Apfelwein (Hard German Apple Cider)

[Tess]

well....well..well. Its finally finished fermenting After the last racking I just forgot about it for a while beside giving it the stink eye once a day when I went into my wine room. I did notice the air lock perked up a bit but I was just so over it. Well this morning I racked my Brunello.
I thought well as long as I have everything sterilized anyway lets take a reading. I popped the air lock low and behold...its done!! It unstuck.
Should I just let it be and let it clear on its own. I think Iv tortured this batch enough. Its been hit with Sparkled twice. Look murky as all get out.
To beat it all, I have this strange feeling this is going to be the best batch Iv ever made and ever Bitched about

Listen to me. You'd think Iv been doing this forever THE SQAUTCH lives!!

 

[ou8amaus]

I just racked my apfelwein for the first time (it has been sitting in the same carboy since day 1, a little over 2 months ago). Lees are incredibly compact, and the apfelwein is mostly clear. It tastes absolutely awesome. Nice mellow apple flavor. I am getting a lot of flowery aromas, and the taste makes me think of apple champagne (but flat). It was fermented dry but it is not bitter. And best of all it has no "beer" flavor that I got with the cider I made a few months back. Tonight I hit it with kieselsol and chitosan to fully clear it, and from there it will be filtered and bottled. I was going to experiment (back sweeten, add spices, etc), but this already tastes too good. I feel that in 2-3 months this stuff will be really impressive.

 

[MilesDavis]

Drinking some right now. I bottled it two weeks ago, with no deviation from the original recipe. It may just be my new favorite thing to drink.

 

[keahunter]

I just tasted mine after sitting for about a month. Can't say I enjoyed it all that much...i tasted potential but it also had a taste that can only be described as "pukey". Gross, right? I'm hoping it's just because it's so young.

 

[ou8amaus]

Drinking some right now. I bottled it two weeks ago, with no deviation from the original recipe. It may just be my new favorite thing to drink.

Definitely going to be on regular rotation... I only deviated by using brown sugar (gave it a golden red color), and Lalvin K1-V1116 yeast.

 

[Tess]

Im going to bottle mine in a couple weeks.

 

[Tess]

Gotta order some super Kleer. Give it a chance. This stuff is just not clearing with Sparkloid. If I have to with bottle in green bottles. Sasquatch is Born!! Cant wait for my son to taste it. He wanted a Sasquatch he has one!!

 

[ou8amaus]

Gotta order some super Kleer. Give it a chance. This stuff is just not clearing with Sparkloid. If I have to with bottle in green bottles. Sasquatch is Born!! Cant wait for my son to taste it. He wanted a Sasquatch he has one!!

I made the cardinal sin of not clearing before bottling on a previous batch, and after months it still never cleared, so I ended up filtering it and it came out crystal... Mind you who would want a crystal clear Sasquatch...

 

[Tess]

I made the cardinal sin of not clearing before bottling on a previous batch, and after months it still never cleared, so I ended up filtering it and it came out crystal... Mind you who would want a crystal clear Sasquatch...

exactly!! I need to free up the carboy. Its taste great!! If I put it in green bottles you dont see it till you pour it? Its already called Sasquatch so what are you expecting. A hairy glass of wine right. I think this is gonna work!

 

[Tess]

Im sorry to say this will be my last batch of Apfelwein . At least for now, thats what I say. .This one has totally confused me!! I might try it again in a year or so

 

[ckvchestnut]

I've come up with a couple stuck fermentations with mine. Hubby was doing the apple wine and didn't take an initial SG reading before fermentation started. When it was down to 1.002 I took my 3 gallon share from his 15 gallon batch and did added 2 cans of cranberry concentrate. Both my batch an his batch got stuck right at 1.002. So we racked our batches added k meta, yeast nutrient and energizer and nothing. So today I pitched EC-1118 to both batches. We used kv-1116 for the initial batch.

His batch is really cloudy and it's jut not settling, we added more pectic enzyme but that did nothing. Can I add sparkalloid or super Kleer during fermentation or should I just wait until fermentation is done?

 

[ckvchestnut]

Oops i just realized it was the k meta that would have definitely inhibited fermentation so I should have realized that after adding that I would have to wait and add more yeast. I felt I had to add the k meta though because these batches were in the primaries for over a month and I wasn't sure how long they were stuck for before I figured it out. So everything is going again and bubbling, trusty EC-1118!

 

[Bartman]

Oops i just realized it was the k meta that would have definitely inhibited fermentation so I should have realized that after adding that I would have to wait and add more yeast. I felt I had to add the k meta though because these batches were in the primaries for over a month and I wasn't sure how long they were stuck for before I figured it out. So everything is going again and bubbling, trusty EC-1118!

Yeah, I have joked about EC-1118 before: With a little nutrient and some air, I think it can make a rusty nail ferment!

 

[ckvchestnut]

Haha yes! They are true warriors! I'll be keeping some on my shelf if we ever have to endure another WW!

 

[ou8amaus]

I recently racked my apple wine after it sitting in the carboy for 2 months. It was somewhat clear, but I wanted it sparkling. I added Kieselsol and then chitosan per the instruction I have followed numerous times for kits (and that works like a charm on Dragons Blood by the way). After stirring in the Kieselsol I waited 24hrs and it already looked very clear. Instead of leaving it at that and racking... I stirred in the chitosan. Now it has been 2 weeks and whatever benefit the Kieselsol had has been negated it seems. Back to as clear as when I racked it. My question is does anyone know of conditions where these 2 clarifiers would work against each other? The wine is completed its ferment per hydrometer and I noticed very little gas while racking. I added the clarifiers per the instructions... but I am unsure of how to go forward. Should I just pass it through a 1 micron filter and hopefully that will clear it up?

 

[twofocused]

Is there any need to degas or add k meta if you plan on bottling in wine bottles and aging them? My apfel is a few months old and about to be racked to a carboy for clearing and long term aging.

Thanks, J

 

[ou8amaus]

Is there any need to degas or add k meta if you plan on bottling in wine bottles and aging them? My apfel is a few months old and about to be racked to a carboy for clearing and long term aging.

Thanks, J

I would say yes to the kmeta... No to degassing if you will be bulk aging anyways...

 

[twofocused]

I would say yes to the kmeta... No to degassing if you will be bulk aging anyways...

And then another dose of K meta when bottling?

Only use sorbate if back sweetening?

Sorry for all the questions.

 

[ou8amaus]

I have gone by the 1/4 tsp every three months rule when bulk aging. If you have the tools to measure sulfate levels then all the better... But I have used this rule of thumb based on numerous peoples advice on this site, and so far it has proved to be good advice. And I add 1/4 tsp right before bottling...

 

[ou8amaus]

... And I have started holding back the sorbate if I ferment dry. No need unless there is sugar present...