GOYA Apricot Nectar Graff

I made a 2.8 gallon batch with the following recipe:

5.5 cans/6.5L/1.7G Goya Apricot Nectar 30g sugars/8 oz.
8 oz crystal 56L
8 oz flaked oats
1.5 oz torrified wheat
5 oz Special B 145 L
5 oz 2row 2.5L
16 oz light DME
0.5 oz Czech Saaz Whole leaf 3.2%aa 30 min boil
0.5 oz Czech Saaz Whole leaf 3.2%aa slowly added over the last 5-10 minutes of the boil and then allowed to steep (no heat) for 30 min
0.4 G Danstar Nottingham Ale Yeast starter @ whatever temp my air-conditioned kitchen is.

Juice by itself had a OG of 1.062
I forgot ot measure my OG before I added about 0.4 gallon starter, but when all was said and done my OG was 1.078 (beer smith had predicted 1.094)

The grain bill used is 81% unmalted, and with the wheat and oats you would think it'd be a mess to sparge, but it wasn't. I did a sloppy (poor temp control) combined protein/beta-glucanase rest for 20 minutes @ around 100-120F. And even with the 2 lbs of grain there was NO gummy/doughy problem.

I was using the Special B to try and increase body, and add a little caramel flavor, so next time I'm going to try and keep the rest below 113, or use no rest at all. A protein rest supposedly can cause a massive reduction in body with malted grains. I was also worried that the 145L Special B would make the Graff too dark. It didn't.

I used 1G of water to Mash in, and another 0.5G to sparge. Next time I'll reduce the sparge water to about 0.3G.

I've read that a cider all comes down to the quality of juice that you use, and I don't think that the Goya quite cuts it. It has a slight metallic tast that is amplified in the brew. The uncarbonated sample that I just tasted has a hi alcohol taste, the hops are barely noticeable, and it's THICK. I thought that the thick puree of the nectar would settle out. It hasn't. I tried to filter it with a cofee filter... no flow. I tried to filter it with a stainless strainer... no change. I give up. It's going to be thick.

I might add some dark french oak chips and cascade hops to a seconday and give it another two weeks before bottling.

Anyone else have experience fermenting nectar?

modified food starch and HFCS may play a part in the problems you're having. "nectar" generally has junk added to it. most brew shops can get you apricot puree - then you'll at least know what you're dealing with.

+1 on the fruit puree instead of the nectar: http://www.homebrewers.com/category/winekitsingredients.fruitwinebases/
Regards, GF.

Five gallons of the puree would be $254!!! I thought I was stepping up to the plate with my $30 batch of goya... Wouldn't that puree be just as thick as the nectar?

the puree will be thick, but the drink will not be. all the sugars will ferment, and the sediment will drop out. your thick consistency is almost certainly coming from the cooked modified food starch in the goya junk.

You don't need 5 gallons of it - keep in mind that the goya stuff is mostly water and has been 'fortified' with HFCS - bring in some other fermentables, i.e. apple juice, which has very little flavor compared to the apricot.

EDIT: here is an ingredients list for your nectar: Water, apricot puree, high fructose corn syrup, modified food starch, critic and ascorbic acids.

gigapunk said:

Five gallons of the puree would be $254!!! I thought I was stepping up to the plate with my $30 batch of goya... Wouldn't that puree be just as thick as the nectar?

Click to expand...

I wouldn't use 5 gallons of the stuff. Make it an apple juice base and add one can of the puree. Thats what I'd do at least.

Thanx for the ideas guys!