My Apfelwein Attempt

[starsfan]

hey everyone! So, I read about the Apfelwein, and decided I wanted to give my hand to this and make a batch. I did alter the recipe just a bit...instead of using 2lbs dextrose, I used 3. ;-)

Ok...with that, I used the Old Orchard frozen concentrate. Instead of starting primary in the carboy, I started in a bucket (creature of habit).

its been going for about a week and the bubbles are starting to die down. I think its about done with primary. I thieved a sample last night and was.....not disappointed....but not really excited either. I have read many say do not judge it, it gets better and im counting on that! I have also read this isn't really intended to be a sweet wine. BUT...I really want this to be a simi-sweet wine with a distinct apple taste. If I finish completely dry, I should be at about 10%abv....but I am going to want to back sweeten to get some apple flavor back in this thing! I would like to just use a couple to few cans of the same concentrate just to punch up the apple and be done. BUT...seems I just read somewhere if you use apple juice to back sweeten you will get a cloudy wine. I don't want a cloudy wine! is there anything I can do to prevent that and STILL get the boosted simi-sweet apple flavor im looking for in the finished product?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Arne]

Yep, get it stabalized, add your concentrate, give it a shot of pectic enzime and let it sit. With time, it should clear out. If it doesn't or doesn't clear fast enough for you, you might hit it with some kind of finings. Super kleer will probably clear it up for you. Good luck with it, Arne.

 

[JohnT]

I agree with Arne's advice.

Another approach could be to do a bench trial of simply adding sugar. Using sugar to back-sweeten will have less of an impact on your ABV. I have found that sweetness alone can bring out some the apple flavors of the wine. Take a sample, add a proportion of sugar, and give it a taste.

If still not "appley" enough for you, then go with the apple juice.

 

[Arne]

I agree with Arne's advice.

Another approach could be to do a bench trial of simply adding sugar. Using sugar to back-sweeten will have less of an impact on your ABV. I have found that sweetness alone can bring out some the apple flavors of the wine. Take a sample, add a proportion of sugar, and give it a taste.

If still not "appley" enough for you, then go with the apple juice.

Right on, John. Always more than one way to do this stuff. Thanks for the heads up. Arne.

 

[knifemaker]

I haven't done this for some time, but I used to use frozen concentrate as the sugar source. About three cans to a gallon, and then adjust from there. It eliminates the cloudiness of later additions. then use sugar syrup to backsweeten. You've already added the apple favor, just need to add back the sweetness. Dale.

 

[starsfan]

Ok, here is what I have done with this...and im wanting to get some feedback....

So, I took a little of the wine out so I could add back some concentrate for back sweetening.

about 3 days ago, I added 5 cans of the Old Orchard Apple Juice concentrate straight to the carboy.

I didn't add anything else. but seems I seen someone say you need to add Sorbate to keep it from re-fermenting? I have some pot metabisulfite I can add....but my assumption is that I let it go pretty much dry...and I just added the juice...so without a new yeast addition, shouldn't I be safe? or should I add something?

So far its been 3 days since the addition of the concentrate, and I have seen no activity in the air lock.

Also, I was expecting this to be a more clear looking wine. like the light crisp color of apple juice. but its pretty dark in color??? I wouldn't think there is really anything floating in it to keep it dark. is it possible its just going to be a dark wine, and never become clear? what would you do or try?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[sour_grapes]

about 3 days ago, I added 5 cans of the Old Orchard Apple Juice concentrate straight to the carboy.

I didn't add anything else. but seems I seen someone say you need to add Sorbate to keep it from re-fermenting? I have some pot metabisulfite I can add....but my assumption is that I let it go pretty much dry...and I just added the juice...so without a new yeast addition, shouldn't I be safe? or should I add something?

Generally speaking, no, your assumption is not correct. There will be plenty of yeast hanging out in your wine, so another fermentation of the sugars you added is likely. Sorbate prevents the yeast that you have already present from reproducing. K-meta does not do this.

 

[starsfan]

Generally speaking, no, your assumption is not correct. There will be plenty of yeast hanging out in your wine, so another fermentation of the sugars you added is likely. Sorbate prevents the yeast that you have already present from reproducing. K-meta does not do this.

So would you recommend hitting it with Camden tablets or some Potassium Metabisulfite powder? (I have both) if not, what would you recommend I do at this point?

Thanks so much!
Steve

 

[sour_grapes]

I am not sure. Here are two possible courses of action. (1) You could rack it to a clean container, then add potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulfite now, and hope that you get it in there fast enough that your yeast haven't reproduced a lot. (2) You could let the new sugars ferment, i.e., wait until the batch is dry. Then rack, add sorbate and metabisulfite after racking, then try to backsweeten again.

 

[JohnT]

Very much agree with sour_grapes. You definitely are running the risk of fermentation kicking off again, especially if the wine warms up a bit.

If you have already added the concentrate, I would try to keep the wine as cold as possible until some k-sorbate can be added.

 

[RedRockGirl]

I left mine dry and carbonated it. It is delicious! It went very fast and I've started 3 more batches.

 

[starsfan]

Ok, folks....here is where I am at with this:

Tonight, I racked to a clean carboy and added 1/4tsp of Pot. Met bisulfite, and the proper amount of Potassium Sorbet per 6gal.

I also picked up a pack of super-kleer. I have everything in the wine except for the packet 2 of the super-cleer (it said wait an hour before adding that)....

So, im getting ready to go add that. I seen a LOT of people say that they did not degas this stuff, so I hadn't put much thought into it...but now im thinking I might as well since im putting in this extra work. But....can you degas AFTER you have already added clarifiers? ;-)

will it hurt anything?

Steve

 

[Arne]

Ok, folks....here is where I am at with this:

Tonight, I racked to a clean carboy and added 1/4tsp of Pot. Met bisulfite, and the proper amount of Potassium Sorbet per 6gal.

I also picked up a pack of super-kleer. I have everything in the wine except for the packet 2 of the super-cleer (it said wait an hour before adding that)....

So, im getting ready to go add that. I seen a LOT of people say that they did not degas this stuff, so I hadn't put much thought into it...but now im thinking I might as well since im putting in this extra work. But....can you degas AFTER you have already added clarifiers? ;-)

will it hurt anything?



Steve

You should be ok. The fining agents seem to work best when the wine is degassed. The gas holds the solids in suspension. Try it and see how it goes. Keep us informed if it works or not. Arne.