Graff (Malty, slightly hopped cider)

[michael88n]

Just poured five gallons of Kirtland's apple juice and two pounds of dextrose on the yeast of the Graff that I racked into another carboy.

 

[david83]

well i just botlled my batch today and have my last bottle in the fridge cooling to taste test tonight smelled great tho

 

[david83]

just tasted and was good a bit taRT.im assuming this goes away?

 

[jim4065]

This may be an acquired taste - I hope the Apfelwein turns out better.

 

[Recluse]

This may be an acquired taste - I hope the Apfelwein turns out better.

How long did you let it age? I had the same initial impression. Graff tasted too much like sour beer and I much preferred Apfelwein. After a few months in the bottle, though, the Graff really mellowed out to be a really nice drink with nice malty and cidery character. I still like Apfelwein (and one of my buddies is addicted to it) so I have been making that instead of Graff because it is so easy, but I was very happy with the Graff after initial disappointment and plan to make some more when I have the time. I didn't use any hops, if that makes a difference..

 

[klyph]

Yes, when it's young, it has a very sour flavor that clashes with the bitterness and leaves a bad aftertaste. After it ages, it's SOOO much better.

 

[alcibiades]

Yes, when it's young, it has a very sour flavor that clashes with the bitterness and leaves a bad aftertaste. After it ages, it's SOOO much better.

glad to hear it. I almost threw out my bottles of graff after tasting how sour it was.....now I have them sitting in the basement. I'll try again in a few months.

 

[oparea]

Yes, when it's young, it has a very sour flavor that clashes with the bitterness and leaves a bad aftertaste. After it ages, it's SOOO much better.

Mine didn't start to taste really good until it had aged for about 6 months imo

 

[michael88n]

Just poured five gallons of Kirtland's apple juice and two pounds of dextrose on the yeast of the Graff that I racked into another carboy.

Holy guacamole. That stuff is fermenting like crazy. I checked in on it and it's now coming out of the top of the airlock...

 

[jim4065]

Yes, when it's young, it has a very sour flavor that clashes with the bitterness and leaves a bad aftertaste. After it ages, it's SOOO much better.

OK. I thought that the beauty of this stuff was that it's ready to drink in a matter of weeks - kinda like beer. Still have most of mine left so I'll see how it ages. I did use hops per the original recipe - maybe will leave 'em out in future.

 

[pcollins]

Brewed this a few weeks ago and let it sit in primary. Bottled it last night and, yes, I would agree it was definitely on the tart/sour side. I'm never one to toss a batch of beer and was definitely going to let this one age for a bit but I'm also glad I read these last few posts here.

Hoping for the best.

 

[jldesign]

save some hefe yeast next brew and pitch that into this stuff ;-) since its easy to make on the fly....hefe yeast adds a completely different twist and use 120L...got another batch rollin with 3068 yeast i saved .5 120L and .5 special B and a few ounces of flaked wheat...used palisade this time

 

[klyph]

OK. I thought that the beauty of this stuff was that it's ready to drink in a matter of weeks - kinda like beer. Still have most of mine left so I'll see how it ages. I did use hops per the original recipe - maybe will leave 'em out in future.

I was drinking mine within weeks. I loved it, but my wife described the taste as "vomit" so maybe I'm not as discerning.

 

[crombie]

Just finished brewing this up. Been looking forward to making this for a long time.

Ended up pretty close to the recipe, just used 3oz Carapils instead of Torrified Wheat (not sure what the ratio correction was for this, but I just gauged it off of what I saw others in the thread doing).

Used 0.4 oz of 7.4% AA Glacier hops to get me closer to the OP 0.5 oz of 6% hops. Hopefully it'll be pretty close.

OG was 1.054, rehydrated my Nottingham, and hopefully we'll see some bubbling tomorrow morning.

Looking forward to it, thanks Brandon O.

 

[ctufano]

Thinkin of brewin this up. I have a Wyeast W1007 propogator pack (german ale) sittin in fridge waitin to be used, and nothin in the future will use this strain. Think this will be alright? Could ferment on warmer side to give a lil fruity flavor, and then cold crash it before bottling

 

[michael88n]

Thinkin of brewin this up. I have a Wyeast W1007 propogator pack (german ale) sittin in fridge waitin to be used, and nothin in the future will use this strain. Think this will be alright? Could ferment on warmer side to give a lil fruity flavor, and then cold crash it before bottling

Make sure you have enough room and that you have a blow off tube and you'll be okay. Start another carboy after two or three weeks... Trust us--you'll want to keep your pipeline open on this one.
cheers,
Michael

 

[ctufano]

Hah, I'm down to start a second. My only issue is that my ferment chamber only holds one 6 gallon carboy and one 1 gallon, plus blowoff jug.

I suppose I could find another strain that can handle warmer temps (my apartment is 72 at night, 74 during day), but that would mean it would need to be alright up to 80 degrees :\

We shall see!

Waiting for my cream stout to finish up -- I bought all the ingredients and some nottingham yeast for this as well (my 5 gallon batch)

 

[chs9]

A question for brandon O and everybody who has brewed this - I know the recipe calls for a clean fermenting yeast, but what yeasts have you guys used and how did it change the flavor? I've got my US-05 ready, I'm just curious what's been tried and how it went.

 

[CaliBrewin]

made this on the 10th. primaried for 16 days. kegged two days ago. had some buddies over last night and they went to town on this stuff.

this is an amazing recipe, thank you OP. this is exactly what i was looking for. waaay better than apfelwein IMO. def will be brewing again.

Cheers,

-Zach

 

[Stuntman]

I followed this recipe exactly as Brandon posted (albeit, I used the Safale-05).

I was just wondering if anyone else had experience with that much krausen after two weeks.

Mine went about two strong weeks in primary, furiously!

This may be an acquired taste - I hope the Apfelwein turns out better.

I am on week eight, this stuff keeps getting better and better! Every week it conditions is an eye opener.

I would agree it was definitely on the tart/sour side. I'm never one to toss a batch of beer and was definitely going to let this one age for a bit.

I got tired of drinking it (after fifteen gallons) so I just let it sit on the right side, week number eight and it is so much different, for the better, flavors melded, NO tartness! Just citrus easy drinking now.

what yeasts have you guys used and how did it change the flavor? I've got my US-05 ready, I'm just curious what's been tried and how it went.

Notty, both times twenty gallons total, no complaints.

 

[wcarter1227]

A question for brandon O and everybody who has brewed this - I know the recipe calls for a clean fermenting yeast, but what yeasts have you guys used and how did it change the flavor? I've got my US-05 ready, I'm just curious what's been tried and how it went.

Ive had really good luck using wlp300, again im really a fan of using a wheat yeast, they take a little bit longer to start off but once they get going they really go.

Ive also used a belgian trappist yeast, again took a bit to start going but left a interesting fruity profile.

My fav yeast ive used on a cider is brett b, gave a slight mango/pinapple flavor to it.

 

[nanofreak]

So how can I figure the OG of this? It was 5.25 gallons with 3LBS Pilsen DME, 1 LB 10Lovi, 4 Ounces Choc, Three Gallons Apple Juice, and 1 can Apple Consentrate. I final came out to 1.009 or so. Not carbed yet, but seemed like once the mouthfeel is right it is going to be damn tasty.

 

[nanofreak]

Thinkin of brewin this up. I have a Wyeast W1007 propogator pack (german ale) sittin in fridge waitin to be used, and nothin in the future will use this strain. Think this will be alright? Could ferment on warmer side to give a lil fruity flavor, and then cold crash it before bottling

I used this yeast, I have a post one or two back about my exact recipe, seems to taste pretty clean and good. Was happy with it at bottle time. Waiting now for carb.

 

[DeusInnomen]

Alright, this is on deck for me next along with a stout I have planned. I'm thinking of doing two 5G batches: one straight and one with berries (probably strawberries, but I'm still debating). What would you do to offset the added tartness of the berries? Up the Crystal by a quarter pound?

 

[munklunk]

I brewed the recipe straight up. Pitched the Nottingham without rehydrating, just threw it straight in. Blowoff action with in a day. Done fermenting in two weeks, but needed a serious age in the keg. Not good at all for the first week in keg, but then it came around. Got better with every passing week, and it still improves as the days go by. I'm gearing up for batch #2, and may add some fruit to mess around with it. Great drink, and it gets you pretty drunk.

 

[BillyGHusk]

That's right I just finished reading all 84 pages of this thread. I will be brewing this early next week. Really looking forward to it. I do have one question,(not sure how after 84 pages) I will most likely use WLP001 as I don't have any Notty, any thoughts good or bad?

 

[munklunk]

WLP001 will be just fine. You just want to use a clean fermenting yeast that won't add too much extra to the flavors. That is, unless you want to screw around with the recipe a bit. i say, do it straight up first time. Very rewarding drink.

 

[iron_city_ap]

Two weeks ago, I brewed up my 2nd batch of this stuff. The 1st was pretty good, but because I didn't have my Air Conditioners in and the temperatures went from mild spring to August hot when I was out of town, I have some off flavors. Still some pretty damn good stuff.

Batch 2 is in a swamp cooler that SWMBO maintains ice in when I'm out of town (it may have converted her to the dark side) and was made with 3 gals of Apple juice and 1 gal of Pomegranite. MY GOD does it smell quacktastic. I'm letting it sit probably another week and a half to two before bottling.

 

[TriangleIL]

Brewed my first batch today... sounds very promising and the sample was great.

Used 4 different types of apple juices
4oz honey malt
4oz 120L
1lb light DME
1lb sparkling amber DME

WLP002 - English Ale Yeast
.9oz styrian goldings (3.5%)

Will ferment 3 weeks and then report back.

 

[Zen_Brew]

I brewed up my first batch of this about 2 weeks ago. I did 4 gallons with 3 gallons unfilterred organic apple juice. It's still in the primary but I snuck some out with the thief over the last weekend and it tasted pretty nice.

I have a question. Where did the name Graff come from. Did Brandon O come up with the name, or is it the proper name for such a beverage?