeten, just add enough to both sweeten and prime. When you bottle, use a plastic soda bottle for one of them. When that bottle gets hard, pasteurize all your glass bottles.

If you don't want to bother with pasteurization (it can be intimidating) you can sweeten with Splenda, lactose, or stevia.

 

[Txbigfoot]

OK, so, if I dont want it carboniated or keged, how do I store it?
Thanks.