My Thoughts While Brewing Graff

[SeamusMac]

Here's an update:

I've transfered the batch of Graff to a 11.5L secondary, something I bought to suit my new tendency towards half batches. Anyways, after 2.5 weeks since I pitched for the second time my SG is now at 1.020 in a room at 65*F. It smells great and although I haven't tasted it I bet it's superb. The gravity reading wasn't what I expected and so I've left my hydrometer in the carboy so I can observe any changes in SG over the next week or so. If the SG doesn't continue to fall I'll start looking into way to re-start a stuck fermentation.

I'm not very pleased with the cider I bought from the local farm market. I'm convinced it must have small amounts of preservatives in it even though it was labeled as "no preservatives" and non-pasteurized. Re-pitching a full packet of Nottingham ale yeast into a 10L batch of Graff with a starting gravity of only 1.056 should not have been required...

 

[SeamusMac]

In secondary. I'm not sure if I like leaving it with so much head space...

 

[Brandon O]

In secondary. I'm not sure if I like leaving it with so much head space...

I think you'll be just fine.

 

[Brandon O]

you can always warm it up to about 70f and swirl it around.

That would probably help get it going again.

 

[SeamusMac]

you can always warm it up to about 70f and swirl it around.

That would probably help get it going again.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll do that before trying any of the more extreme means of restarting a stuck fermentation, ie re-aerating.

 

[SeamusMac]

After 8 hours at 70*-72* and a little bit of agitation via brewing spoon I placed it back in my 65* fermentation room and took off on vacation for 5 days. Unfortunately there was no change in the SG of my Graff upon returning home.

It tastes pretty good as is, and I considered just clearing it like a wine and bottling it still... Although I'm pretty damn stubborn when it comes to things like this and I'd sooner risk infection before giving up on my desired FG. So I racked my Nottingham Ale Yeast IPA into a carboy for a prolonged secondary and racked the Graff on top of the yeast cake, which is supposedly a sure fire way to re-start a stuck fermentation.

Although my IPA has practically stalled now that it has reached 1.044 (from 1.075) after 9 days; consequentially I'm not very pleased with Nottingham Ale yeast... It must be me.

 

[Brandon O]

After 8 hours at 70*-72* and a little bit of agitation via brewing spoon I placed it back in my 65* fermentation room and took off on vacation for 5 days. Unfortunately there was no change in the SG of my Graff upon returning home.

It tastes pretty good as is, and I considered just clearing it like a wine and bottling it still... Although I'm pretty damn stubborn when it comes to things like this and I'd sooner risk infection before giving up on my desired FG. So I racked my Nottingham Ale Yeast IPA into a carboy for a prolonged secondary and racked the Graff on top of the yeast cake, which is supposedly a sure fire way to re-start a stuck fermentation.

Although my IPA has practically stalled now that it has reached 1.044 (from 1.075) after 9 days; consequentially I'm not very pleased with Nottingham Ale yeast... It must be me.

Wierd man, Nottingham goes nuts everytime for me. It's what notty is known for, I don't even rehydrate the stuff.

 

[SeamusMac]

Wierd man, Nottingham goes nuts everytime for me. It's what notty is known for, I don't even rehydrate the stuff.

I've been suspicious from the start that perhaps the cider I bought had some sort of preservative in it, even though it wasn't labeled as such... That could be the reason why I've been having such poor luck with Notty ale yeast as I used the same yeast cake to ferment my big IPA.

I'm going to be home on Friday night so I'll check the SG on my Graff then and update the thread.

 

[SeamusMac]

SG on Friday July 10th is 1.016 and airlock activity is very slow, but steady! I'm glad to have this show back on the road...

 

[rico567]

Wierd man, Nottingham goes nuts everytime for me. It's what notty is known for, I don't even rehydrate the stuff.

Yes, I'm trying my first batch of Graff, and Nottingham isn't taking off like it does with a batch of beer. It's been over 30 hrs. since I pitched (and this is a whole 11g packet into a 2.5 gal. batch), and I have NO action. Oh, well, I'll probably wait until the weekend -about 72 hours- before I think about repitching. Don't have any more Nottingham, but I have a packet of Red Star Champagne Yeast that will probably do.

I followed all the recipe directions to the letter (except, obviously, for cutting everything but the yeast in half). I'm using Mott's AJ from Sam's Club, which say it contains only apple juice and Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), which latter is a preservative, but isn't supposed to bother yeast.

 

[Brandon O]

Yes, I'm trying my first batch of Graff, and Nottingham isn't taking off like it does with a batch of beer. It's been over 30 hrs. since I pitched (and this is a whole 11g packet into a 2.5 gal. batch), and I have NO action. Oh, well, I'll probably wait until the weekend -about 72 hours- before I think about repitching. Don't have any more Nottingham, but I have a packet of Red Star Champagne Yeast that will probably do.

I followed all the recipe directions to the letter (except, obviously, for cutting everything but the yeast in half). I'm using Mott's AJ from Sam's Club, which say it contains only apple juice and Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), which latter is a preservative, but isn't supposed to bother yeast.

did you aerate everything before pitching? What temp you fermenting at? Seamus got his stuck fermentation to eventually start again. I am sure you will be fine, but make note of the apple juice you used. I wouldn't use champagne yeast in this. I'm sure the notty will take off as long as you are around 70 degrees or so.

 

[rico567]

did you aerate everything before pitching? What temp you fermenting at? Seamus got his stuck fermentation to eventually start again. I am sure you will be fine, but make note of the apple juice you used. I wouldn't use champagne yeast in this. I'm sure the notty will take off as long as you are around 70 degrees or so.

I only ærated by pouring the wort & apple juice into the fermenter.......but that's all I do when I brew regular beer, and the fermentation is usually going well in 12 - 18 hours, no matter what beer or what yeast is involved. The temperature might be the issue. I chilled the wort pretty well before putting it in, so I'd say the Nottingham was pitched around 70F. Now it's sitting in the basement, which is probably closer to 65. I'm used to fermenting my beer down there, and didn't think about temperature. I'll bring the fermenter upstairs....

 

[Brandon O]

I only ærated by pouring the wort & apple juice into the fermenter.......but that's all I do when I brew regular beer, and the fermentation is usually going well in 12 - 18 hours, no matter what beer or what yeast is involved. The temperature might be the issue. I chilled the wort pretty well before putting it in, so I'd say the Nottingham was pitched around 70F. Now it's sitting in the basement, which is probably closer to 65. I'm used to fermenting my beer down there, and didn't think about temperature. I'll bring the fermenter upstairs....

I would just leave it, the conditions sound fine to me. If it doesn't start in a few days you might have some dead yeast.

 

[rico567]

I would just leave it, the conditions sound fine to me. If it doesn't start in a few days you might have some dead yeast.

Well, it was 66.7F down in that basement, cool enough upstairs (70F), but I brought the bucket up anyway, swirled it around, and let the sun shine on it for a few hours. Somewhat to my surprise, given the total lack of any fermentation to that point- and I looked inside earlier, and it looked DEAD in there. Despite the brief interval involved, by noon the airlock was bubbling away. I moved the bucket back out of the sun, and now we shall see.......

 

[jaginger]

Yes, I'm trying my first batch of Graff, and Nottingham isn't taking off like it does with a batch of beer. It's been over 30 hrs. since I pitched (and this is a whole 11g packet into a 2.5 gal. batch), and I have NO action. Oh, well, I'll probably wait until the weekend -about 72 hours- before I think about repitching. Don't have any more Nottingham, but I have a packet of Red Star Champagne Yeast that will probably do.

I followed all the recipe directions to the letter (except, obviously, for cutting everything but the yeast in half). I'm using Mott's AJ from Sam's Club, which say it contains only apple juice and Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), which latter is a preservative, but isn't supposed to bother yeast.

I pitched S-05 and Notty at the same time in 2 separate 3 gallon carboys that I had filled from the same boil. The S-05 was cranking very quickly and the Notty took at least a day (maybe a bit more) to really get going. I think you'll be fine.

 

[rico567]

I pitched S-05 and Notty at the same time in 2 separate 3 gallon carboys that I had filled from the same boil. The S-05 was cranking very quickly and the Notty took at least a day (maybe a bit more) to really get going. I think you'll be fine.

Maybe that was it. The graff fermenter's airlock is cranking along quite steadily this morning, doesn't seem to be any problem now.

 

[TrendyGuy]

I am going to be trying to make some Graff next week. I have only brewed one other batch of anything before and it was using wine yeast. I am wondering if it is ok to use my 5gal carboy with this recipe and the nottingham yeast. Just want to make sure it won't foam up a lot and overflow.

 

[rico567]

I am going to be trying to make some Graff next week. I have only brewed one other batch of anything before and it was using wine yeast. I am wondering if it is ok to use my 5gal carboy with this recipe and the nottingham yeast. Just want to make sure it won't foam up a lot and overflow.

I've currently got 2.5 gal. fermenting very vigorously in a 3.5 gal plastic bucket, also using Nottingham. I can see the line of liquid inside, and it isn't any higher than it was when I started. I think you're fairly safe, as long as you keep a decent amount of headspace in your fermenter.

 

[TrendyGuy]

Last night was my first attempt at making Graff, as well as my first time doing any type of boiling for brewing. I was following the directions exactly until I mistakenly put the full 1oz bag of Saaz hops into the pot. As soon as the last hop hit the pot I knew I just screwed up big time. I went ahead though and followed through with it and put it in my carboy and pitched the yeast. As of this morning it has already started bubbling along.

I was wondering if anyone can give me some warning how this is going to taste after 2 weeks fermenting and 3 weeks bottling? Would it help to let it sit in the bottles for a longer period of time?

 

[bob1852]

you'll be okay - it will be a little hoppy, but it should still taste good.

After all, better 1 oz of Saaz, than say Warrior or Nugget!

 

[Brandon O]

Last night was my first attempt at making Graff, as well as my first time doing any type of boiling for brewing. I was following the directions exactly until I mistakenly put the full 1oz bag of Saaz hops into the pot. As soon as the last hop hit the pot I knew I just screwed up big time. I went ahead though and followed through with it and put it in my carboy and pitched the yeast. As of this morning it has already started bubbling along.

I was wondering if anyone can give me some warning how this is going to taste after 2 weeks fermenting and 3 weeks bottling? Would it help to let it sit in the bottles for a longer period of time?

it will be fine. don't worry about it, you will get the idea really well of what the hops add to the flavor profile.