Graff (Malty, slightly hopped cider) - Page 3

mc_eric · 05-20-2009, 02:01 AM

This sounds pretty tasty! I live down the road from a cider mill, I'll have to pick up a few gallons and make some of this. I'm thinking about doing something a bit maltier with a mash, maybe like 5 or 6 pound of pale malt mashed at 155-ish, collect 2-2.5 gallons, add 3-ish gallons of cider, then boil with some hops.

Does this sound absolutely horrible? If not, I'm totally doing it.

**MacBruver** · 05-20-2009, 03:05 AM

Don't boil the cider, just the wort. If you boil the cider you'll get a permanent haze that you will never be able to get rid of.

mc_eric · 05-20-2009, 04:40 AM

OK thanks MacBruver. I think I'll make this my next brew. I guess I was thinking about sanitation, but the cider from this place may well be pasteurized anyway. I've never made cider or wine before, and I'm not all that concerned with haze as long as it tastes good (clear stuff is always very nice, though). I'm still a n00b at brewing, so appearance is definitely second to flavor for now

thx for the advice

**MacBruver** · 05-20-2009, 05:58 AM

Even if it's not pasteurized you're still fine. Plenty of people here make cider with unpasteurized juice with no ill effects. Check out the sticky thread in the Cider forum, it has some good information on the differences between pasteurized and unpasteurized juice.

**Brandon O** · 05-22-2009, 07:23 PM

Need some reviews from others who have brewed this.

IMO, this is what a Cider should taste like and many comercial ciders do taste like.

Apple juice, sugar, and yeast never tasted good to me.

**Shooter** · 05-23-2009, 01:31 AM

Mine will be a few weeks still before I'm going to bottle it, but, once I sample, I'll post a review.

I know what you mean about pure juice cider. I'm sampling my first batch of home brewed cider and it's all juice with a very small amount of light brown sugar. It's good, but a little thin.

KingBrianI · 05-23-2009, 08:18 PM

I'm brewing up two gallons right now. The crystal malt and DME and ale yeast sound really good in a cider so I'm looking forward to tasting this one. I'll be using wlp002 (the fullers strain) to ferment since I love that yeast and I'm making a starter with it anyway for my Common Room ESB I'll brew tomorrow.

**Brandon O** · 05-23-2009, 09:40 PM

glad to hear it. post back with your results.

**Coastarine** · 05-24-2009, 07:00 PM

I've taken the concept and I'm planning to try a more session strength version. Here's my plan:

Target OG 1.053

2lbs DME just like OP
4oz C40
4oz C120
1oz torrified wheat

1/2oz crystal 3.5% AA 30 min

2gal final boil volume

combine with 3 gallons apple juice, two of which were stored in the fridge, should come out in the mid sixties for pitching temp.

Unfortunately it might be quite a while before I get around to making this. I probably won't be brewing anything else until after I move.

**Coastarine** · 05-24-2009, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coastarine

Unfortunately it might be quite a while before I get around to making this. I probably won't be brewing anything else until after I move.

Belay my last. I can't stop thinking about how tasty this sounds, and I realized that I have everything I need for a 2.5gal batch except for the juice sitting around the house. I'll have to sub S-04 for the yeast, but I'm doing a half batch of this tonight.

edit: shoot I was forgetting about the wheat...I have flaked wheat or white wheat malt...I normally do AG so I'm not really up to speed on steeping or PM or whatever we're doing here; which should I use?

double edit: Looks like the flaked is the way to go. According to beersmith: Flaked wheat adds to increased body and foam retention
Used in place of raw or torrified wheat for faster conversion and better yield.
May be used in small amounts to improve head retention and body. I'm gonna add 1/2lb 2-row to this to convert it.

Here's the new recipe:
Make 1 gallon of wort from the following...
8oz 2-row
2oz C40
2oz C120
2oz Flaked Wheat

10oz DME
1/4oz Crystal 3.5%AA 30 min

OG of the wort should be about 1.052
Mix with 2 gallons of apple juice, OG of about 1.054, for a final 3 gallon batch OG of 1.053ish, ferment with S-04.