KT's Caramel Apple Graff

[Newmoon brewer 21]

To start off does anyone have any experience with this recipe? I brewed the MB Hard Cider and was a little disappointed in it. Is this recipe more along the lines of a Leinenkeugel's Apple Spice, that they made a few years back?

 

Secondly since it's so pricey I was thinking of just buying the MB Bav. Weiss, and using some store bought cider for the recipe(this is ok I assume?) But with that thought when you look at the picture on the recipe page http://www.mrbeer.com/refills/recipes/kt-s-caramel-apple-graff-recipe

It shows 3 bottles, two of the cider and 1 of something else, does anyone know what that is, or is it a third cider bottle?

 

Thanks in advance

[JoshR 4,684]

It's a 3rd cider bottle. All of our cider kits have recently been upgraded to 3 bottles instead of 2. This adds more body and flavor. Of course, it costs a few more dollars, but it's much better than the old formulation of 2 bottles. One tip is to replace a gallon of the water used in the recipe with apple juice. It really kicks it up a notch. Just don't use juice that isn't pasteurized or contains preservatives.

[cowboykyle 312]

1 hour ago, MRB Josh R said:

It's a 3rd cider bottle. All of our cider kits have recently been upgraded to 3 bottles instead of 2. This adds more body and flavor. Of course, it costs a few more dollars, but it's much better than the old formulation of 2 bottles.

as per usual, about a month after I get and make a recipe, it gets 'upgraded'....  the worst is, I won't be able to see how my outdated recipe tastes until the 28th of March (3 mos conditioning). 

 

LBK 2

OG:  1.066

FG:  1.010   (12/21/15)

ABV ->. 7.4%  

Apparent attenuation:  84 %

Actual attenuation:   68 %

 

Carb:  target:  2.6 CO2 volumes

Batch prime:  1.9 oz per 2.2 gallons

Edited January 27, 2016 by cowboykyle
can't spelt

[Newmoon brewer 21]

1 hour ago, cowboykyle said:

as per usual, about a month after I get and make a recipe, it gets 'upgraded'....  the worst is, I won't be able to see how my outdated recipe tastes until the 28th of March (3 mos conditioning). 

 

LBK 2

OG:  1.066

FG:  1.010   (12/21/15)

ABV ->. 7.4%  

Apparent attenuation:  84 %

Actual attenuation:   68 %

 

Carb:  target:  2.6 CO2 volumes

Batch prime:  1.9 oz per 2.2 gallons

I feel your pain. I bought the cider kit in November. Initially I wasn't impressed, hence why I'm curious about the apple graff. After about a month of conditioning the cider taste improved, but I felt it still missed the mark for what I was wanting. Hopefully the Graff will be awesome!

[cowboykyle 312]

19 hours ago, Newmoon brewer said:

I feel your pain. I bought the cider kit in November. Initially I wasn't impressed, hence why I'm curious about the apple graff. After about a month of conditioning the cider taste improved, but I felt it still missed the mark for what I was wanting. Hopefully the Graff will be awesome!

 

I made the Sparkling Cerise cider in late august 2014.  First few bottles were ok, once you realize it is a dry cider.  It actually has gotten noticeably better with age.  I think I have four swing tops left.  My wife is the usual consumer, but I sample each bottle opened just to see how the aging is going.   This is largely the reason I am giving the graff a full three months before opening.  

[Stroomer420 1,048]

On January 27, 2016 at 10:42 AM, MRB Josh R said:

It's a 3rd cider bottle. All of our cider kits have recently been upgraded to 3 bottles instead of 2. This adds more body and flavor. Of course, it costs a few more dollars, but it's much better than the old formulation of 2 bottles. One tip is to replace a gallon of the water used in the recipe with apple juice. It really kicks it up a notch. Just don't use juice that isn't pasteurized or contains preservatives.

I'm making the apple brown beery Saturday can i use the gallon of juice instead of water in this recipe as well ?

[Stroomer420 1,048]

Im just gonna use the juice,,,,,,,,, its brewing time!!!!! )

[walt_felix 122]

On ‎1‎/‎27‎/‎2016 at 10:42 AM, MRB Josh R said:

One tip is to replace a gallon of the water used in the recipe with apple juice. It really kicks it up a notch. Just don't use juice that isn't pasteurized or contains preservatives.

Josh, This has intrigued me.  I have the ingredients for the Apple Brown Beery as well and was thinking about ways to "Kick it up a Notch".  So by doing this, what can I expect?  I noticed that recipe didn't come with a booster, will using apple juice kind of boost this a little because of the extra sugars?  Just trying to figure it out, this would be my 3rd batch and first time going off script. 

[JoshR 4,684]

Yes, apple juice will ferment, making it stronger. It will also add more body and flavor.

[bpgreen 195]

3 hours ago, MRB Josh R said:

Yes, apple juice will ferment, making it stronger. It will also add more body and flavor.

Aren't nearly all of the sugars in apple juice simple sugars that will ferment pretty completely? Is so, wouldn't that thin rather than add body? 

 

I've never used apple juice, so I could well be wrong. I just thought that the sugars in most juices are almost completely fermentable. 

[JoshR 4,684]

No. It will, in fact, leave some residual sugars, too, depending on the type of apples in the juice and the yeast used. Also, the extra addition of malic acid in the juice will help balance the flavor. What do you think cider is made of anyway? Why would using apple juice make the cider more thin than using water? Keep in mind, there's a lot more that makes up apple juice than just sugar. And not all of the sugars in fruit are completely fermentable.

[bpgreen 195]

I guess I sound have read more of the thread. For some reason, I thought this was for a beer and was comparing the sugars in juice with the sugars in malt. 

[Newmoon brewer 21]

Hey guys tomorrow is brew day for this recipe. I've purchased some store bought cider I plan to use and I have the mulling spice, but it is whole mulling spice. The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of the spice. So my question is do I crush it up to get the necessary amount or use it as is? Secondly since I believe MB's cider is a concentrate should I use more cider than originally? I think per the recipe they are three 10oz bottles.

[AnthonyC 3,802]

I would crush it.  That way you are sure to get the right amount.  Not really sure about your 2nd question, so you'll have to stand by on that one.  Good luck with this recipe.

[Bighead beer 289]

On 1/29/2016 at 8:01 PM, Stroomer420 said:

I'm making the apple brown beery Saturday can i use the gallon of juice instead of water in this recipe as well ?

Let me know how that turns out,the wife wants me to brew that up for her next

[Stroomer420 1,048]

Just bottled last nite ,will do,

[Newmoon brewer 21]

KT recipe vs brown beery why does one use the S-04 yeast and the other not? Is it because of the different extracts used?

[Broox 175]

5 hours ago, Newmoon brewer said:

KT recipe vs brown beery why does one use the S-04 yeast and the other not? Is it because of the different extracts used?

I am also very interested in  this knowledge.

[Newmoon brewer 21]

Just finished up with KT's caramel Apple Graff. Like I mentioned earlier I was using apple cider from the store, pasteurized and no preservative. My OG was only 1.045, the recipe approximates it at 1.072. Is it correct to assume the differences are because of my cider vs MB cider concentrates sugar content?

[Newmoon brewer 21]

Mrb Tim thanks for the info on the concentrate being 70 brix of sugar which is a lot more sugar than my cider. So with that info, could I have just used table sugar along with the brown sugar to increase the abv, or would booster have been a better option?

[johnp 23]

I have KT to brew very soon so any updates will help. I am brewing the straight up two bottle version. I would like to decrease the ABV.

 

Just back off of the brown sugar? 1/2 cup instead of one full cup?

[Newmoon brewer 21]

Why on earth would you want to reduce the abv!? ? that's no fun. Reducing the sugar a tad is what I'd do but im sure rickbeer or mrbjosh have some helpful advice

[johnp 23]

 I have yet to get to the ABV of the labels but 7% is too high for me. Plus this is for my wife.

 

[Newmoon brewer 21]

I agree on the approx. Abv mine are always a little lower. Maybe MRBjosh can have some input. But I would guess the two bottle vs three bottle cider recipe's abv would differ.

[johnp 23]

I did not think about that. Two bottles will be lower right off the bat. Probably just brew it straight up. THX!

 

I just want to start this now for the fall. It took AWHILE for my Perry Cider to condition out.

 

How's your Rhapsody on Blue? It's in line for me to brew as well.

 

[Newmoon brewer 21]

Rhap blue is going well. One week inside the fermenter. It got close to the top of the lbk when it had high krausen. 

 

My kt Apple Graff might be ready this weekend to bottle. But then I have the long wait of conditioning.

[cowboykyle 312]

The wife commented again on liking the graf (even with only two cider bottles!).  In fact she went as far as to say she liked it more than the Cerise cider, as it 'warmed' better.  She is rather pokey when finishing beers!  

 

perhaps i'll utilize one of my newly acquired BW's for another batch !

[Newmoon brewer 21]

Nice job!

I wasn't a big fan of the hard cider but I was unaware it was supposed to be like a cerise.

 

What is your opinion of it, too fruity, not enough Apple or just the right balance if your into an apple beer?

[JoshR 4,684]

19 minutes ago, Newmoon brewer said:

Nice job!

I wasn't a big fan of the hard cider but I was unaware it was supposed to be like a cerise.

 

What is your opinion of it, too fruity, not enough Apple or just the right balance if your into an apple beer?

 

The Cerise cider is more apple flavored with a subtle cherry finish and light pink color. It's not too bad, especially now that we've added the extra bottle of cider with our kits. You can use cherry extract instead, if you want more cherry flavor, but I personally prefer it to be subtle, otherwise it can end up tasting like cough medicine.

[cowboykyle 312]

30 minutes ago, Newmoon brewer said:

Nice job!

I wasn't a big fan of the hard cider but I was unaware it was supposed to be like a cerise.

 

What is your opinion of it, too fruity, not enough Apple or just the right balance if your into an apple beer?

 

I like it, it has a nice balance and it is easy to drink.  I thought the cerise was ok.  

 

i would consider doing 3 bottles just to see the difference..

[Newmoon brewer 21]

Ok good deal. I bottled my graf last week or the one before, now it's just the long waiting game! ?