Man, I love Apfelwein

[MikeFlynn74]

shaffer

I used
2 gallons unfiltered apple juice
1 reg applejuice
2 gallons bluberry juice.
2lbs corn sugar

I barely got any foam- I also pitched 2 packets of Safael US05- It was still fermenting 4 weeks later @ 72 degrees.

I ended up kegging it the day I left. 4 months to condition in the keg @ 45 degrees. I might buy a filter and transfer to a second keg when I get home.

 

[shafferpilot]

I was brewing a lot that week, and right after the minor explosion I thought that I had mixed up my carboys. But the foam on my face was clearly apple in nature. Strange how seemingly similar "brews" can behave so differently

 

[chione]

I started a batch of apfelwein with 4 gallons of Tree Top, 2lbs dextrose, and Lavin 0118 yeast. I let if ferment for 5 weeks, I had lots of krausen the first week then just bubbling all around sides. Then I bottled 90% of it with 4oz dextrose. Now a week and half later it has not fully carbed and has a strange aftertaste, not really bitter or sour more of a tang. Why do I have this tang? Will this get better overtime? Why does this take so long to carbonate?

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

4 weeks and I'm sitting at 1.006. Didn't take an OG so who knows where i started. I either have to brew something else up quick, or my keezer is gonna have an unplanned vacation.

 

[blacklab]

KB - Mine took a solid six weeks and finished just under 1.000 as Ed described. However, my basement is on the cool side - 63-65 or so. Maybe you're in the same temp range?

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

I'm sitting at about 70º or so, may be dipping down to 68º. I've totally planned to let this sit AT LEAST another 2 weeks if not more. I'm just drinking too much (is that possible) and my PB Stout is just about done, Carmel Cream may last another 2 weeks, and the AG Pale is getting dumped. The apfelwein is the only thing I gots going right now.

 

[joejaz]

six and half weeks and still bubbling ---gravity last week .999 68-70 degree range

 

[shafferpilot]

I started a batch of apfelwein with 4 gallons of Tree Top, 2lbs dextrose, and Lavin 0118 yeast. I let if ferment for 5 weeks, I had lots of krausen the first week then just bubbling all around sides. Then I bottled 90% of it with 4oz dextrose. Now a week and half later it has not fully carbed and has a strange aftertaste, not really bitter or sour more of a tang. Why do I have this tang? Will this get better overtime? Why does this take so long to carbonate?

a week and a half is a short time for beer, and a REALLY short time for apfelwine. Stick it in a warm place and forget about it for 3 or 4 weeks, I'm betting the strange taste will be gone and it'll be nice and fizzy.

 

[Mr_Moe]

i couldnt drink mine till 5 months.

 

[whiskey_pickle]

Just stumbled across this post and would like to make a batch myself. Could anyone point me to a recipe for a 3 gal batch using DME ? or is DME not recommended ? Much appreciated!

 

[Chaos_Being]

My first batch just hit the 4 week mark, so I decided to take a hydrometer reading. I got 1.002 at 68 degrees. It's still bubbling slightly in the bottle (small bubbles rising from the yeast on the bottom,) and although it looks dark from a distance, if I shine a flashlight through it, I can see that it's still a bit cloudy. I'm assuming that it needs another week or two to finish? Should it be perfectly clear with no bubbling in the carboy/better bottle? Or do you just wait until the hydrometer shows under 1.00, and bottle?

The sample tasted just as I expected- dry, tart, and much like a white wine. I couldn't detect much of an apple flavor, if at all. It did have an apple aroma though. I let my wife taste it, and although I described it to her when I was making it, she still said it wasn't as sweet as she expected. I think she was hoping more for a Woodchuck styled cider. I'm looking at two options here- one, backsweetening with some splenda at bottling, or two, bottling it as is, and then mixing it in the glass with a little apple juice before drinking. I think choice two is going to create more of the flavor she was wanting- slightly sweet and apply. Either way, I'll try both methods when I get ready to bottle, and see which one tastes better.

I think I'm going to try an ale yeast (I'm thinking hefe yeast) on the next batch, to see if I can produce a somewhat fruitier, sweeter beverage. The Montrachet made a hell of an apple wine though!

Oh yeah, and I could already tell from the sample that going for the "3 glass rule" is probably going to result in ...heh.

 

[wildwest450]

I made a batch on friday (1/18) followed directions very carefully, even used the same Red Star Montrachet yeast. It is sitting @ 66-68 degrees, it's been about 30 hours and no airlock activity, any suggestions???

 

[sflcowboy78]

well ed i made my first batch today this is only the second brew i have made. i followed your recipie but by half because i only have a Mr. Beer for right now i can't wait to get my tax return. i will keep you up to date on how it turns out. looking foward to this.

2.5 gal motts apple juice
1 lbs corn sugar
1 packet montrachet yeast

 

[Seabee John]

I just kegged my second batch of Apfelwein. I didn't follow the exact recipe this time and wound up with a really interesting result. I opted out of adding the dextros, and instituted 1 pound of clover honey. I also added 1/2 oz of licorice root and 1/2 oz star anise. I pitched two packets of dry champaign yeast for a little highter abv. I racked to a secondary after 2 weeks (to remove the licorice root & anise) then let it condition for 3 months in the secondary. The result is a crisp tart taste with a mellow warm licorice finish. FG .996

I'd like to bottle a few and send em to ED for critique... Ed PM me if you want em.

 

[sflcowboy78]

well it has been a little more than 16hrs since i pitched my yeast and so far it looks good already showing signs of activity.

 

[sflcowboy78]

you know after reading this thread i am begining to think ed owns an apple farm somewhere and created this brew to sell more apples to the juice makers.

 

[shafferpilot]

I made a batch on friday (1/18) followed directions very carefully, even used the same Red Star Montrachet yeast. It is sitting @ 66-68 degrees, it's been about 30 hours and no airlock activity, any suggestions???

Apfelwine ferments very slowly for a very long time. Don't worry, it'll be fine. Just cover up that fermenter and forget about it for at least one month.... Seriously, don't even look at it for a whole month. Then take a reading and decide how much more time it needs. That's just the way this stuff works.

 

[sflcowboy78]

well it has been 29 hours since i pitched my yeast my house is sitting at 75F the yeast are doing their thing, already smelling the eliphant farts (swmbo likes them better than my own). time to sit back and relax. unfortunally i cannot have a home brew my first brew is still priming for another week.

 

[shafferpilot]

well it has been 29 hours since i pitched my yeast my house is sitting at 75F the yeast are doing their thing, already smelling the eliphant farts (swmbo likes them better than my own). time to sit back and relax. unfortunally i cannot have a home brew my first brew is still priming for another week.

yeast nutrient does wonders for reducing the unpleasant smell

 

[sflcowboy78]

yeast nutrient does wonders for reducing the unpleasant smell

a little over 48 hours latter and the elephant farts are gone next batch i might try some yeast nutrient but it was never really that unpleasent

 

[shafferpilot]

If it wasn't that bad, nutrient probably won't make any difference. Some people have reported horrible smells invading their whole house. Then they use nutrient on the next batch and report a vast improvement. I guess it depends on the apple juice or the yeast variety.

 

[user 14523]

Started drinking my first batch this weekend, and it was in the carboy for 2 months. The apfelwein is excellent.

I followed the recipe exactly but for two small changes: I used Mott's brand apple juice and added 1 tsp. of grape tannin to the 5-gallon batch. I let it ferment down to 0.999. The result had definite apple aroma, good apple flavor, a non-puckering acidity and dry finish. The apfelwein is excellent. Everyone who drinks any quantity enjoyed it. I did not require the 3-glass test, although my wife did. Started a new batch right away.

 

[Dextersmom]

There isn't any boiling or anything required to fully mix the dextrose?

if i do boil it to mix in the dextrose is that going to hurt at all?

 

[macs]

I made a batch on friday (1/18) followed directions very carefully, even used the same Red Star Montrachet yeast. It is sitting @ 66-68 degrees, it's been about 30 hours and no airlock activity, any suggestions???

Yes....Patience....if you followed the recipe exactly, it will start. The temp might be a little low and may be causing it to start slower than usual. I usually do mine at around 72-75 degrees F. and by the next day, it's going good.

 

[DUCCCC]

There isn't any boiling or anything required to fully mix the dextrose?

No.

if i do boil it to mix in the dextrose is that going to hurt at all?

I wouldn't do that. If you properly cleaned and sanitized your fermenter and you're using pastuerized store bought apple juice, and packaged dextrose, you should not need to boil anything. The dextrose should mix fine into the juice, and the shaking action gets the juice well aerated.

Follow EdWort's directions and it works.

 

[Dextersmom]

No.

I wouldn't do that. If you properly cleaned and sanitized your fermenter and you're using pastuerized store bought apple juice, and packaged dextrose, you should not need to boil anything. The dextrose should mix fine into the juice, and the shaking action gets the juice well aerated.

Follow EdWort's directions and it works.

good deal thanks

 

[TexLaw]

It takes very little shaking to dissolve that dextrose. It dissolves much, much more quickly and easily that table sugar. Prepare to be amazed.


TL

 

[Chello]

Just taped my first Apfelwein keg tonight...




...going to the grocery store tomorrow to get more apple juice...

 

[skou]

You going to play the tape?

How'd it taste?

I'm not going to need to tape mine, (or tap it) since I'm bottling.

steve

 

[Dextersmom]

another question:
using mr beer to brew up some apfelwein:
how much headspace should there be
also with a mr beer there is no airlock because the screw top is "notched" is this going to be a problem at all with apfelwein having a considerably longer fermentation period that beer?

Anyone else who has done this, how has yours turned out?

thanks for all the help guys!