What's Brewing - November Edition!

As a gluten free brewer, you're probably aware that most maltodextrine in the U.S. is made from corn. But for archival purposes, I'll just add here that some maltodextrine (particularly but not exclusively stuff made in Europe) may be made from wheat. I.e. it might be wise to check the labeling.

 

Completed the majority of To-Dos around the house yesterday, so left with a day off without much to do. Just checked the hours of the local orchard and they're open today! So brewing up the yearly graff.

 

You got me on graff... slang? I don't know how to use google.

 

Graff is a hybrid between an ale and a cider. From what I understand, Stephen King invented it in the Dark Tower series. I've never read it, and don't know if he's ever brewed one, but folks ran with the idea and now it's kinda a thing. There's a huge thread over on HomeBrewTalk about it.
Basically, make a small (1-1.5gal[most likely extract]) batch of barleywine and top up with sweet cider to get a standard size batch. I've made one almost every year for the past 6 years or so.

 

Graf = apple beer. Maybe the BJCP will turn it into a "provisional style". It's been made for many years. I've been making mine since before it was "a thing". I call mine an apple ale because that's all it is. For mine I make a small batch of beer then add several gallons fresh apple juice with no preservatives. With this large amount of simple sugars, a "graf" will ferment slowly over the course of 6 weeks or more, much slower than a regular beer.

 

Brewed up an American Stout on the low ABV end of the spectrum on Friday...
Marris Otter base, usual inclusion of black malt, dark and light crystal, but added a fair amount of wheat to the bill - 20% wheat malt and 6% flaked wheat. Willamette hops.

I don't BIAB often, but this time I did not account for the drop in efficiency from using so much wheat - couldn't squeeze as much out of the bag and wound up about .005 points low on OG... Used a lager pitching rate of wy1968 hoping it wouldn't quit early, fermented at ~70 (ferm chamber is tied up with lager atm). 5% abv american stout would still be in the style guidelines but just barely ... hoping the low OG doesn't make the black malt contribution too ashy . Just hope it is crushable !

 

How do you tend to do your's? My hopping rates have varied, as have yeast, but I've settled on a 1.5gal batch of beer from 1 can Briess Rye LME, 15 minute boil, cool, pitch yeast. Once yeast show activity, add cider, add pectic enzyme (ran out last year, and while it eventually cleared, had to pour carefully or it was really ugly), let it ride out. Bottle condition, using organic apple juice concentrate as the sugar, maybe add some acid blend if needed.

This year, I've settled on the idea that while hops are needed, but too much just muck it up (had tried whirlpool and dry-hopping with varieties that promised a pomme-fruit flavor in the past). So just a single 10-min addition of Willamette to 20 IBUs this year. I get unpasteurized, untreated cider from the local orchard, but straight cider I've brewed using their juice has been pretty flabby, so I want a bit of bitterness from hops to make up from the lack of tannins. Also want to minimize any lacto that might be hanging around in the cider.

I like to let the beer start to show some yeast activity, and then add the cider.
I've heard from other brewers that using a Belgian or Hefe yeast will bolster the apple, so trying out BE-134 this year, due to the pear esters and cinnamon phenolics. Previously, I tended to go with either a cider yeast or English yeast, and they all worked, just not as well as I would have liked.

 

Wow, interesting. Google found nothing related to brewing if I search on "graff", include the word brewing and bingo.

Now you got me interested, my wheels are turning. The barleywine cider combo does sound appealing to my taste buds. Do you know of any commercial examples? I'd like to try one.

Do I sense an 'Averagely Perfect Graff' poll in the future?

 

Don't know of any commercial examples, but I do know that Potter's Craft Cider has collaborated with a few Virginia breweries, so they might have done something along those lines. Doubtful they would make it up to NY, though.

Check out the HBT thread, though, lots of good info.

 

Took my first try at a Baltic Porter yesterday. Had some 2206 in the fridge so figured I'd build up enough yeast to handle this monster. Fairly smooth brew day with a long boil so I could get to an OG of 1.089. Planning to add some Brown Sugar in a couple days to help keep the yeast active and raise the OG a few more points.

 

They likely got the idea for Belgian yeast from me. I always use WLP400, which adds a pear ester as well as low peppery phenol. Like you, I make like a half batch of Belgian ale but in it I use enough hops for the entire batch. While the wort and hops are boiling, I bring the apple juice to 160 F on my kitchen stove for a few minutes to kill wild beasts (5 minutes is plenty), then add it right to the wort at flameout, then chill and pitch the entire batch as normal. Then give it time. I ferment mind in low to mid 60s for a good 6 weeks or so.

I'm not aware of any GOOD commercial examples of apple beer or graf. I've tasted a few less than stellar ones.

P.S. If you don't like it dry, consider adding just a few ounces (like 4 oz) lactose to bring it back up. Could also use xylitol.

 

I found this...http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/b...um-brewing-collaborates-local-brewery-cidery/

A Graff colab by New Belgium. I couldn't find it on BA though. Looks too old to find in a store though. It doesn't show up on NB's website either.

 

You're a more than experienced homebrewer, and NY is known for apples. I'd say, check out the HBT thread, apply your knowledge, brew your own, and then adjust over the years to your liking. That's the beauty of the hobby

I will say, this tends to be the most expensive batch I brew every year. Then again, I don't brew those pound and a half IPAs, either.

 

I'm sort of partial to BrewCipher.

 

Brut Denali SMASH Pale Ale

 

Added 4 oz of sugar maple and oak to the polish prairie water. Saison yeast is definatly a beast.

 

Doppelbock has been kegged... At 1.021 (FFT FG was 1.018), so right in time. I really dig the flavor profile on it so far, even for being so green. Loaded with rich malt flavor, the caraaromatic I really like in this, it really pops. Can't wait until this is conditioned and carbonated!

 

Double brew morning this past weekend ....

Hoppy Belgian pale ale, using RVA 805 Piedmont liquid yeast for the first time. I've used dry yeast in this before (Belle Saison, Abbaye) but haven't gotten the result I really wanted. Fermentation is off to a great start with 805, looking forward to the result.

Single hop pale ale with lactose - Idaho 7. My standard 5% pale ale recipe when I'm trying out a new-to-me hop.