Graff (Malty, slightly hopped cider)

[Brandon O]

I think I'll do an AG attempt at this tonight. Thanks for the recipe!

Let me know how it turns out. love the feedback.

 

[Picobrew]

Let me know how that turns out. I have noticed the wheat yeasts tend to ferment out drier than notty and s-05. This is why I switched to notty, I liked the graff finishing at 1.008 or around there.

I would love to hear your take on it though.

I used Bavarian Wheat 3638 70-76% attenuation. It finished pretty sweet actually. Didn't do gravity readings on this. It's very nice, super fruity, not much banana tho (which is actually good for me). Not very cloudy at all despite using this cloudy yeast. So far I enjoy it, but I like beer better! ha.

 

[NicholasH]

Just joined the board (new to home brewing) specifically for this thread. I want to try this with cider as soon as it shows up in my farmers' market. Has anyone tasted a batch of graff made with dark malt extract? I have some leftover and was thinking of using it, but obviously wouldn't be opposed to amber if that tends to give better results.

 

[jeansberg]

I made mine with dark or liquid LME (not sure which). It's a lot darker looking than any cider, but I like the taste this far. You can probably skip the crystal malt, if you're using dark extract.

 

[millerbp]

Anybody have any thoughts/experiences with aeration prior to pitching? Good? Bad? Doesn't Matter?

 

[Brandon O]

Just joined the board (new to home brewing) specifically for this thread. I want to try this with cider as soon as it shows up in my farmers' market. Has anyone tasted a batch of graff made with dark malt extract? I have some leftover and was thinking of using it, but obviously wouldn't be opposed to amber if that tends to give better results.

I have experimented with mashing chocolate grains, like what you use in stouts. It was okay but I prefer the standard recipe for sure.

 

[Brandon O]

Anybody have any thoughts/experiences with aeration prior to pitching? Good? Bad? Doesn't Matter?

I don't aerate other than the pouring of the apple juice into the carboy. I personally think that is plenty and can't argue with the results. I have made a point to aerate the graff prior to pitching by shaking the hell out of the carboy. I didn't notice a difference in the final product, i think dumping in the juice does plenty of aeration.

 

[millerbp]

Thanks for the info. I'm pulling the trigger tomorrow morning. It will be a nice change of pace to have a short brew day.

 

[NicholasH]

Thanks for the input. I'm thinking I may try an amber ale next, before apples really come into season. I expect to have some amber malt extract leftover from that, so that should work out nicely.

 

[saburke17]

Hey everyone, This is my first post here. I just made the graff as per instruction, the only thing i may have done wrong is the amount of 60L i steeped. i could not remember when i bought it if she gave a 1lb or 1/2 pound???? i think it was a pound so i ended up using a cup and 1/4 of the 60L which was half of what was in the bag. how big of a difference would it make? I used 100% juice not from concentrate. the last difference was the hops. i got willamette 5.8% instead of 6% i pretty sure from the previous post that i should be ok as less is better.
Also is 70-73 degrees gona be ok for fermentation?

 

[saburke17]

So i pitched the yeast at 4:22 pm and left for a while. i came home around 2am and it was bubbling through the airlock. its now 10am and the the thing is bubbling like crazy. im still concearned though about the temp. i have to leave for 5 days and i dont have anyway to keep it cool other then leaving it in the kitchen. it around 75 degrees now will this hurt anything?

Sean

 

[jcobbs]

The bad, the good, & the ugly... Bad--I drank the last bottle of my Graff night before last

The good--My apfelwein, which tasted really wonky a few weeks ago, has smoothed out nicely. But it's sure not Graff.

The ugly--We're in the middle of a heat wave and there's no way I can control my fermenter temp until it cools off somewhat. So I can't start another Graff yet. And the apfelwein and pear wine in the secondaries are aging for Christmas gifts. So I'm sipping apfelwein verrrrryyy slowly..... and dreaming of how my next batch of Graff will taste!

 

[Brandon O]

So i pitched the yeast at 4:22 pm and left for a while. i came home around 2am and it was bubbling through the airlock. its now 10am and the the thing is bubbling like crazy. im still concearned though about the temp. i have to leave for 5 days and i dont have anyway to keep it cool other then leaving it in the kitchen. it around 75 degrees now will this hurt anything?

Sean

you are fine, but try to get to 72 and optimally you would want to be at 68. you can always just age it a bit more if you get off flavors but I am sure it's not a big deal.

 

[Brandon O]

Hey everyone, This is my first post here. I just made the graff as per instruction, the only thing i may have done wrong is the amount of 60L i steeped. i could not remember when i bought it if she gave a 1lb or 1/2 pound???? i think it was a pound so i ended up using a cup and 1/4 of the 60L which was half of what was in the bag. how big of a difference would it make? I used 100% juice not from concentrate. the last difference was the hops. i got willamette 5.8% instead of 6% i pretty sure from the previous post that i should be ok as less is better.
Also is 70-73 degrees gona be ok for fermentation?

you will be fine with the 60L. 70-73 degrees is okay but 68 is optimal.

 

[imprez25]

Juice for Graff?

I just purchased the DME and the Crystal (could only get 20L and no torrified wheat). I also picked up some Amarillo Hop pellets, I read they were real citrusy and floral, so I thought that would go well with the apple. So my next purchase is juice. The local orchard apparently has something against fermentation, as they put a preservative in their fresh sweet cider (which tastes amazing BTW) to prevent fermentation. So, I need to know what to buy. Is standard Motts or other "Juice from Concentrate" acceptable for this cider? Or do I need any special type of aple juice/cider?
Thanks a bunch! This is my first "non" kit brew.

 

[bob1852]

anything is fine as long as it's only apple juice and vitamin C (asorbic acid).

 

[imprez25]

That's what I was thinking. Thanks!

 

[greencoat]

I did an AG attempt of this the other night. The italics 'cause I botched it. I wasn't thinking and added way too much water for my boil/sparge and ended up with 2 gals wort and 3 gals AJ. My OG was 1.040, so I guess I'm making Graff Lite. It bubbled rapidly and steadily for about 5 days, I'm gonna take hydro readings starting in a week or so.

 

[wscott823]

I guess I kinda made Graff lite too. My DME was on target, but I made the mistake of picking up 3 quart containers of AJ, not gallons. My OG was around 1.042, I ended up back sweetening it with 2 cans concentrate to give it back some apple character. FG when I bottled on saturday ended up giving me abv of 4.5%. Not too shabby.

 

[Brandon O]

Juice for Graff?

I just purchased the DME and the Crystal (could only get 20L and no torrified wheat). I also picked up some Amarillo Hop pellets, I read they were real citrusy and floral, so I thought that would go well with the apple. So my next purchase is juice. The local orchard apparently has something against fermentation, as they put a preservative in their fresh sweet cider (which tastes amazing BTW) to prevent fermentation. So, I need to know what to buy. Is standard Motts or other "Juice from Concentrate" acceptable for this cider? Or do I need any special type of aple juice/cider?
Thanks a bunch! This is my first "non" kit brew.

i have used motts many times.

 

[imprez25]

i have used motts many times.

I'll be picking up some on the way home tonight! :rockin: I've got to clean some bottles tonight so I can get a Oktoberfest out of the secondary, so while I wait for them to soak I'll be brewing up this delicious sounding brew.

 

[freddyb]

I picked up some apple juice on sale yesterday and brewed a batch of cider using this recipe as a base. You can see it in the photo forum here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f85/my-first-cider-brewday-131968/

I'll post a follow up after I've had a chance to taste it in a month or so.

 

[imprez25]

Okay brewed this up tonight here's what we had:

2# of Extra Light Dry Extract
.5# Crystal 20L
.5oz Amarillo Hops
1 gallon H2O
4 gallons of Apple Cider (Cub Food Brand, Juice from Concentrate, no additives no preservatives, pasteurized)
Nottingham Yeast

Steeped the grains for 20 minutes in .75 gallon water, sparged with .25 gallon. Brought to boil. Added 2# DME and .5oz hops. Boiled for 30 minutes. Added Irish Moss (mainly out of habit at this point. Not sure if it will do anything since I only had the 1 gallon of "wort"). Cooled with wort chiller (thermometer took a dump so I just felt the bottom of the boil kettle) Aerated the wort through a strainer, did the same with the 4 gallons of Apple Cider. Rehydrated the yeast and pitched. Total brew time was just over 1 hour from flame on to pitch. Quickest brew so far. If this is good, it will earn a spot in one of my fermentor full time. Smelt good going in, so I'm sure it will be good coming out!

OG was 1.062.

 

[DrDemi]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to brewing and just saw the Graff recipe. All I can say is WOW. It sure beats the straight cider that I was planning on making this weekend. I have two questions about the recipe.

First, would it be ok to use a cider yeast (I have a vial of white labs english cider)?

Also, would reducing the water and/or including apple concentrate increase the apple flavor? Or would it just make it more alcoholic?

Thanks again for the recipe and this thread. It really makes me want to get out and brew!

Patrick

 

[bob1852]

If this is good

no "if's" about it! My recommendation - get another back going cuz you'll drink the 1st batch really fast

 

[imprez25]

Yeah, I told my wife last night that I have enough materials minus the Juice to make another batch. Once she smelt it going into the bucket, she said that I should plan on another batch soon! This looks to be a good brew for sure.

 

[maximus]

I brewed an AG version of this about a ten days ago. This was my first cider. The sample going into the keg was good, but a little tart. I used cheap Walmart brand juice. I might let it sit for a week or two at room temp in the keg, then drop in some gelatin before putting it on gas. Even with the tartness, I think it will be good carbed up and cold.

 

[Reedwalker]

I just got the ingredients and am ready to brew. I forgot to get a muslin bag though. Could I just steep and then strain, no bag? And I got Breiss Torrified Wheat Malt, does this need to be ground?

 

[Brandon O]

Okay brewed this up tonight here's what we had:

2# of Extra Light Dry Extract
.5# Crystal 20L
.5oz Amarillo Hops
1 gallon H2O
4 gallons of Apple Cider (Cub Food Brand, Juice from Concentrate, no additives no preservatives, pasteurized)
Nottingham Yeast

Steeped the grains for 20 minutes in .75 gallon water, sparged with .25 gallon. Brought to boil. Added 2# DME and .5oz hops. Boiled for 30 minutes. Added Irish Moss (mainly out of habit at this point. Not sure if it will do anything since I only had the 1 gallon of "wort"). Cooled with wort chiller (thermometer took a dump so I just felt the bottom of the boil kettle) Aerated the wort through a strainer, did the same with the 4 gallons of Apple Cider. Rehydrated the yeast and pitched. Total brew time was just over 1 hour from flame on to pitch. Quickest brew so far. If this is good, it will earn a spot in one of my fermentor full time. Smelt good going in, so I'm sure it will be good coming out!

OG was 1.062.

you are gonna love it man, ferment that bad boy at 68 degrees and you will be good to go.

 

[Brandon O]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to brewing and just saw the Graff recipe. All I can say is WOW. It sure beats the straight cider that I was planning on making this weekend. I have two questions about the recipe.

First, would it be ok to use a cider yeast (I have a vial of white labs english cider)?

Also, would reducing the water and/or including apple concentrate increase the apple flavor? Or would it just make it more alcoholic?

Thanks again for the recipe and this thread. It really makes me want to get out and brew!

Patrick

I'm sure you can use the yeast you have. I just prefer Notty, i totally reccomend getting some.
Apple concentrate wouldn't increase the apple flavor so much as just make it stronger. I wouldn't want to increase the apple flavor, it has really big apple flavor already.

Brew it up, you will love it. This is what cider should taste like.