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**MrOrange** · 08-10-2011, 02:23 PM

Started my second batch of this last week. I was thinking about racking off a gallon after fermentation was done and adding some spices to it. I was thinking cinnamon stick, allspice, nutmeg, and maybe a clove. Does anyone here have any experience with any of these spices in this Graff? If so, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

onipar · 08-10-2011, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrOrange

Started my second batch of this last week. I was thinking about racking off a gallon after fermentation was done and adding some spices to it. I was thinking cinnamon stick, allspice, nutmeg, and maybe a clove. Does anyone here have any experience with any of these spices in this Graff? If so, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hey, I've been cataloging my experience with a 1 gallon spiced test batch in this thread: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/spicing-graff-255199/

If you read through, you'll see I list how much I use, tasting notes, etc. The only thing is, this is my first time doing it, and I won't be bottling till this weekend. I'll post more tasting notes on bottling day about how it tastes coming out of the primary.

Currently it's been "spiced" in the bucket for less than a week.

GeoGirl · 08-10-2011, 02:55 PM

Ok, I have spent the past 3 days reading through just about every post in this Graff thread. I think it will be close to what I am looking for but have a question. Has anyone added in cinnamon & nutmeg for an apple pie flavor? I saw this asked a couple times but never any answers. Would I want to add the spices in at the boil or in the fermentation?

onipar · 08-10-2011, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoGirl

Ok, I have spent the past 3 days reading through just about every post in this Graff thread. I think it will be close to what I am looking for but have a question. Has anyone added in cinnamon & nutmeg for an apple pie flavor? I saw this asked a couple times but never any answers. Would I want to add the spices in at the boil or in the fermentation?

See my post above yours.

I wouldn't necessarily say I was going for "apple pie," but I'm sure it'll come out something like that. I put my spices into primary because it's a 1 gallon test batch, and I wanted the other 4 gallons to be the regular recipe.

Check out the thread I posted.

GeoGirl · 08-10-2011, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onipar

See my post above yours.

I wouldn't necessarily say I was going for "apple pie," but I'm sure it'll come out something like that. I put my spices into primary because it's a 1 gallon test batch, and I wanted the other 4 gallons to be the regular recipe.

Check out the thread I posted.

Thanks! I just checked that out. Thinking that this might be the weekend for me to do some experimenting :-)

onipar · 08-10-2011, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoGirl

Thanks! I just checked that out. Thinking that this might be the weekend for me to do some experimenting :-)

Cool! Be sure to let me know what you do and how it works out. You can post it in the "spicing a graff" thread. I'm particularly excited to see how my vanilla sugar "bottle primer" works out.

BootsyFlanootsy · 08-11-2011, 05:23 AM

I've made a few batches of this stuff by now and have to say I was never very happy with it. Honestly, over time it seems most cider becomes quite acidic if a malo-lactic fermentation never takes place. All that malic acid makes for a pretty unpalatable beverage in my experience. I suppose if you make this stuff, ferment it quickly, fine it quickly, keg it quickly, ( NOT BOTTLE CONDITIONING), and drink it quickly it could be great. but that's all I can see....this seems like a drink that should made and drank quickly, it doesn't seem to age well. take it for what it's worth.

**MrOrange** · 08-11-2011, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BootsyFlanootsy

this seems like a drink that should made and drank quickly, it doesn't seem to age well. take it for what it's worth.

Thats odd. the last batch I made didn't seem to really start tasting good until like 2 months after bottling IMO

Clifton · 08-11-2011, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrOrange

Thats odd. the last batch I made didn't seem to really start tasting good until like 2 months after bottling IMO

I agree. Mine was best after about 4 months.

BootsyFlanootsy · 08-11-2011, 05:28 PM

I have some 16oz bottles sitting around that are damned near a year old and they just taste like super dry, tart, acidic champagne made out of apple juice. I always used the best top notch cider I could get my hands on, and yes, it was pasteurized. The last batch I used the West Yorkshire, ( Timothy Taylor), yeast. Still wound up at 0.990. I'd love to try a bottle of this from someone who says it doesn't wind up all chalky, dry and tart though.