Apple Bee (Woodchuck Clone)

[jayhuff]

FG at about .006 and the maltiness gives it a nice sweetness... the apple finishes dry and a tad tart like the apfelwein. The two together make for a nice complex taste- a lot like the Grannysmith Woodchuck. It is very tasty.

 

[Brandon O]

Here's my Favorite

4oz Chocolate Malt, 8oz Crystal 10L, 1oz Torrified wheat. Steep at 155 for 30 mins in half gallon of water. Then boil 2 lbs light DME for 15 mins. Combine with 2.5 gallons of applejuice. Ferment with Nottingham, keg at 1.008.

This is what my 3 gallon carboy is used for all the time now.

 

[syd138]

So do you actually boil the apple juice?

I've done this before with real apple juice I made and it turned it into Apple Sauce

 

[flyweed]

Jay...just so I have this straight, this is alot like a partial mash beer style of brewing? I am going to steep the crushed grains first in their sparge bag. Then after that time is up, I transfer that same sparge bag over to the water used for the sparge and basically just rinsing the grains of their sugars? Is that right?

One last thing, did you add the torrified wheat and german pilsner to the sparge bag during the steeping process?

Thanks
Dan

 

[flyweed]

Syd, I don't think you boil any of the Apple juice..it only talks about steeping in a quart of water and then sparging in another quart. I assume you'll just add those 2 quarts of hot liquid to your room temp apple juice.

Dan

 

[jayhuff]

fly- yes you steep the all the grains together. You use strike water to steep in to maintain ~155 degrees. Then transfer the grains to another pot, leaving behind the water you steeped in, and then sparge the grains with water about 175-180, which is a rinse of the grains to wash out sugars. Add the rinse and sparge to the apple juice in primary, and you're in business.

syd- do not boil the apple juice.

brandon- I have used DME for a batch as well. I only used a pound, but 2 lbs would be good too!

 

[syd138]

So I've seen a few different recipes...

Whats the final verdict if I want to do a 5 gallon batch?

 

[flyweed]

Jay, Yeah I think I am actually going to do a full 5gallon batch of this...should I just double all measurements and water, but I'll keep the yeast to just one package.

Dan

 

[jayhuff]

yep- just double everything and let her rip!

 

[flyweed]

Sweet...hope my supplies get here soon!

Dan

 

[jayhuff]

syd138- use whatever one you want. It is really all about creating something. Try the original version to get an idea, then change it from there. I like to do a mini mash now, which is a little different than the original, but it is all good.

 

[Brewkowski]

Would this work for a partial mash?

3 Gal Batch

8oz Caramel 80
4oz Honey Malt
4oz Flaked Wheat (Increase Head Retention)
4oz Flaked Rice (Lighten up the body from any unfermented sugars?)
Lalvin 71B-1122 wine yeast
1lb of Light Brown Sugar
2.5 gal of President's Choice Apple Juice, Past./No Preservatives/ 1.050 SG

-Possibly an additional can or two of Apple Juice concentrate to up the fermentables and keep more apple flavor.
-Possibly some acid blend, depending on how the yeast works out.

 

[GroosBrewz]

Should this be racked to a secondary? i have some going now, it's been about a week and wondering if it should be reacked or just give it another couple weeks in the primary..

 

[jayhuff]

Hophead- looks like a good recipe to me! Brew and take good notes.

Bull- I never racked to secondary, but I don't on any of my beers. If you are someone that prefers that, then go ahead. I tend to let it ride a while so the trub gets compress, but when I use a Hefeweisen yeast, it don't floculate much anyway. (plus, I generally have all my carboys full of something

 

[GroosBrewz]

It's been 17 days since I brewed this (2.5 gallons in a 5 gallon primary).. It still stinks... I am guessing this is the rhino-fart smell, but damn, how long does it last? I want to taste test some but if it tastes antyhing like it smells, I am afraid I'll puke.. so when does the smell go away?? On the same day I brewed this, I brewed 2.5 g of apfelwein and it has long since quit smelling bad....

 

[flyweed]

Jay, I just brewed up a double batch (5 gallons) today of your exact recipe. Including the Torrified wheat and German Pilsner. First, I had to taste it after I mixed it all together..what a great, smooth taste. Nice...I took my O.G. reading and got a reading of 1.050 at 77F. I then pitched my vial of WL300....and now just watching for fermentation activity to start. Does that OG sound right to you? How light does this must clear? Right now she's really dark with that much chocolate malt in it. WOW!!

Dan

 

[jayhuff]

Yep- OG is in the range and this is not a real "light" colored beer. The chocolate malt really influences the color. It reminds me a a nice porter when poured. I will post a pic of the next one I pour. BTW- I really like the taste of this before I pitch the yeast too.

 

[flyweed]

LOL...yeah after I did the steep and sparge and added it to the A.J...I could have drank it all without fermenting it. What a nice, smooth taste. And not overly sweet. can't wait for the finished product.

Dan

 

[lx302]

Another question.
I didn't see it listed, but what are you guys using for priming if your bottling?
Dextrose?
How much?

 

[flyweed]

I don't..once it's "finished" I rack it into a corny keg and force carb. Simple.

 

[lx302]

I don't..once it's "finished" I rack it into a corny keg and force carb. Simple.

Time to buy a keg setup.

 

[jayhuff]

I do bottle prime, so if you made a 2.5 gallon batch, I use about 1/2 cup of corn sugar.

 

[Aleforge]

Ordering the grains for this now, did you every get a picture of your pour Jay?

 

[jayhuff]

OH No! I did not get that pic and I drank the last one! Ok, I am going to have to try again. Sorry about that.

 

[jacksonbrown]

Two questions:
1) How are you getting 2.5 gal from 2 gal of juice/cider + 1 qt of wort?
2) This will be my first cider, is a wheat yeast the best choice or are there other good alternatives out there?

 

[jayhuff]

I fill up to the 2.5 gal mark with water if I just steep grains (crystal 10L and chocolate malt), but I also have mashed grains (pilsner, torrified wheat, crystal, and chocolate) and that took me over the the top with the strike water and sparge). All that to say, fill up with water or apple juice if you don't get the 2.5.

You could use any yeast I suppose- I have used wheat yeast and plain ol muntons. Both worked well.

 

[jacksonbrown]

Which way do you prefer it, with more or less grain?

 

[jayhuff]

I really liked the mash version, but steeped grain version is good. I thought that the mashed grains developed a bit more head and held it longer. So I personally would do a batch just based on how much time I have to brew. Mashing taking a bit longer to do.

 

[Aleforge]

Sticking with the original recipe Jay, how much Apple flavor survived? And how close to woodchuck do you say it gets? I was kind of wondering if tossing in some concentrate would help boost its apple flavor profile?

Thanks

 

[jayhuff]

I think it has a lot of apple flavor. I have never tried a flavor concentrate, so I am not sure about that. When you bottle, do a few with concentrate to see what the difference is and then you can compare the two.