How does this look? My first cider (graff?).

I'm getting ready to do my first cider tonight. I guess technically, it's a graff since I'll be using some malt extract and a very light hop addition. Thoughts?

40 lbs 8.0 oz (4.5 gallons) Lyman Cider (2.0 SRM)
1 lbs Brown Sugar, Dark (50.0 SRM)
1 lbs Light Dry Extract [Boil for 30 min]
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min

1.0 pkg Nottingham (Danstar #-)

2 tbsp dry yeast nutrient (open to suggestion here)

Bump?

I think the malt extract will be over shadowed by the juice because its only a .5 gallon of wort verses 4.5 gallons of cider

I did a cider with 4 gal cider and 1 lb DME. Couldn't really taste the malt but I think it is what gave the cider its head. Never had a head on any other ciders.

mathin said:

I did a cider with 4 gal cider and 1 lb DME. Couldn't really taste the malt but I think it is what gave the cider its head. Never had a head on any other ciders.

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This is more-or-less what I'm aiming for. I don't want a huge malty flavor, just some extra ABV and a nice, beer-like head. The end goal is to have a drink my non-beer drinking friends will enjoy, but I can still loosely call a malt beverage.

I think the DME will contribute a little body as well.

I would suggest you make sure that your cascade is really 5.5% AA.

I used cascade in a graff once and when the juice fermented dry, the cascade made the whole thing so sour it took a couple of months to mellow out. (and was still pretty sour) I think my Cascade was closer to 10% AA though.

If you are just going to leave it be for a month in the primary. It is going to ferment really really dry still. Perhaps even sour dry. Of course this will be toned down with several months of conditioning, but for me I wanted some more sweetness with my Graf. I.G:

I had 12lbs of Munich malt left over from my smash BW. I mashed that at 160F (and over an hour dropped to 149f) BIAG for an hour and dumped it (1 gallon of 1.075 wort) on top of the graf after I tasted how dry it was. after two weeks of re-fermentation, the FG was now 1.010.

Yeah, I agree on the comment on the cascade. I have some 15.5% that I did a 1/2 oz for 30 mins in the adjunct for a 5 gallon batch, and boy was it strong. The bitter of the hops and the tartness of the apple, makes the finished product seem sour. Light hopping can be great b/c it can simulate the tannins of a true cider apple, but too much and you better be let it sit for a long time, and start drinking some sour beers to get your palette adjusted in the interim. Thought about trying a more delicate hop, like fuggles?

I love me my sour beers... I'd love to run a batch of one that could simulate that! I did this batch with the cascade. The wort definitely has a hop aroma (which I'm sure will fade) but not an overly bitter flavor.

I use Liberty or a German Hallertau in mine. 1/2 to 1oz. Nice mild flavor from those hops does not over power the final beverage. You might want to consider steeping some specialty grains too. 1/2 lb of crystal 20 will help the flavor a lot. If all you want is head with no malt flavor steep 3-4 ounces of torrified wheat. This will do wonders for head retention.