Man, I love Apfelwein

[frankjones]

No sure if anyone else posted this in the thousand plus threads, but I hate having to get dextrose for this recipe as I don't really use it for anything else.

I settled on 8 cups of table sugar in 4 cups of water and 4 tbs of lemon juice simmered for at least 30 mins and cooled. I straight sub this for the specified dextrose but I qs to 6 gallons not 5.

Hope that helps anyone else who hates ordering Dextrose

I use brown sugar. Lhbs is so over priced and I get 7.88% abv with two pounds in five gallons

 

[Medic218]

Haha
That's correct meant .9000

Good.
I was going to say, you probably shouldn't use that yeast strain ever again!

 

[frankjones]

I'm trying to wait until it's been in the bottle for 30 days... It's been eleven days now.

 

[frankjones]

What variations has anyone used on this? Anyone use cranberry or another juice with apple ? Any tips?

 

[Zombie Zero]

I've made this before, and I and everyone I shared it with loved the results!

So, I'm trying a little experiment... I've got two new batches of this recipe running, with a slight twist.

Before pouring the apple juice, sugar, and such, I added 48 oz of Vintner's Harvest Raspberry puree into one carboy, and Sweet Cherry puree into the other.

It will be a few weeks before they're ready, but I'm wondering if any of you have tried this, and what your results were.

I didn't take an OG, so I don't really know what the final ABV will be. Thoughts?

 

[frankjones]

I think you will get a higher abv with the extra fruit puree. Thinking about doing something similar.

 

[frankjones]

So my apfelwein has been in the bottles eleven days. When I opened out I could hear a little co2 gas escape. But still flat. It smells great. But tastes a little on the bland sid still very good. Remotely reminds me of angry orchard hard cider. But that's a bit sweeter. So far good. I still think it's good. The 7.88% abv is well hidden. I know it needs time . another member mentioned it takes 30 or so to get to carb up. Very happy with this because 9 gallons cost me around 30 cents per bottle and if it's def OK now I have no doubt it will be amazing in a few months. Put away 12 of the 22 ounce bombers t not open until six months. Another set to not open for 8 months. I'm fueling my pipe line with some that I can drink in a few week (beers) and also some beers are marked not to open for three or six months. Depends on the beer. Over all I'm very happy with the apfelwein! Very happy. The 7.88 abv is undetectable... Lol until the 2nd bottle. Wow buzz!

 

[frankjones]

OK just got into the apfelwein. Lol I mixed it with sierra mist not feeling it. Going to try a little sprite on the next one. Haha. I need a bigger pipe line.

 

[zamo27]

i done this and its been in the primary for exactly 2 months. it now reads 0.99
do i bottle it? does it require any priming and if so how much

what am i supposed to do next

 

[frankjones]

Its done. If you want to carb and bottle like beer. Takes a month to carb up .

 

[zamo27]

Do I prime


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[rhythmsteve]

My cider sucks, don't know why but it's terribly acidic, and horrible

 

[SupervisingChildren]

Maybe the juice or the yeast? What did you use?

 

[SupervisingChildren]

Do I prime


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Only if you want it carbonated.

 

[Zombie Zero]

Do I prime


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I enjoy it flat, as do my friends. I tell them it's more like a wine than a cider, and they're like

 

[sportpak]

My cider sucks, don't know why but it's terribly acidic, and horrible

My batch was pretty hot starting out. Let it sit 4-6 months and it will mellow out.

 

[rhythmsteve]

Used 100% organic apple cider, and used a champagne yeast cause I wanted it dry....and it sucks

 

[elkshadow]

I started a batch today. 4.5 gallons of juice, 2.75 pounds of sugar which came out to about 1.092. I'm fermenting it with Wyeast 3711 French Saison yeast. Can't wait.

After 3 weeks and 2 days, mine has gone from 1.092 down to 1.017. The sweetness is just about gone and it's around 10% right now. It's delicious right now but I know it will dry out further and go through a phase of nastiness before it gets good again.

The only downside is that it has no belgian character from the 3711 and I don't know why. My brother has made it with 3711 and said it had lots of belgian character. Maybe it hasn't gotten hot enough.

I'm very pleased with it thus far. I see more better bottles in my future. :rockin:

 

[frankjones]

The funny thing about this stuff. Is it grows on you. The first one.. Eh.OK. the third one is amazing.

 

[lowelldw]

I made an apple wine 4/27/14....checked FG 8/17/14 and tasted it.

The SG went from 1.084 to a FG at .990

I like the taste...not sweet...and I would call it dry.

Do I need to bottle or can I just serve/pour to glasses??? It is a 1 gallon jug.

 

[Medic218]

I did mine and got an OG of 1.062.
Bummer.
Oh well. If it ferments past 1.000, I'll be happy.

 

[TRueff]

So far, I've made one 5-gallon batch of cider, and 2, 5-gallon batches of cyser. With each, I used wyeast yeast strains (Cider, and Dry Mead, respectively). I started a 1 gallon batch of this apfelwein about a month ago, and it's already the best apple-based alcohol I've produced. It's smooth and clean and tasty, with no off flavors. Very impressed with the redstar Montrachet yeast, compared the the others (wyeast) I've tried. Like a Mix between a white wine and a cider. Stating another, larger batch soon. Cheers.

 

[frankjones]

I made an apple wine 4/27/14....checked FG 8/17/14 and tasted it.

The SG went from 1.084 to a FG at .990

I like the taste...not sweet...and I would call it dry.

Do I need to bottle or can I just serve/pour to glasses??? It is a 1 gallon jug.

I would bottle or put it into another container to get it off the yeast cake.

 

[Dopeybrew]

Soooo after(not) reading this entire thread(man its LONG)Ive made the jump and made me some. I used a champagne yeast(LHBS didnt have the recommended yeast) but other than that I followed the recipe to the letter. Heres hoping it turns out fine.

 

[frankjones]

Should be good. The hardest part of this is waiting for it to smooth out.

 

[whattheheld]

Just started my first batch friday.

5gal winco foods 100% apple juice
Red Star Pasteur red wine yeast
2lbs cane sugar
OG= 1.052.

I tried to follow the original recipe but, I just wasn't able to get some of the ingredients and I was anxious to get it started, so I improvised. I guess we will just see how it turns out

 

[mcangeli]

Put it in a keg last night after being in primary for a month. The color is a nice clear yellow, lighter than the juice I started with.

Tastes good and you can feel it after 2 glasses.

 

[RhodySeth]

I made a bunch last year and wasn't a big fan. Over the weekend I bottled another five gallons and sipped on a glass from last November. Tasty! This stuff definitely improves with age.

 

[GenIke]

Just started my first batch friday.

5gal winco foods 100% apple juice
Red Star Pasteur red wine yeast
2lbs cane sugar
OG= 1.052.

I tried to follow the original recipe but, I just wasn't able to get some of the ingredients and I was anxious to get it started, so I improvised. I guess we will just see how it turns out

That seems realy low for an OG. Usually apple juice from the store is around 1.05 right out of the jug. Did you mix well?

 

[bigbeergeek]

I would bottle or put it into another container to get it off the yeast cake.

I've left mine in primary for 6 months, no issues here.