Artisanal Apple Wine Production: Apple Crushing and Pressing at Mainlust Desche Otto in Frankfurt, Germany (September 2026)

 

I grew up with apple wine in Frankfurt, Germany. The apple wine tavern (Apfelweinwirtschaft) is as distinctive a Frankfurt institution as the Bierkeller is of Munich and the Weinstube of Mainz. Today, most of the apple wine is produced by large apple wine producers.

 

Yesterday, one could observe the initial phase of the artisanal production of apple wine at Desche Otto.

There were steps: (1) Selecting and cleaning (2) Crushing and (3) Pressing.

 

For the time being what we got is delicious apple juice. Over time it will turn into "Rauscher" and later apple wine. 

 

Apple Wine in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

German apple wine has an alcohol content of 4%–9% and a tart, sour taste. Traditionally, it is not bubbly. Arguably, the capital of German apple wine is Frankfurt am Main.

In Frankfurt, much of the apple wine is consumed at the wooden, communal tables in the local apple wine taverns with hearty local food, like Green Sauce (made from 7 herbs and yogurt accompanied by boiled eggs and boiled potatoes), Rippchen mit Kraut und Brot (grilled pork, sauerkraut and bread). It is served in a Geripptes, a glass with a lozenge cut that refracts light. A filled Geripptes is called a Schoppen. If you drink more than a glass or are in a group, you typically order a Bembel (a specific Apfelwein jug). The different sizes of a Bembel are designated after their contents in glasses from 4-er to 10-er Bembel.

Apple wine did not gain popularity in Hessen until the 16th century. By the mid-19th century, 12 large commercial apple-wineries existing in Frankfurt, along with hundreds of small or private apple-wineries. Today, over 60 large and small commerical apple-wineries exist in Hessen, producing 1,040 million gallons (40 million liters) annually.

 

"Kelter Party"

 

 

Selecting and Cleaning

 

Crushing

 

 

Mash

 

Pressing

 

Juice

 

Pomace

 

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Apple Wine Tasting at Mainlust Desche Otto in Frankfurt/ Schwanheim/ Germany led by Oscar Unger (June 2026)

Apfelwein Probe/ Hard Cider/ Apple Wine tasting at Desche Otto led by Oscar Unger of the FNP - Frankfurter Neue Presse, with Louie Hoelzinger of Desche Otto. 

Frankfurt am Main is definitely the apple wine capital of Germany and some say of the whole world. Apple wine is a German variant of hard cider, which is made all over the world, in some regions sparkling, in others sweet. In Frankfurt, you are typically served a tart, dry apple wine with around 6 percent alcohol, in one of the many apple wine taverns.

Making Apple Wine (Hard Cider)

Just as wine making begins in the vineyard, hard ider making begins in the orchard. Tree ripened fruit, picked at maximum flavor and sweetness is the best starting point for hard cider. But there is one big difference between hard cider and wine: Apples must be ground before pressing. The entire apple is ground to a pulp called pommace. The pulp is almost always pressed immediately. The next step is the fermentation. Generally, there is less sugar to ferment in apples than in grapes. Therefore, cider tends to have lower alcohol content than wine.

In the cellar, hard cider makers have as many options for managing fermentation as winemakers — chaptalization, wild yeast, temperature control, adding sterilized juice, malolactic fermentation, stopping fermentation before dryness to achieve a naturally sweetened hard cider, to name a few issues.

Like wine made from grapes, the flavor of hard cider can vary from dry to sweet. Like sparkling and still wine, both sparkling and still hard ciders are made. Sometimes the hard cider is cloudy with sediment and sometimes completely clear. The color can range from light yellow through orange to brown. The variations in clarity and color are mostly due to filtering between pressing and fermentation. In terms of alcohol content, hard cider can vary from 2% to 8.5%. Generally, apples grown for consumption are suitable for hard cider making, although there are also special hard cider apples.

For sparkling hard cider, basically the same methods are available as for sparkling wine. Higher quality hard ciders can be made the same way as Champagne is produced. A few producers in Quebec, inspired by ice wine, developed cidre de glace - ice hard cider. Calvados from Normandy is distilled from hard cider. Hard cider may also be used to make vinegar.

Hard Cider in the World

Apple wine is a German variant of hard cider, which is made all over the world. The French cidre is produced in Normandy and Brittany. It comes as cidre doux, cidre demi-sec and cidre brut, but most French cidre is sweet. Typically, French ciders are sparkling. Higher quality French cider is sold in champagne-style bottles (cidre bouché). German hard cider has a tart, sour taste. In the UK, hard cider is available in sweet, medium and dry varieties. In the US during colonial times, apple hard cider was the main beverage, but after prohibition the word hard cider came to mean unfiltered apple juice. Alcoholic cider is called hard cider in the US. German apple wine typically has an alcohol content of 4%–9% and a tart, sour taste. Traditionally, it is not bubbly.

Hard cider was already known to the ancient Greeks and Romans. In the 11th century it was introduced into Spain and was used there as a medicine for scurvy. It was introduced into England in 1066 when William the Great brought some from France into England.

Apple Wine Made at the Apple Wine Tavern

In the old days, the apple wine taverns would make their own apple wine. This has changed dramatically. In Sachsenhausen, for example, except for the Buchscheer, which is not in the central part, none of the apple wine taverns still make their own apple wine. 

Still, there are a number apple wine taverns in the Frankfurt region where you can drink “home-made” apple wine. 10 years ago, I compiled a list of apple wine taverns where you still can enjoy apple wine made on the premises. 

See: Schiller's Favorites: Frankfurt Apple Wine Taverns that Make their own Apple Wine - Frankfurter Apfelweinlokale die noch selbst Keltern, Germany

Oscar Unger told me that during the past 10 years, the list has shortened considerably. And if you also apply a narrower regional definition, there is only 5 or so taverns in Frankfurt lest that still make their own apple wine.

Apple Wine Tasting at Mainlust/ Desche Otto

At Mainlust Desche Otto, 6 hard ciders are currently available, all from the barrel. They are all from small, artisanal producers in the region.

 

Christian Schuetz Delivering his Schuetz Apple Wine

A few days ago, I happened to be there when Christian Schuetz of Apple Manufaktur Schuetz delivered his apple wine.

Bretzelmann 

The "Bretzelmann" (Pretzel Man) is an iconic, century-old Frankfurt tradition where independent vendors walk directly into traditional apple wine taverns to sell fresh, soft pretzels directly to seated patrons. A "Bretzelmann", who has become a rare species in Frankfurt's apple wine taverns, also showed up during the tasting. 

Apfelweinkellerei Gerardo  

Among the guests was @Gerhard Knoblauch of @Apfelweinkellerei Gerardo in Hofheim, who makes high-end sparkling hard cider/ Apfelwein, while we tasted entry-level apple wines of 6 different producers.

 

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