Graff (Malty, slightly hopped cider)

[agentEhrman]

Anyone use apple concentrate? Using just less than 1 can will get the equivalent of 4oz of sugar.

Not sure how you did the math, but that sounds like a great idea. I will probably try this next time, I would think it would just add a little more flavor..

 

[Clifton]

Sugar should give you 45 ppg. Apple juice is close to the same. A 12 oz can of concentrate is equal to 48oz of juice or 3/8 of a gallon. 2/3 of a can would give 32 ounces of juice. 4oz of sugar by weight gives 11.25 ppg. 32 fl oz of juice should yield approximately the same ppg.

I'm not sure if that is the same math Eric used but that's how I got there.

 

[bk0]

I used 5 cans of concentrate for the equivalent of about 2 gallons of juice in a 5 gallon batch.

 

[timmah84]

After 2.5 weeks, it is still bubbling every couple of minutes, think it'd be safe to prime and bottle this stuff? I'm going to forgo kegging, as I want to give it ample time to condition, and I don't want one of my kegs held up for that long.

 

[ericrdb]

Sugar should give you 45 ppg. Apple juice is close to the same. A 12 oz can of concentrate is equal to 48oz of juice or 3/8 of a gallon. 2/3 of a can would give 32 ounces of juice. 4oz of sugar by weight gives 11.25 ppg. 32 fl oz of juice should yield approximately the same ppg.

I'm not sure if that is the same math Eric used but that's how I got there.

Google told me that 1oz of sugar is roughly 28grams: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_grams_in_1_ounce_of_sugar

So, I'm looking for 4 x 28 or 112grams.

TreeTop's website reports 26g/serving in the 12 oz can of concentrate: http://www.treetop.com/ProductDetail.aspx?CategoryID=1&ProductID=192

So, 112 (total needed)/ 26 (serving in the can) = 4.3 servings out of a can that holds 6 servings. Translating to roughly 2/3 of the can of 12oz concentrate.

Thanks for the feedback, I'll give it a shot!

 

[29thfloor]

I just did another batch of this last night. Put the recipe together from memory and it's a little off but hopefully it will still be good.

.75# Crystal 60L
.25# Crystal 120L
2# Light DME
4 gal Mott's "Natural" apple juice (looks more like cider than most juices)
.3 oz Palisade
1L starter of Wyeast 1728 Scottish Ale yeast

All the other times I've done this I've also included a couple ounces of flaked wheat. Forgot that this time so I'm interested to see how much of a difference it will make.

 

[timmah84]

After 2.5 weeks, it is still bubbling every couple of minutes, think it'd be safe to prime and bottle this stuff? I'm going to forgo kegging, as I want to give it ample time to condition, and I don't want one of my kegs held up for that long.

Anyone?

 

[scottsaxman]

Has the gravity stabilized? I would think fermentation would be done, but there is only one way to be sure. Your trusty hydrometer can tell you!

 

[timmah84]

Dang, took a gravity reading it was at 1.004 -- I never took an OG reading (kinda forgot, doh!) The sample had a very harsh alcohol taste. Hopefully this ages well after bottling. I'll check the gravity again in a couple days to see if there is any change.

I admit,I did have the airlock blow off and it fermented quite high (74 temp range), while I was gone for a weekend, but figured with the co2 blanket and the fruity esters would be okay, we'll see how it ages. *fingers crossed* I want a good cider!

 

[PortlandPatrick]

Dang, took a gravity reading it was at 1.004 -- I never took an OG reading (kinda forgot, doh!) The sample had a very harsh alcohol taste. Hopefully this ages well after bottling. I'll check the gravity again in a couple days to see if there is any change.

I admit,I did have the airlock blow off and it fermented quite high (74 temp range), while I was gone for a weekend, but figured with the co2 blanket and the fruity esters would be okay, we'll see how it ages. *fingers crossed* I want a good cider!

You don't need the OG for this purpose. Take a reading today, then again in a few days - if it's the same, then it's done. When did you take the 1.004 reading? Yesterday? If so, check again on Monday night.

 

[JonathanG]

I just bottled my first batch of this a couple of days ago. It was at 1.008 and I thought it was done. Forgot about it for a week, and it dropped to 1.004. So, I waited a couple more days (3-days total), and the gravity was still at 1.004, so I went ahead and bottled it. Ended up with 4.4-gallons into bottles.

I'm looking forward to drinking this as Summer transitions into Fall.

I plan to try Graham's English Cider for my next cider and have 6-gallons of juice in the basement, ready to go.

 

[agentEhrman]

I admit,I did have the airlock blow off and it fermented quite high (74 temp range), while I was gone for a weekend, but figured with the co2 blanket and the fruity esters would be okay, we'll see how it ages. *fingers crossed* I want a good cider!

I had the same issue with the airlock, and mine did turn out fine. I was thinking the same thing about the fruity esters, I'm sure your batch will taste good!

 

[MacrosNZ]

Laid down my second batch of this arvo. Changed DME to a 1.5kg can of light LME, and used around 12 grams of Nelson Sauvin @ 12% AA (which may have been a little too much =\ ).

 

[kingboomer]

Well, I just tried my first one this last saturday, and I'm very impressed! Still needs another week or two to get the green taste mellowed out, but very tasty brew. My hat's off to you Brandon O!



-Kingboomer

 

[alchemedes]

Ok, I just made my second batch I am extremely upset with the results. The first batch was amazing, but his time around it was terrible. For this second batch I went with a 3 gallon recipe as I only had the 3gal carboy empty. I was very careful about the calculations of course. It has been extremely warm here in Oregon though and I was only able to keep the ferment at an unstable 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit by rotating out iced water bottles in a trough of water beneath the fermenter - lots of people do this - but this is tedious and you've got to stay on top of the rotation.

Anyway, the krausen disappeared only after the first four days of fermentation and the airlock bubbled only ever so slightly (once every 3-5) minutes until the tenth day when there finally seemed to be absolutely no more activity at all. So, on the tenth day I decided to check the gravity and have a sample taste. The final gravity was at 1.006 (from a starting gravity of 1.062) and the taste was exactly like apple vinegar beer - you probably would have laughed if you saw my face squinch up in disgust. However, it did pack quite a punch as I felt a good buzz just from drinking a test vile full. Haha!

I am so disappointed though that I feel like I should just dump it out to the Beer Gods, but I would rather save it somehow. Anyone think I could simply back sweeten it with two cans condensed AJ, then keg it? Would that help mask the vinegar-esque flavor?

Also, any one have any ideas on how I got this awful taste? I don't want to have a repeat when I make it again. Was it fermented to long for a 3 gallon batch, or was it simply the fluctuation of heat?

 

[bk0]

If it really is like vinegar, that sounds like infection with acetobacter bacteria. Nothing you can do at this point except dump it and be more careful with sanitation next time.

 

[MZRIS]

wait you could make vinegar!

 

[alchemedes]

Honestly, I have always been very good about sanitization - sometimes borderline OCD, and I don't fear the sani-foam monster. So, I wonder at what point during the process I did something to cause this vinegar taste to happen. Could it have been on the grains, the hops, the malts? Could it have been in the Motts brand AJ already? Could it have been airborne? I would like to make another attempt, but I would like to avoid a repeat of 3 gallons of vinegar. Anyone?

 

[jsmith32]

Great thread!

For those of you who've made a more 'session-style' of this recipe (say, OG of 1.050-1.060), how does it turn out?

I'm thinking about doing a 3 gallon batch of this: 2/3 juice, and 1/3 of a real basic blonde ale recipe.

Also, has anyone thought about naming a variation of this Steffi GRAFF?

Jason

 

[alchemedes]

Honestly, I have always been very good about sanitization - sometimes borderline OCD, and I don't fear the sani-foam monster. So, I wonder at what point during the process I did something to cause this vinegar taste to happen. Could it have been on the grains, the hops, the malts? Could it have been in the Motts brand AJ already? Could it have been airborne? I would like to make another attempt, but I would like to avoid a repeat of 3 gallons of vinegar. Anyone?

Well, we can all just ignore my last few posts because this stuff turned out great 3 days later. No vinegar taste at all. I admit I was a bit tipsy when I took the sample - too much Hefe.

What a great recipe! I did however backsweeten with one can of condensed AJ to bring up the final gravity as it was a tad too tart, more tart then the description. It's kegged and ready to drink! :rockin:

 

[ElCapitan]

Well I'm getting ready to bottle this morning and my fg is 1.010. I followed the recipe except I used the Wyeast Cider Smackpack for yeast. It has been in the fermenter for about a month and tastes great. My cider fanatic girlfriend loves it.

Well, we can all just ignore my last few posts because this stuff turned out great 3 days later. No vinegar taste at all. I admit I was a bit tipsy when I took the sample - too much Hefe.

I can completely relate. When I tasted mine at 2 weeks I nearly spit it all over the wall, but after a month it tastes great! SOOO happy I didn't dump it!

 

[alchemedes]

ElCapitan, I'm glad someone else had a similar experience. Strange that mine only took 3 days to get a million times better though... did you leave it in the prime for a month or did you secondary?

 

[chemdoc]

Well I'm getting ready to bottle this morning and my fg is 1.010. I followed the recipe except I used the Wyeast Cider Smackpack for yeast. It has been in the fermenter for about a month and tastes great. My cider fanatic girlfriend loves it.

I can completely relate. When I tasted mine at 2 weeks I nearly spit it all over the wall, but after a month it tastes great! SOOO happy I didn't dump it!

I had the same experience. After three weeks in bottle, I was a little disappointed. I gave most of the bottles to a buddy and forgot about it for a month. Tasted some this weekend and it is much better. Wish i had hung onto more bottles, but my buddy's girlfriend has drank much of what I gave him, so at least I helped out a friend.

 

[Carbonellsa]

HELP!

Last Sunday, Aug 19, I made a 3 gallon batch of this.
However I didn't follow the instructions exactly.
For example; I used 1lb of amber DME, and 0.5lb of light DME. (which is a lot of DME for 3 gallons I believe) Also I used a champagne yeast instead of Nottingham.

It was going well, for the first 4 days it was bubbling beautifully. Then it stopped. On sunday, Aug 26, I added more yeast.
It's still not doing anything and smells bad.

Am I just being paranoid? Or is there something wrong here.
(Also I should probably tell everyone that this is my first real brew, everything else I've done is just yeast, sugar and juice.)

Thanks
-Sam

 

[Smashing]

Why did you add more yeast? Did you take any gravity readings?

 

[Carbonellsa]

Why did you add more yeast? Did you take any gravity readings?

I added more yeast because I thought mine might have died, and that's why it wasn't bubbling any more. Also I didn't think adding more yeast would hurt, if anything it would just sit in the bottom.

And no, I never took any gravity readings, I don't usually find any need for them— but now I wish I had.

 

[Carbonellsa]

Ferment 2 weeks at 64-68 degrees

How important is this temperature? What if it's 74 degrees.....? >.<

 

[PortlandPatrick]

How important is this temperature? What if it's 74 degrees.....? >.<

Temperature is pretty important, and four days at 74° is enough for some batches to finish. 74° isn't usually an ideal environment for fermentation, partially because the process will be so aggressive (and therefore quick).

You can calculate your OG and take a FG reading to see how things are coming along. Hopville.com has a nice recipe builder you can use to find the OG.

 

[Smashing]

I added more yeast because I thought mine might have died, and that's why it wasn't bubbling any more. Also I didn't think adding more yeast would hurt, if anything it would just sit in the bottom.

And no, I never took any gravity readings, I don't usually find any need for them&#151; but now I wish I had.

You can always take one now and see where you stand.

 

[hopbrad]

i am going to brew this tomorrow afternoon and use t-58 yeast. i figure the fruitiness and spice may work ok. also may throw in a dash of cinnamon. will update, unless anyone thinks this is a bad idea.