Quick questions about APFELWEIN

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holygrale

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read pages 1-15 of the apfelwein sticky, and decided i gotta start some this weekend...i wont have time to sift through the 500+ pages of the thread b4 then,, so was hopeing you peeps could help me with a few questions

If i use a 6gallon carboy, should i do the 5 gallon recipe or up the ingredients to fill the 6?

if i make a 6 gallon batch, how much more sugar and/or yeast should i use?

should i use potassium metabisulfite or Potassium Sorbate to stabilize and/or preserve?

i've only got wine makeing equipment and tons of bottles, would bottleing this like wine be a problem? how long would it last in a wine bottle?

thanx in advance for any help
 
I have done the exact 5 gal recipe in a 5gal carboy and the original recipe modified to use 1 additional gal of juice with the original amount of sugar. Neither time did I use any potassium metabisulfite or Potassium Sorbate. I used Mott's both times, it is pasteurized and has ascorbic acid (vitamin C). The 6 gal actually tasted smoother due to the lower alcohol content and didn't have to age as long for the same reason. Both were fine however I think I preferred the 6gal version. I used "Lalvin yeast 71B-1122" instead of the Montrachet yeast, it seems better for young wine.
Good luck.
 
You can bottle it like wine. It will work out fine. You can age it for as long as you can stand holding on to it as it only improves with age. 3-4 years perhaps?
 
Yeah, you can fill up the carboy. I did 7 gal in a 7 gal carboy with no blowoff. To increase the volume, just increase everything in proportion, except the yeast. One pack of Montrachet (or whatever) will handle 6 gal as easily as 5.
 
The only caveat with bottling in wine bottles is you won't be able to carbonate it. If you use wine bottles it must be bottled as a still wine otherwise you run the risk of "bottle-bombs".
 
The only caveat with bottling in wine bottles is you won't be able to carbonate it. If you use wine bottles it must be bottled as a still wine otherwise you run the risk of "bottle-bombs".

ok, so how do i go about bottling as a still wine? does that mean just corking is no good? got a good idea of what bottle-bombs" are...and the wife would not be happy

im new to the wine making biz, (first batch started ferm 2 weeks ago) and i've been researching for about a month now

thanx to all who replied, very informative....hope to learn more
 
Since using wine bottles and having to bottle it still, just rack directly into bottling bucket or bottles without adding the dex to carbonate.....
 
As a precaution I would add Potassium Sorbate to stop the yeast.You would wait until fermentation is completed-this can be verified by checking the specific gravity three days in a row-if there is no change fermentation should be finished. After you have added Potassium Sorbate ansd let it set a few days you could back sweeten to your own taste if desired.
 
No reason for pottasium sorbate if you let it finish fermenting and are not going to try to carbonate, IME.
 
Incidentally, I have tried some Apfell Wine that a member of my club made and bottled as a still wine. He back sweetened it with frozen apple juice concentrate and it was really good.
 
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