Graf is a beer made with Cider replacing a large part of the water in the recipe. This one is a slightly hoppy German Hefeweizen, with a reduced boil of 4 gallons boiled down to 3, then adding 2 gallons of fresh pressed cider at the end of the boil and bringing the temp back up to 180 to sterilize any strange bugs before chilling and pitching the yeast.
Brew Day Notes: I did a thin mash at 1.5 quarts per pound grain. Got much better efficiency than typical, 76%, I usually hover around 70% with 1.25 qts/lb mash. 2 small sparges still took me to nearly 5 gallons so I had to boil for 1:30 to get down to 3 gallons. I added 2 gallons cider that I just pressed and took the temp to 180. Then chilled and pitched the yeast. Cider this year is very sweet 15.2 - 17 brix. smaller apples from the hot dry summer seem to have have condensed sugar and flavor.
Keg day note: Beer finished at 1.008! Incredible attenuation. Tastes fantastic, hefe with a cider twang as you would expect. Naming this beer 'Skull Splitter' for 2 reasons. Super high ABV and I fractured my skull on a fluke accident harvesting apples this year.