Graff (Malty, slightly hopped cider)

[sportpak]

Bottled 2.5 gallons yesterday. Roughly 6.5% abv and pretty tart. I'm optimistic after 3-4 weeks to carb/condition this will be pretty awesome. My only deviation was mt hood hops.

At just over 2 weeks carbonation is almost there and hotness has mellowed nicely. This stuff is great. I need to get another batch of this on the schedule.

 

[cheeseplease]

Hi guys, this recipe looks awesome.

Sorry for the noob question, but instead of using 2 pounds of DME, can we use all grain? If so, can anyone please suggest what type of base malt would taste good for Graf? I was thinking of using 2 Row Pale Malt (Gambrinus).

Also, would I use 3.5 pounds of all grain instead of the 2 pounds of DME that the recipe calls for?

Thanks

 

[zamo27]

Hi guys, this recipe looks awesome.

Sorry for the noob question, but instead of using 2 pounds of DME, can we use all grain? If so, can anyone please suggest what type of base malt would taste good for Graf? I was thinking of using 2 Row Pale Malt (Gambrinus).

Also, would I use 3.5 pounds of all grain instead of the 2 pounds of DME that the recipe calls for?

Thanks

very good question!
I would be interesed to see what replies we get fot this
Also my LHBS is out of torrified wheat can thiis be substituted

 

[richlong8020]

I say just use the conversion chart that you can find online. That's what I do. As far as what type to use, that may be up to you. Let's see what the forum says.


~RDWHAHB~

 

[chasemandingo]

So, im a complete noob but have put together a recipe I would like some input on. Here it goes.

.25 lbs caramel L60
.50 lbs Caramel L20
.25 cherrywood smoked malt
1 lbs 2-row brewers malt
light and amber DME
.3 oz crystal at 30mins
.3 oz crystal at 15
.3 oz crystal at 5

My plan is to mash for an hour at 155ish. Bring up to 170 for mash out and sparge with 170 degree water. Other than the obvious question of whether or not I have made an error so far, I would like to know how much water to add at the mash and sparge as well as how much DME to use. I have 2 lbs of light and 2 lbs amber. I also plan on only using 2.5 gallons of cider for this recipe and may bump up the s.g. with a little bochet of honey. Thoughts or concerns?

 

[richlong8020]

Hops are too high. No more than 0.5 oz as per the OP


~RDWHAHB~

 

[chasemandingo]

But I am not following the original recipe lol.

 

[brewski09]

And a hop head like me wouldn't like this as much without more hops too.


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[MrSnacks]

So I brewed this before but I used some crabapples and got a pretty tart, cidery graff. I brewed a new batch with straight Costco juice and for a lack of a better word it's pretty beery. Does that sound about right?

Followed the recipe, used Nottingham. Pretty straightforward. Doesn't taste bad, just tastes light a very light beer with hints of apple.

 

[chasemandingo]

Well then I think that I am on the right track with my recipe..... I will make it and see.

 

[hopbrad]

might be cool to blend them to see what you can come up with if the crabapples are too tart and the costco is too beery

So I brewed this before but I used some crabapples and got a pretty tart, cidery graff. I brewed a new batch with straight Costco juice and for a lack of a better word it's pretty beery. Does that sound about right?

Followed the recipe, used Nottingham. Pretty straightforward. Doesn't taste bad, just tastes light a very light beer with hints of apple.

 

[cheeseplease]

If I want to use just the 2 lbs of DME and leave out the 60L, the torrified wheat, and the hops, how would I go about brewing this recipe?

Would I just bring the 1 gallon of water to a boil, then add the DME, and boil it for 30 minutes?

Thanks for your help



Here are the original directions:

Steep the 60L and torrified wheat in .75 gallons of water @ 155 degrees for 30 mins.
Sparge with .25 gallons 170 degree water and throw away grains.
Add DME and bring to a boil.
Add hops when boiling starts and boil for 30 mins.

 

[hopbrad]

yea exactly, you could sub amber DME for both the 2lbs instead of 1lb light, 1 lb amber.
Extract is base malt with some cara/crystal already in it. The darker the extract, usually more or higher Lovibond crystal is in it. or Roasted malt if Dark extract is used.

If I want to use just the 2 lbs of DME and leave out the 60L, the torrified wheat, and the hops, how would I go about brewing this recipe?

Would I just bring the 1 gallon of water to a boil, then add the DME, and boil it for 30 minutes?

Thanks for your help



Here are the original directions:

Steep the 60L and torrified wheat in .75 gallons of water @ 155 degrees for 30 mins.
Sparge with .25 gallons 170 degree water and throw away grains.
Add DME and bring to a boil.
Add hops when boiling starts and boil for 30 mins.

 

[cheeseplease]

yea exactly, you could sub amber DME for both the 2lbs instead of 1lb light, 1 lb amber.
Extract is base malt with some cara/crystal already in it. The darker the extract, usually more or higher Lovibond crystal is in it. or Roasted malt if Dark extract is used.

Thanks for your response hopbrad.

Has anyone here ever tried making Graff with just the crystal, torrified wheat, hops, and no DME? Is the lack of DME noticeable?

Thanks

 

[jekeane]

Thanks for your response hopbrad.

Has anyone here ever tried making Graff with just the crystal, torrified wheat, hops, and no DME? Is the lack of DME noticeable?

Thanks

I havent attempted this but the wort made with the DME is what provides fermentables other than the juice. I would imagine losing a gallon of wort would significantly change this recipe.

 

[amcclai7]

I'm looking for a gluten free option that isn't a traditional cider and this looks great! However, it does have DME. The tiny amount of specialty grains shouldn't affect people but the 2# of DME, while less than an regular beer, might still mess with people. Is there any other type of sugar that could even come close? Agave and Honey are the first two that come to mind but I think they would still give you a tart, watery cider.

 

[brewski09]

FYI, if they actually need it to be gluten free, the specialty malt is too much. Look into clarity ferm sold by white labs. It might work for you/your friends. Maybe.


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[chasemandingo]

So I ended up making an abomination. 2 lbs light malt extract, 2 lbs amber, 2 oz smoked malt, 4 oz caramel L20 6 oz L60, 2 oz flaked wheat, .3 crystal at 30, .3 oz crystal at 15 and another .3 at 2 minutes. Added 2 cans of libby's pumpkin at flame out. cinnamon and cloves added. The wort is in the bucket with some safale 05. It was 1.1 s.g. I'm bout to add the cider tonight. Ferment is def sluggish. I'm thinking the dilution with the cider should start it up again.

 

[chasemandingo]

Ferment is going strong. Smells like pumpkin pie. I added some Kmeta to this batch. It doesn't seem like many people do this with beer. However, my wine making instincts wouldn't allow me not to lol.

 

[fosgate]

I made this 12 days ago with hand squeezed juice from the neighbors tree. Checked on it yesterday and saw it's still bubbling. I'm concerned thinking fermentation should have been completed the first couple days. I have it in a fermenting bucket so I have not seen what lays inside. Doesn't smell putrid outside. Is there a good possibility I did not pasturize the juice hot or long enough and have something unwanted growing inside?

 

[hunter_le five]

So I ended up making an abomination. 2 lbs light malt extract, 2 lbs amber, 2 oz smoked malt, 4 oz caramel L20 6 oz L60, 2 oz flaked wheat, .3 crystal at 30, .3 oz crystal at 15 and another .3 at 2 minutes. Added 2 cans of libby's pumpkin at flame out. cinnamon and cloves added. The wort is in the bucket with some safale 05. It was 1.1 s.g. I'm bout to add the cider tonight. Ferment is def sluggish. I'm thinking the dilution with the cider should start it up again.

At what point in the boil did you do your kitchen sink addition?

 

[smAllGrain]

So I tried to search for an answer in this thread but am not finding what I am looking for. Just bottled my first graff and it is pretty tart.... Does this mellow out? If not, no big deal, I will just add some apple juice each time I drink it.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

Cheers

 

[chasemandingo]

Kitchen sink added!

 

[lorvan]

Ok, total newb question here... I've done a bunch of all grain beers, but never a cider before. I made this with 1 gal cider, 1gal Apple juice, 1 gal ag wort. The only thing is that I didnt realize I had to be careful with the cider, and after a slow start fermenting, I found out it has potassium sorbate in it (max .1%). I pitched tons of yeast, and there is some fermentation happening, but it's not rigorous. Is this going to be a bust? I would hate to dump it...

 

[NickAus]

I made this, bottled it, then went away on holidays. This is the best cider I've ever made, it's not too dry and the hops and malt balance nicely. I just used store bought juice and it is still fantastic. Thanks for posting the recipe, I'm going to do a big batch of this next time for kegging.

 

[BrewerBear]

Ok, total newb question here... I've done a bunch of all grain beers, but never a cider before. I made this with 1 gal cider, 1gal Apple juice, 1 gal ag wort. The only thing is that I didnt realize I had to be careful with the cider, and after a slow start fermenting, I found out it has potassium sorbate in it (max .1%). I pitched tons of yeast, and there is some fermentation happening, but it's not rigorous. Is this going to be a bust? I would hate to dump it...

I would let it ride and see. No point in being worried.

 

[sportpak]

I may go "crazy" next time and add a couple oz of honey malt. Anyone tried that?

 

[redzeker]

So I tried to search for an answer in this thread but am not finding what I am looking for. Just bottled my first graff and it is pretty tart.... Does this mellow out? If not, no big deal, I will just add some apple juice each time I drink it.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

Cheers

I just opened my first bottle after 2 weeks of conditioning; it's not overly tart, but I didn't taste it at bottling, so I don't know where it was coming from.

I don't think to I have the skills to provide a proper description, but I'd just call it a little "young". I'm going to give mine at least another week (and probably two) before I try it again.

I realize I didn't really answer your question. It's my first batch, so I only have this one to go on. Seems to me that it should condition for a month before you really judge it, though.

 

[brewski09]

The yeast may be a little stressed or just in process still. If the tart tastes like a green apple and developed after bottling I would expect this to go away once the yeast is done with cleanup. Look up acetaldehyde in a brewing description and see if the descriptors match what you are perceiving.


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[JonLaw]

OK.. I made a 5g batch of this three weeks ago and it's still fermenting. Should I be concerned? Also this is my first cider. It's made just as the original recipe, but I pitched 2 packages of US 05.