Adding Apricots to Beer

Hi,
I am planning to make an apricot wheat beer, and was wondering when the best time to add the apricots would be. I was thinking to add them to the kettle a few minutes after flameout, then let them steep for 20 min or so, then add everything to my primary (bucket). After fermentation is done, rack to a secondary, leaving behind the fruit. Others, however, have suggested adding the fruit to the secondary. I would like to hear what the people here suggest.

-phil

Jamil did a show on Magic Hat #9. Not sure when he added the apricots but I'd go there first for an idea as to how much and when. I know the key to apricots is a stayed hand. Apparently it is easy to get carried away.

Add fruit to the secondary, definitely.

I add mine to the secondary.

I did my Apricot Wheat from BCS. I had a final gravity of 1.011 when I moved from secondary to keg. After conditioning in keg for two weeks at 50 degrees my final gravity is down to 1.002. It is bone dry!

Should I just leave it that way or should I figure out someway to add more sugar?

menisale said:

I did my Apricot Wheat from BCS. I had a final gravity of 1.011 when I moved from secondary to keg. After conditioning in keg for two weeks at 50 degrees my final gravity is down to 1.002. It is bone dry!

Should I just leave it that way or should I figure out someway to add more sugar?

Click to expand...

Well it's personal preference, if you want it sweeter just back-sweeten it but my personal feeling is that I like mine dryer with slight flavor. Personal preference.

menisale said:

I did my Apricot Wheat from BCS. I had a final gravity of 1.011 when I moved from secondary to keg. After conditioning in keg for two weeks at 50 degrees my final gravity is down to 1.002. It is bone dry!

Should I just leave it that way or should I figure out someway to add more sugar?

Click to expand...

Are you correcting for temperature?

yes, adjusted for temperature. I allowed it to warm up to 60 degrees as I removed the carbonation.

Thanks for the advice on personal preference. My experience is that the more you try to fix a beer the more your wreck it.

So, I'd like to add my experience to the list here as I only found one (very vague) reference to this while trying to do an Apricot Wheat. I used 4lbs of dried apricot, chopped, boiled with 1lb of sugar and water, added to the wort for the last 10 mins of the boil. Supposedly it adds substantial pectins (affecting clarity?), however after much aging (I'll get to that) the brew is actually quite clear.

I saw one reference to Sulfur Dioxide during my (limited) research into brewing this one, apparently Sulfur Dioxide is commonly used during the drying process and should be avoided if possible. This was by far the worst smelling fermentation that I've ever had, it smelled like the queef of a slutty whale; rotten eggs and all. The smell remained during all of primary, about 2 weeks. I transferred to secondary (while gagging) to get off of the trub and (now contaminated) yeast cake. After leaving in secondary for a month and transferring to tertiary (?) the smell dissipated and another 2 weeks of rest (and plenty of evil eye from SWMBO) transferred to keg and my Whale Fart Wheat is now on tap and very drinkable.

Moral of the story, avoid Suflur Dioxide dried fruit if possible, otherwise be prepared to wait it out.

/$0.02

Enjoying my first Apricot Wheat as we speak. Used a Wit grain bill fermented with WLP001 to 5.8%ABV. 2 weeks in primary then rack to secondary over 1 can of Oregon Apricot Puree for 7 days. Then cold conditioned in keg with addition of 2 oz. Apricot extract for 5 more days. This one is a keeper.

I've used apricot purée in the secondary and the primary. But if you can find ripe apricots, let them over ripen, then cook them down with sugar, purée them, and put in the secondary you'll get better flavor and a great taste.

Do you have to treat the can of apricot in any way before adding it to the secondary fermenter? Or is it safe to assume that the can in sterile enough?

The cans of purée are usually already sanitized and sterilized.

Will apricot pure added to keg be an issue? Think I will be adding it in a hop bag.