Apricot: Extract vs Fruit

[Rich_F]

I'm fermenting a pale ale, and it's getting close to the time when I'm going to rack to the secondary. I want to add some apricot flavoring to the beer. I want it to be somewhat similar to magic hat 9, but maybe not as pronounced. I've never used extract before, only actual fruit. Any opinions on what I should do here?

 

[prandlesc]

I've made an apricot ale twice now, both times using dried apricots and extract, but in varying proportions. I've tasted it after the dried apricot secondary fermentation before adding the extract, and there is a subtle apricot flavor. The extract adds a different dimension to the overall flavor, adding a little more highlight or crispness to the flavor, while the dried apricots seem to add more of a mellowness. If you do decide to add dried apricots, be ready for another fermentation. My yeast loved the added sugars. I diced the dried apricots, the pureed them in the food processor with some water, then added the slurry to the secondary and racked the beer on top.

 

[miteyjoe]

If you are going to use extract, use it sparingly. I was going for a pale ale similar to #9, but wound up with a very fruity, apricotty brew instead. I used the Brewer's Best apricot extract (approx 1/2 bottle - 2oz.) on bottling day. In hindsight, I think I would use dried apricots in secondary and then use extract at kegging or bottling to adjust the flavor.

 

[Rich_F]

I've made an apricot ale twice now, both times using dried apricots and extract, but in varying proportions. I've tasted it after the dried apricot secondary fermentation before adding the extract, and there is a subtle apricot flavor. The extract adds a different dimension to the overall flavor, adding a little more highlight or crispness to the flavor, while the dried apricots seem to add more of a mellowness. If you do decide to add dried apricots, be ready for another fermentation. My yeast loved the added sugars. I diced the dried apricots, the pureed them in the food processor with some water, then added the slurry to the secondary and racked the beer on top.

I was thinking about using canned apricots. I saw on another thread that someone used canned apricots and washed the syrup off of them, then mashed them up and and heated them thoroughly before adding some water to make a slurry. Even if I have to strain the beer when I rack it into a bottling bucket, it's not unfamiliar territory. I made a blueberry and blackberry wheat beer and racked them onto fruit for a few weeks each. But any suggestions on how long to let it sit on the apricots? I was thinking a week because I feel like the apricots are a stronger flavored fruit than blue/black berries

 

[MindenMan]

Note this post was written last night and not posted


I made an apricot ale with a basic "uninteresting" pale ale base. I fermented out in primary, and racked to secondary using pureed canned apricots. I think I used 5 pounds, and it was 7 or 8 dollars at Wally World.
It took about 2 weeks to ferment out the fruit sugar as I remember, and it took a long time to clear, and I used apricot extract to bolster the flavor, along with a little Splenda. I agree with miteyjoe, use apricot flavoring very, very, very sparingly. I can guarantee you if you flavor to perfect taste at bottling, you will regret it. Well, maybe you won't, but as time progresses the flavor you added will tend to get much stronger. Dried apricots are pretty cheap right now.

 

[Rich_F]

What I ended up doing was rinsing 4 cans of halved apricots and puréed them all up. Then added 1/4 cup dextrose and 1 cup of water and heated them thoroughly then added them to the secondary and racked on top of them. Going to taste test in about a week to check the flavor. I'm going to use a little extract for armoma purposes

 

[Rich_F]

After 1 week fermentation. Gravity went from 1.040 to 1.008


compared to magic hat. mine is in the guinness glass

 

[Rich_F]

24 hours after adding the apricot

 

[vrstud]

A little extract goes a long way. I used 4 cans of apricot haves (turned them into a puree) in the secondary. The flavor was not pronounced so I used some extract. I put the whole 4 oz bottle in. Now I have a apricot cooler and not much of a wheat ale.

I would suggest adding, mixing and tasting until you get what you like.

 

[TwistedGray]

I would suggest adding, mixing and tasting until you get what you like.

So ... pretty much what everyone else already said