When to keg an Apfelwein??

[akthor]

So I started an Apfelwein a while back, it's been in primary for 4 weeks now.

It's taking up a 6.5 gallon bucket i would love to have back for a beer fermenter.

SO my question is can I transfer it to a secondary? Either a 5 gallon bucket or better yet right into a keg.

I know it's not good for drinking for at least 3 months, I just want the primary bucket back.

BUT I don't want to damage or effect the taste of my Apfelwein in any way if it will I will just leave it and buy another 6.5 gallon bucket.

 

[marubozo]

Check the gravity and see if it's done fermenting. If it is, just go straight to the keg and purge with some CO2 and let it sit in there for another few months. But if your apfelwein is a bit slow and hasn't quite finished yet or is still pretty cloudy, might want to move to a secondary. But since you say you only have a 5 gallon bucket, IMO unless it was literally filled right to the lid that's more headspace than I'd be comfortable with.

Going forward, I'd buy a couple 5G better bottles and if you're going to do a lot of apfelwein you can just use those. That's pretty much the only thing I use better bottles for and just have one or two apfelweins always in rotation.

 

[akthor]

Noob question, how do I check the gravity?

 

[maxamuus]

Need to get a hydrometer. This should help https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Hydrometer

 

[akthor]

I have one came with kit I gotta admit the instructions were a bit hard to understand for me

 

[maxamuus]

Bobby on here did a great youtube video. Check this out. I found it to be helpful.

 

[akthor]

Thanks that was very helpful!

 

[akthor]

Unfortunatelty I did not do the reading in the beginning so I don't know the OG? So I have no idea if its done fermenting. I see no activity in the airlock? Should i be safe and wait a couple more weeks?

 

[Baldy_Beer_Brewery]

You could take a sample for two days and if it seems to be stable you are probably done. Otherwise I'd just dump it to make room for beer.