Another graff question...

Chad_laughlin · 01-14-2011, 05:32 AM

I started the fermentation 1-11-11, and everything looks like its going great.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f81/graff-malty-slightly-hopped-cider-117117/

My question is what the heck do I do with it after the 2 week fermentation period?

I have never bottled any beer or anything like that, so go easy on me.

Also, i've thought about doing this too. He says he does the same thing as you would just filling bottles. Any ideas?
http://www.youtube.com/user/threeratbastards#p/a/u/1/J0wqBNfhrTQ

SirCaptain · 01-14-2011, 05:55 AM

Well, with cider the first question you need to ask yourself is if you want it to be carbonated. Assuming you do, add the appropriate amount of priming sugar to your bottling bucket. then siphon it out into bottles and cap it. it is a pretty simple process.

here's a video. http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Bottle-Homemade-Beer-155853526

**LakewoodBrew** · 01-14-2011, 06:08 AM

You can use pretty much any conditioning (carbonating) method you choose.

Basically breaks down to two categories:

Forced Carbonation - This is the process most commonly used by those who have kegging systems. Just put the green beer in, apply pressure and let the gas dissolve into solution. There are several methods but basically it gets down to pressure, time and contact area.

Natural Carbonation - This process is usually associated with the classic "bottled home-brews". But it's not restricted to bottles or home-brew. Natural conditioning is the act of carbonation by the yeast action in the drink. Basically the process is to add a measured amount of sugar to the depleted green beer (cider, soda, whatever) then transfer the primed drink to a sealed container (capped bottle, tap-a-draft, etc.) then let the yeast in suspension work their magic. in about 10 days you should have a carbonated beverage with a thin layer of yeast sludge on the bottom of the container.

You can accomplish both type of conditioning several ways, really the only limit is your equipment and creativity. Some people like the additional flavor profile attributed to a natural conditioning (yeast produce different by-products with environmental changes such as pressure) while others prefer the flavor and/or convenience of forced carbonation.

If you have one of those little tap a draft doohickeys i would say that you have both methods at your finger tips. you could natural condition as shown in the video, or just transfer in and hit it with the little CO2 cartridge and let it sit for a few days. Either way it should end up carb'd and you should have some good stuff to drink.

Have fun!

**step** · 01-14-2011, 06:42 AM

Well, I am wondering the same thing... i brewed this recipe http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f81/graff-malty-slightly-hopped-cider-117117/ and I let it sit for month and racked it just the other day and tasted like ish, the problem is I want to use that 5 gal carboy this weekend and I think I am just going to bottle it and cross my fingers. What are peoples experience with back sweetening I had a grav of 1.008 down from 1.074

**Bombo80** · 01-14-2011, 05:10 PM

Just remember, if you add any backsweetening sugars the yeast will start eating on that, and will continue to do so until it's either gone, or the bottle explodes. I have several batches backsweetened and bottled. I have two batches pasturized and two more to check for proper carbing, tonight.

Chad_laughlin · 01-14-2011, 11:27 PM

When making this I left the hops in the fermentation. Should this be cold crashed, then put into a bottling bucket with the correct ammount of "priming sugar"? Or just filtered out?

Does anyone have experience bottling this brew? How much sugar and water?

SirCaptain · 01-15-2011, 06:12 AM

i don't know about the cold crashing, but as far as how much sugar and water...it depends on the size of your batch and the sugar you are using. assuming 5 gal batch, follow these directions for the "bottling day" section. i've never had any problems.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/documentation/beerkits/Innkeeper.pdf

i have only done 5 gal batches and only used corn sugar, so if you have something different, you may want to search around on the internet for what you have. bombo is right though, make sure you haven't added any fermentable sugars to backsweeten.

the priming sugar (corn sugar) is fermentable. so, when you put it into your batch and then bottle right away. you're waiting a week or two to let the yeast ferment the priming sugar. it is such a small amount of sugar in comparison to what you already had in your batch that it won't really affect your alcohol %, but it is enough to give off the CO2 to carbonate it. if you put other fermentable sugars to backsweeten, presumably you will have used enough to produce too much CO2 making a bottle bomb. if you're not backsweetening, then you should be good to go.

hope this help.s

Chad_laughlin · 01-18-2011, 03:00 AM

-- Corn sugar (dextrose) 2/3 cup in 16 oz water.
-- Table sugar (sucrose) 5/8 cup in 16 oz water.

is that per gallon of beer/graff?

SirCaptain · 01-18-2011, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad_laughlin

-- Corn sugar (dextrose) 2/3 cup in 16 oz water.
-- Table sugar (sucrose) 5/8 cup in 16 oz water.

is that per gallon of beer/graff?

Those directions are for 5 gallon batches. it should work for 4.5 - 5 gal batches. like i said before, i've never done a smaller batch so i can't say for sure, but you should be able to divide those by five to get gallon proportions.

eg. 1 gallon batch...use 2/15 cup of corn sugar in approx 3 oz of water