Graff (Malty, slightly hopped cider)

[peejaynj]

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Anybody else's krausen look so sludgy?? First time working with Apple juice so is this just how it comes out? Looks gross! But the smell is great!

 

[hunter_le five]

Looks about like mine.

 

[Aleaxnedr]

OG 1053
FG 1008
primary fermentation 14 days at 73 degrees and its already really tasty! thx! gonna bottle it now. hope its not going to fermenting more. dont want to take bottle bombs.

how it looks like after 14 days in primary

 

[brewski09]

If you want to make sure it's done wait a day and take another gravity reading. While you are technically supposed to take a total of three with each being 24 hours apart, I've never had it change if it was stable 24 hours later and near my target FG.

 

[MrSnacks]

Anyone added tart cherry concentrate to graff before?

 

[Strut]

Somehow my Graff keg is cashed already! Just when it was getting good too!

I knew I should have started another batch last week, but in my defense, I figured it take me longer than two weeks to go through 5 gallons

 

[Siberian]

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Let it ride and see what happens or is this way too infected after ONE DAY. I sanitized like crazy idk what could of happened

That's nothing to worry about at all, I've seen that in batches I've used wheat in, it's just stuff from the grains, it'll settle out don't worry about it. It's not a bug/infection.

 

[chemist55]

Just started my first batch of this and man does it smell amazing.

OG was 1.053 and I'm using S-04, it's my first time using this yeast and I'm very impressed, less than 18 hours after pitching it was bubbling away nicely.

Can't wait for this to finish!

 

[MInoobbrewer]

Down to my last twelve bottles. Think I'll start another batch this weekend

 

[peejaynj]

OG: 1.06 FG: 1.01. Can't complain. Came out nice and dry, next time I think I'll back sweeten a little. I've also got about 2 and a half gallons sitting on blueberries in a secondary now so we will see how that comes out on Monday!

 

[Strut]

Anyone added tart cherry concentrate to graff before?

After making a cider batch back-sweetened with tart cherry juice and honey, I think it would make for a great combo. I made this cider right after my Graff and found that I wished it had the same touch of malty-ness and head retention.

I may never brew a cider without a bit of DME and carapills again!

 

[peejaynj]

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After a week of blueberries in secondary, the color is nice!

 

[fredboivin]

Its been a while since I wanted to try this recipe, and I finally did it this morning.

I followed the base recipe with orchard juice and it only took 2 hours from start to fermenter. It was really easy and the sample tastes AMAZING!

I can't wait to taste the finished product!

 

[Gingie]

Tried this one today for the first time.
- 12 litres of PC Cider + 3.5 l of tropicana AJ (4.1 gal total)
- 1/2# crystal 60
- 1 oz toasted wheat
- 2.2# light DME
- 0.5 oz Cascade
- Danstar Nottingham Ale yeast

Skipped the irish moss as the cider was already pretty cloudy so I wasn't sure it would make a difference.

OG 1.058, will bottle condition in a couple weeks. Looking forward to this one!

 

[drat12]

So, do you have to use store bought juice, or can you buy the concentrate and reconstitute it with water? (Assuming there's no extra chemicals added that might retard yeast propagation).

 

[phug]

Use can reconstitute from FAJC if you want

 

[hunter_le five]

So, do you have to use store bought juice, or can you buy the concentrate and reconstitute it with water? (Assuming there's no extra chemicals added that might retard yeast propagation).

Yeah frozen concentrate is fine. Most store bought juices are technically "from concentrate" anyway. Just check the ingredients to make sure there's nothing besides apple juice concentrate and ascorbic acid(vitamin C).

 

[Gingie]

Man, the Danstar yeast really ate into this. Anything wrong with a really rapid ferment? I had 5 gal in a 6 gal carboy and while it didn't blow off, the airlock is filled with graff now. It's slowed down now, as in, I can no longer feel a breeze coming out the airlock.

 

[phug]

As long as the temps didn't get out of control, should be fine

 

[Jsamp]

I've been wanting to give this a try. How do you think this would turn out with frozen concentrate and the 2nd runnings from a big beer as "water"?

 

[phug]

Sounds good. Don't forget to hop your second runnings first.

 

[CascadeOK]

I pitched on to a notty yeast cake left over from my previous cider batch. It bubbled like crazy and stopped bubbling in 4 days. FG at 1.000. Tastes pretty good. I put it in my cold garage to cold crash but what now? Most seem to leave in primary for much longer. Do I leave it alone, rack off and dose it so I can keg it? Everything happened so fast not sure about next step.

Thoughts: by itself it tasted good, cider/beer characteristics. I'd definitely drink as is. I put a tiny amt of spiced pear juice in it. It masked the beer taste and tasted more like a full bodied cider if that makes sense. Very interesting. Anyone else back sweeten using this as a base? I'm tempted to pull off a gallon and make something for the wives in our group. Can't wait to taste after aging a bit. Great recipe!

 

[BaylessBrewer]

Instead of reading the whole post I'll take the lazy route and ask what I assume already has been asked.
Do you prime when bottling just like you would for an ale?
How much sugar per liter if so?

 

[KReardon99]

I have a batch that's been in primary about 2 weeks. I am going to throw it in the keg soon.. Should I put some co2 on and let it age at room temp or let it sit in the fridge?

 

[gatsby174]

Anyone who has made this...how long after kegging was it good. I kept it in primary for four weeks, and just kegged it tonight. The smell is amazing! The flavor...not so much. Pretty harsh cider bite to it right now. Is that common or did I get an infection?

 

[chemist55]

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I made two batches of this, one with fresh pressed cider and one with Allens AJ.

The one from the cider is the cloudy one without much head and the other is with AJ.

Both were done identically but have very different characteristics.

The citrus notes from the hops are more prevalent in the fresh pressed batch and it is definitely more bitter. It has trouble with head retention, it carbonated fine, just won't hold a head, not sure why.....any ideas?

The one with the AJ is very smooth with excellent head retention and a slight hoppiness. It turned out as the better in my opinion.

Excellent recipe and will definitely make again!

 

[Weezy]

I hadn't brewed one of these in a while. I finally found a blend of bottled juice that works good for me. ALL of my previous tries cone out tannic and sharp. I use a blend of Whole Foods half gallon Gravenstein (tart), 50 oz Martinellis (no additives, not from concentrate, sweet and zesty), and one gallon grocery store house brand juice with nothing but concentrate and water.

This batch I started by brewing one gallon of a super dark (SRM 61) and sweet (10% crystal 90 and 10% carafoam) beer:

1.75 lb pilsner
1/4 lb carafoam
1/4 lb C90
1/4 lb blackprintz
1 oz chocolate wheat
Mash at 150
No hops
90 min boil

Super easy stove top brew day. The blackprintz and chocolate wheat got it extremely dark and the wort tasted sweet with almost zero roastiness.

So, one gallon of that and 2 gallons of cider.

One pack of rehydrated Mangrove Jack cider yeast and I'm going to let it go for a month at 60F. Then keg condition for another two weeks.

 

[richlong8020]

I hadn't brewed one of these in a while. I finally found a blend of bottled juice that works good for me. ALL of my previous tries cone out tannic and sharp. I use a blend of Whole Foods half gallon Gravenstein (tart), 50 oz Martinellis (no additives, not from concentrate, sweet and zesty), and one gallon grocery store house brand juice with nothing but concentrate and water.



This batch I started by brewing one gallon of a super dark (SRM 61) and sweet (10% crystal 90 and 10% carafoam) beer:



1.75 lb pilsner

1/4 lb carafoam

1/4 lb C90

1/4 lb blackprintz

1 oz chocolate wheat

Mash at 150

No hops

90 min boil



Super easy stove top brew day. The blackprintz and chocolate wheat got it extremely dark and the wort tasted sweet with almost zero roastiness.

So, one gallon of that and 2 gallons of cider.



One pack of rehydrated Mangrove Jack cider yeast and I'm going to let it go for a month at 60F. Then keg condition for another two weeks.

Hey what were your readings on this. I was wondering (haven't visited this post in a while) that you have no hops. Thoughts? It looks delicious and probably will dup.

Also is the Pilsner the DME?

Also why a 90 min boil?

 

[MInoobbrewer]

Just did this recipe again but where it was 1/5 ale and 4 parts cider it's now 2/5 ale (just doubled the recipe) 1.5 gallons aj and 1.5 gallons cranberry juice. Plus added some acid blend and special B cara-pil for head retention. Should turn out good

 

[Weezy]

Hey what were your readings on this. I was wondering (haven't visited this post in a while) that you have no hops. Thoughts? It looks delicious and probably will dup.

Also is the Pilsner the DME?

Also why a 90 min boil?

My batch was all grain, hence the 90 min boil..but you could certainly use DME! Apologies but I'm brain farting on the OG. My brain is saying 1.050 or 1.060, and I'm almost certain its 1.050, but I'll have to check. I'll edit this later.