Can I Graff my Apfelwein? Graffelwein?

[Clifton]

I've searched and found one post about someone who might do what I'm thinking of doing.

I recently made a 6 gallonish batch of apfelwein with Cote des blanc yeast. I used it because I was aiming for something less dry.

I've made a few batches of Ed's stuff and I've always been disappointed. I saw Brandon O's Graff thread and wondered if I could add some hopped wort to my finished apfelwein and fermentation would restart.

Whaddya think?

 

[HalfPint]

Yes, it would start back up and that yeast can handle to 14%, so you'll be fine. With that said, why don't you just bottle Ed's stuff and sit it in a closet somewhere for a year or so (it's damn good at a year) and then just brew a batch of graff.

 

[Clifton]

yeah, maybe I will but I hate bottling and the graff sounds so good. I dunno.

 

[HalfPint]

Personally, I wasn't too crazy about graff. I had it on tap last year around the holidays, and all of the in-laws loved it, but not I. I guess I'm not a good judge considering I don't really like ciders in general.

 

[Clifton]

Given the choice of beverages I'll usually go for the beer. I made my wife a white zinfandel that was tasty. I've made a small batch of mead and I liked it. I have a batch of braggot going, with high hopes. I've not been a fan of the apfelwein. Hopefully graff will fit the cider bill.

 

[HalfPint]

I think the problem with Apfelwein is that people have such high expectations b/c there are like a zillion replies in the thread that say it's amazing. Personally, I think it's a cheap wine that is made thinner than it should be by the 2lbs of sugar that you add to it. With that said, Brandon O designed graff to deal with that problem, but I think the neutral ale yeast that is in that recipe isn't the one that should be used. If I made that again, I'd use better juice than treetop, a cider yeast like Wyeast 4766, and maybe up the crystal malt a bit to get a tad bit more sweetness. That's just me though.

 

[Clifton]

Ok, since I had 6 gallons of apfelwein I kegged 5 gallons and "graffed" the last gallon. I boiled a half pound of Pilsen DME with 1/8 oz. of Cascade cones for 30 minutes and added this to the 1 gallon of apfelwein. When I transferred I tried to stir up the lees to get as much yeast into the graff as possible. I didn't see any signs of fermentation so I threw in a partially used sachet of montrachet I had. I'll post back with results.

 

[Clifton]

I let it sit until yesterday. The SG went up from .994 to about 1.013 and dropped to 1.010. I tasted it yesterday when I checked gravity. Oh man it's so much better than the apfelwein that I used for the base. I'll definately be making a batch of graff. I'm going to try to just bottle the rest of my apfelwein but I'm really tempted to "graffelwein" it.

 

[HalfPint]

I let it sit until yesterday. The SG went up from .994 to about 1.013 and dropped to 1.010. I tasted it yesterday when I checked gravity. Oh man it's so much better than the apfelwein that I used for the base. I'll definately be making a batch of graff. I'm going to try to just bottle the rest of my apfelwein but I'm really tempted to "graffelwein" it.

Good, I'm glad it worked out for you. Like many others have found out, Apfelwein is really an acquired taste.