JR_Brewer
Well-Known Member
I decided to try out brewing Graf, and it came out really well. It's deceptively easy drinking with almost a citrus flavor to it. The apple flavor comes through if you know it's there, but I had some people do a blind tasting and they didn't realize this was cider-based. I resisted the urge to add more hops (based on a Basic Brewing Radio podcast) and I'm glad I did. Just enough hops to balance the flavor but the hops shouldn't take over.
5 oz Crystal 40L
1 lb Wheat DME
15 fl-oz orange blossom honey
1.8 gallons cider
0.25 oz Cascade - first wort hopping
0.25 oz Cascade - flameout
Steep Crystal 40L in 1 gallon of water for 15 minutes (or up to 170 deg). Add Wheat DME and a quarter ounce of hops, boil for 15 minutes, and add honey and another quarter ounce of hops at flameout. Cool wort in sink, and then add cold cider. I ended up using only 1.8 of the 2 gallons in order to maintain the right amount of headspace.
Once to pitching temp, add Wyeast 1450. Maintain a low fermentation temp for the first few days (65 deg target) and let temp rise after the first week to help finish fermentation. Carb to 2.25 volumes of CO2.
Cheers and happy brewing
5 oz Crystal 40L
1 lb Wheat DME
15 fl-oz orange blossom honey
1.8 gallons cider
0.25 oz Cascade - first wort hopping
0.25 oz Cascade - flameout
Steep Crystal 40L in 1 gallon of water for 15 minutes (or up to 170 deg). Add Wheat DME and a quarter ounce of hops, boil for 15 minutes, and add honey and another quarter ounce of hops at flameout. Cool wort in sink, and then add cold cider. I ended up using only 1.8 of the 2 gallons in order to maintain the right amount of headspace.
Once to pitching temp, add Wyeast 1450. Maintain a low fermentation temp for the first few days (65 deg target) and let temp rise after the first week to help finish fermentation. Carb to 2.25 volumes of CO2.
Cheers and happy brewing
