Man, I love Apfelwein

[solidghost]

I see that you guys use cinnamon sticks. My local stores don't sell them in stick forms, only powdered cinnamon, should be alright? The ingredients says just cinnamon and sugar.

 

[Surfman]

Gonna try half a paper towel roll with dryer sheets rubber banded around the top to slip over the air lock. An ole trick we used college to hide the smell of um..."the Hops family Black Sheep"

The trusty SNARF

 

[EricK The Red]

Gonna try half a paper towel roll with dryer sheets rubber banded around the top to slip over the air lock. An ole trick we used college to hide the smell of um..."the Hops family Black Sheep"

Doob smokers are so crafty...

 

[Bro. N.S. Jack Ruby]

So while in a local wine wonder market, I found some authentic German apple wine yesterday. Possmann's Frankfort Apfelwein.

I did a side by side comparison with my homemade EdWort style brew, and boy was I surprised with the similarities, but the differences are what really make it A #1 in my book. They turned out to be very similar in mouth feel and initial taste, color was also similar. My homemade has a yeasty flavor not present in the store bought stuff. (go figure)

The authentic imported stuff was much drier than mine, and a lighter flavoron the finish; almost like a weak lemonade. It came in a 1L (+1.8 oz) bottle and it clocked in at 5.5% abv according to the label.

My homemade version had a few things going for it that I feel made it superior for my tastes. Mine was noticeably sweeter, if only in the nose, and had a much more pronounced apple flavor.

Had I tried authentic apple wine of this caliber prior to making EdWort's, I may not have bothered. Fortunately, EdWort's rules the day.

God bless EdWort, and viva l'apfelwein!

 

[sangnom]

I've had a 6 gallon batch of apfelwein fermenting for 3 weeks or so, and it hit .996 SG after about 9 days. (I'm using Lalvin DV10 which apparently ferments ridiculously fast) I happen to have some bentonite and sparkelloid sitting around and was wondering if I could put that to any use. I haven't seen any bubbles out of my airlock in the last week and a half. Am I better off just waiting another couple of weeks and bottling or dumping some of that in there. I plan on bottle carbing this batch.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Well I didn't have any paper towels rolls and the wife had just changed the TP roll and pitched it. I cut the bottom out of a small pastic dixie cup and used that. This helped a little, but the room still smells.

 

[Shaggy]

Interesting comparison/notes, Bro. N.S. Jack Ruby! TFS.

Well I didn't have any paper towels rolls and the wife had just changed the TP roll and pitched it. I cut the bottom out of a small pastic dixie cup and used that. This helped a little, but the room still smells.

Thanks for the update.
I got home at about 11:30pm last night and theres much more apple smell than previous. Cloudy looking with many "fizzy" bubbles streaming up the sides...airlock bubbles about 1 per sec. Temp on my carboy went up about a degree as well.
How many days did it take from start to your rhino appeared?
Tonight will be 3 days in for me...

 

[Crazytwoknobs]

I see that you guys use cinnamon sticks. My local stores don't sell them in stick forms, only powdered cinnamon, should be alright? The ingredients says just cinnamon and sugar.

I'm guessing it's fine, I don't know for sure though. I haven't used any spices yet.

 

[Shaggy]

OK...just got home and I think there might be baby rhinos about....hope their parents aren't coming soon lol!
Surely not smelling in here as yummy apple like as it was last night anyway.
So, I took a TP roll, stuffed in one dryer sheet, and slid the roll just over the cap of my 3piece airlock. Fit just right and is not impeding airflow so we'll see how this works. Off to a party in a bit and when I get home, maybe I'll notice a difference.

 

[skou]

Oh, just to let you all know, no rhinos were found in my tiny aprtment, using Nottingham yeast. Nary a one!

Wine tastes good, though! Next time I can get some more Simply Apple, I'm doing another batch. No, it never cleared, but I'm not even worrying about that. I priced a 1.75L bottle of Simply Apple, at Fry's Food today, $3.99 a bottle!!

steve

 

[Thwizzit]

So, are Rhino Farts inevitable? I've had the Apfelwein fermenting for a week now and I only smell apples. Did I do something wrong?

 

[Thor the Mighty]

what if you were to use just normal ale yeast?

 

[Schlenkerla]

So, are Rhino Farts inevitable? I've had the Apfelwein fermenting for a week now and I only smell apples. Did I do something wrong?

What's Up Thwizzit?

No, I never get Rhino Farts when I use Yeast Nutrients w/ Cotes or Monty.

 

[5327echo]

I read somewhere that its desirable to use Sodium Metabisulphite when using Potassium Sorbate to stablize cider prior to bottling.....????....

What methods and chemicals is everyone else using to stabilize Edworts Apfelwein before bottling...???



-cheers!

 

[Thwizzit]

What's Up Thwizzit?

No, I never get Rhino Farts when I use Yeast Nutrients w/ Cotes or Monty.

Ok cool. I just added the nutrient today and the bubbles never seemed to stall so I'm confident that in a month I should be ready to bottle.

Thanks again

 

[nyer]

I finally got to try my 2 1/2 gallon batch of apfelwein last night. It has been in the primary a few days under 5 weeks. I tasted the sample I used to check the final gravity and was pleasantly surprised. It tastes like a dry white wine with a hint of green apple. My wife tried it and thought it was pretty good too. I can't decide if I should keg it or bottle it. I can't wait to try it carbed after a little more aging.

 

[nyer]

I decided to just keg what I had. I hit it with gas and shook it a few minutes and then took a sample, holy cow this stuff is good. I'm sure it will be much better as it ages and gets carbed properly. I'm going to start a 5 gallon batch soon.

 

[sittingturbo]

I just ran across this recipe last night, my GF has celiacs, so she can't drink beer.

So I just made her a Sorghum based beer, It's been bottled for about a week, but she couldnt wait to try it, so last night she poped one open... Man it was so cloudy, should have used Irish Moss in it... It was also so tart, nasty. It's gonna have to age a while.

My point is, I'm going to make this for her today. Hopefully she will not try to drink it as I rack it out of the fermenter in a month. She is a huge wine drinker, so dryness is not a problem, but she really likes sweeter ciders, how much lactose are you guys adding, and are you adding in the fermenter or right before kegging?

 

[Bro. N.S. Jack Ruby]

I have never had rhino farts, even brewing two 5 gallon buckets at a time.

I have used Narbonne (from the Languedoc region; Cathars, Templars, etc.) variety yeast from the beginning (Lalvin 71b-1122) but have otherwise used EdWort's recipe.


In other news, tonight I am sampling the second of two authentic German apfelweins available at my local wonder market. This one is Possmann's Heisser, a Frankfurter Apfelgluhwein. It is a spiced cider variety.

My brew in no way compares to this as mine is neither sweetened or spiced. On it's own however, I am enjoying it quite thoroughly, a refreshing change of pace, and perfect for our blustery winter day.

Probably even better served warm; just what I imagine for a mulled cider.

The cat doesn't seem to like it, probably too sweet; she prefers Scotch.

 

[Mr. Awesome]

Holy effing cow. I just tasted my hydrometer sample of the Apfelwein. Original recipe (using Mott's). The hydrometer reading was 1.020 (down from 1.046) after about 3 weeks, maybe 2 and a half weeks. It tasted delicious. It's amazing how clear and yellow it looked compared to how orange the liquid in the fermenter still looked. I'm sold, buying the juice for my second batch tomorrow.

 

[9/9]

Okay, I am really interested in trying this, but the SWMBO isn't sold, so I would like to try a smaller batch before committing an entire carboy to it (we don't have much space).

I know that 1 gallon batches can be done, but how much juice, sugar and yeast should be used?

I am sure that the answer is somewhere in this thread, but I don't have 2 years to read through it all.

Thanks, all.

 

[DUCCCC]

Okay, I am really interested in trying this, but the SWMBO isn't sold, so I would like to try a smaller batch before committing an entire carboy to it (we don't have much space).

I know that 1 gallon batches can be done, but how much juice, sugar and yeast should be used?

I am sure that the answer is somewhere in this thread, but I don't have 2 years to read through it all.

Thanks, all.

I'd just get a 1 gallon jug of juice, pour out around four cups of juice into a sanitized receptacle, and pour about 6-7 oz. of corn sugar into the jug and shake up well to aerate the juice while mixing in the sugar. A whole pack of Montrachet or Lalvin D-47 isn't expensive, but it might be overkill, probably half a pack is fine. Pitch yeast, and top off with set aside juice, making sure to leave some room for fermentation activity. Rig airlock in drilled out lid of jug, or maybe find suitable drilled stopper.

 

[9/9]

I'd just get a 1 gallon jug of juice, pour out around four cups of juice into a sanitized receptacle, and pour about 6-7 oz. of corn sugar into the jug and shake up well to aerate the juice while mixing in the sugar. A whole pack of Montrachet or Lalvin D-47 isn't expensive, but it might be overkill, probably half a pack is fine. Pitch yeast, and top off with set aside juice, making sure to leave some room for fermentation activity. Rig airlock in drilled out lid of jug, or maybe find suitable drilled stopper.

Excellent. Thanks.

I assume that is 6-7 oz sugar by weight? Any idea how many cups that works out to?

 

[DUCCCC]

Excellent. Thanks.

I assume that is 6-7 oz sugar by weight? Any idea how many cups that works out to?

Using my uncalibrated kitchen scale 1 cup was right between 6 and 7 oz.

 

[9/9]

Using my uncalibrated kitchen scale 1 cup was right between 6 and 7 oz.

Thanks again!

 

[DUCCCC]

Thanks again!

You're welcome, and that measurement was for Corn Sugar, not table sugar, just to make sure you know.

 

[431brew]

Sorry....pc froze and I posted the above twice. Tried to delete it, but couldn't figure out how. So wiped out everything with the edit button.

 

[431brew]

I'm using a PET water bottle that I found at Lowe's for $4.95.

I wanted to make a 2.5 gal batch myself, so tried to find a 3 gal water bottle. How are you guys finding these things?! I have tried Lowes and HD in two neighboring cities, as well as the grocery stores, and they are all #7's. Even our thick-walled, heavy plastic 5 gal water bottles at work are #7. I guess it is because I live in a small town. Maybe I need to get one of you to ship me a 3 gal PET water bottle! LOL!

Anyway, I was determined to make beer and AW this weekend, so dropped $22 at the LHBS, which is 50 miles away, and bought a 3 gal carboy. In the long run, I will probably be glad I did so I can use it for wine and longterm aging.

I used Wyeast 3068 in the AW. It has only been 24 hours, but I have some small bubbles on top and the airlock bubbles every 5 minutes or so. Hopefully it will get cranked up in the next few days.

The batch of beer that I made was only 2.5 gals, too, and I have a little action on it already, too.

I intended to make these one at the time, but somehow got both going at the same time. The LME that I added to the beer was in a plastic container, and I was apparently squeezing it more than I realized as I was trying to get the lid off. The lid came off, and the LME shot out...stringing from me to the counter to the stove and to the floor, and of course running up my arm because I was still holding the container.

I called SWMBO for a little help, but she was already on the way yelling, "I am coming to save my kitchen!"

Despite this, SWMBO is finally onboard with the homebrewing experience. I know this because she has been giving me updates all day today on the airlock action and asking what it would taste like if we made it with grape juice. I tell her that I don't know because I don't yet know what it tastes like with apple juice.

What a great weekend - made a fresh batch of brew, made my first batch of AW, got SWMBO involved, and actually got to see a few snow flakes here in south AL.

 

[MULE]

Stupid question: Can I use an Ale Pale for this?

 

[MikeFlynn74]

Mule-

Yep works just fine