So, it's been awhile since I've made apfelwein and since I had 3 gallons of apple juice and a bag of this wonderful smelling organic light brown sugar SWMBO bought, I thought I'd make some.
Ingredients:
3 gal of Apple juice
.75 lb of light brown sugar
1 pkg of Montrachet dry yeast
Yeast starter
The yeast starter really isn't necessary, I do it because I make mead and lots of big beers, so it's a habit for me.
Yeast starter:
500 ml of filtered tap water
.5 cup of light Dry Malt Extract
.5 teaspoon yeast nutrient
.5 teaspoon yeast booster
Process:
Boil water for 15 min, remove from heat, add DME, yeast nutrient and booster. Boil for additional 5 min. Remove from heat and cool until starter is 80-95 deg F. Once cool, pour into a sanitized mason jar, add yeast and stir with sanitized spoon until yeast is absorbed. Let sit covered for 20 min.
Process for apfelwein:
Pour 1 qt apple juice into a sauce pan and put on low heat.
While Apple juice is warming, pour remainder of apple juice (2.5 gal) into sanitized fermenter using a sanitized funnel.
Return to juice in saucepan and slowly add brown sugar until all of it is dissolved. Once dissolved, allow to cool for 5 min or so and pour into fermenter. Shake fermenter to mix.
Now, add your yeast starter- no mixing required. Install sanitized airlock, place fermenter in a cool, dark place and let the yeast do it's magic.
Ferment for 4 weeks then bottle.
Just made mine yesterday and you'll see some krausen at the top because of the vigorous fermentation due to the starter. Here's a picture...
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1426865171.748588.jpg
