Brandon W's 1st Graff.

I just brewed up a batch of Brandon O's Graff this weekend. I figured if we share the same first name then it was fitting that i brewed this as my first "cider". It smells amazing. I brewed it exactly according to his recipe, though my steeping water got a little hot (170 F) for a short time.

This is my first brew ever and I cant wait to try it. I hope its as good as everyone says. (I highly doubt ill be disappointed)

Here's to you Brandon

PS: To anyone reading this, how long should i wait before i take my first gravity measurement. (OG was 1.058)


Here is it bubbling away in all its glory!

Awesome I'm super excited to try this too!

You have a lot of headspace in there ...

Congrats on the first brew!

vespoli said:

You have a lot of headspace in there ...

Congrats on the first brew!

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Well its 5 gal in a 6 gal carboy. Id rather have the headspace than have to deal with major blowoff. Keeps SWMBO from worrying about it too.

SG is now down to 1.010 after 10 days in the fermenter. I still have some airlock activity (1 burp a minute or so) About how much farther does this stuff usually go down.

I also tasted it last night. Its a bit tart and not a huge ammount of apple flavor. Does this return with aging?

SWMBO tasted it too and said she might like it a little sweeter. Has anyone ever back sweetened their graff?

My first one went to 1.004 with WLP022, and the second one that I'm bottling later today went to 0.999 with PacMan. Both are very attenuative yeasts.

You may not be finished at 1.010. Leave it a week and see where it goes.

Calder said:

My first one went to 1.004 with WLP022, and the second one that I'm bottling later today went to 0.999 with PacMan. Both are very attenuative yeasts.

You may not be finished at 1.010. Leave it a week and see where it goes.

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Thanks for the info calder. How was the flavor on the first one? I did mine with safale 05

I thought minimal headspace was only nessecary with Apfelwine? Since graf ferments faster it should produce more c02 like a normal beer brew. Could someone confirm this plz?

Well i kegged up the graff a week ago wednesday. Force carbed it for 48 hours. Now its gone.

The entire family loved it and we killed all 5 gallons in 3 days. I cant wait to start another batch tonight.

SWMBO said she would like a batch just a touch sweeter. I thought about backsweetening after i cold crash it with some AJ concentrate.

How much is generally recommended for a batch of cider/graff?

MikeRoBrew1 said:

I thought minimal headspace was only nessecary with Apfelwine? Since graf ferments faster it should produce more c02 like a normal beer brew. Could someone confirm this plz?

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Hmm, I have yet to do a cider (been a lurker for awhile), but I've never read anything about a "maximum" headspace.... I'm curious too.