DFH Aprihop clone - I need some opinions on my recipe

[Jsmith82]

Aknox, know that this is not a good exact clone to aprihop however it is a great Apricot IPA. Good summer drinks here bud, but evolving via the risky brewers......

Post back if you give her a go. May I recommend you stick to pils and a good cara, 60 maybe.. A 10# vs .5#, something like that (top of my head)

Brew on!

 

[aknox]

Here is a quick update. I have two one gallon test batches in the works. However, I tweaked both recipes slightly. The first batch has one more week in the secondary which is dry hopped with Amarillo and two real apricots that were milled. The next batch I used Crystal 80 instead of 60. The color is definitely closer to an Aprihop, but I have not tasted either batch yet. Pacman yeast was used for both. Next Friday I will brew one more test batch and tweak the recipe some more, but I have not decided what I'm going to change this time. I'm open to suggestions... I will post pictures sometime next week.

 

[mjb34500]

Like to bump this thread. Getting close to Aprihop season, so wonder who has had any luck with this or any other clone.

JSmith, if you're still around I sent you a PM to pick your brain on the original recipe....love to hear what kind of luck you had with it if you remember.

Cheers!

 

[aknox]

Okay. I brewed Yoopers 60 Minute IPA clone two weeks ago. Today, I am drinking my first Aprihop of the season poured from a tap and into a growler. After tasting the continuous hopping of the 60 Minute recipe, and tasting this aprihop, I think the next time I attempt to brew the Aprihop I am just going to use the 60 Minute recipe and add dried apricots to the secondary. I haven't decided how much yet, but that seems like the ticket.

 

[ThaBrewFather06]

I love DFH apricot and I'm thinking about doing the extract version. What should I add to get the ABV up a little. As stated earlier its not exactly the same so I wann add som ABV to it. Thinking maybe 2lbs of honey, or maybe bump the apricot purée up to 6 lbs.
Any thoughts?

 

[ThaBrewFather06]

Bump

 

[ApothecaryBrewing]

If you are trying to bump up the ABV use more Extract or throw in some corn sugar but not too much as it will dry things out.

Other note: Apricot seems to be an elusive and finicky flavor. In the bottle it seems to dissipate much like the hop flavors and aroma. Fresh on draft though, it can be a tasty thing. I am guessing that is why there is such a mixed review of the apricot flavor coming out of the bottle. I have not had Aprihop but Magic Hat #9, an APA with apricot in it, tastes nauseating to me and gives me a headache out of the bottle because the apricot flavor transforms into a nasty beast if it sits on a store shelf, but off the tap at the Magic Hat Brewery it was at least drinkable. That being said, I challenge Magic Hat to make a standard beer well and stop throwing stupid additives in to mask sub-par beer.

 

[Jsmith82]

Use dry extract for sure, I definitely would NOT use more apricot. The 3lbs I used was extreme in yo face apricot and I've recommend to everybody that has asked me about this beer to cut it down to 1.5lbs, 2 tops.

Go with DME, or add some dextrose after the boil but you'll be creating rocket fuel vs flavor, make sure you have the hops and body to balance if you go that route.

 

[zebbielm12]

Use amber malt!

60, 90, and 120 minute are all just pilsner and amber malt, and they use the same hops. Here's a recipe based on a scaled up 60 minute:

Batch Size: 5.5 gallon
IBU's: 50
OG: 1.067

Grain:
12.8 lb Pilsner Malt
0.70 lb Thomas Fawcett Amber
0.70 lb Crystal 60l
Mash at 150

Hops:
26 g Amarillo 60-0 min
13 g Warrior 60-0 min
13 g Simcoe 60-0 min
14 g Amarillo 0 min
56 g Amarillo Dry Hop

Dogfish uses continuous hopping. Mix the first three additions, split into 20 equal portions, add every 3 minutes starting at 60 minutes.

Secondary:
3 lb apricot puree

Yeast:
Wyeast 1187 - ferment at 68

I haven't brewed this yet, but I think it should be pretty close.

 

[blkhrt]

How long and at what temps are you fermenting for? Looking to brew this weekend.

 

[Madub]

So this is what I'm thinking after reading what everyone's said. I'm still relatively new at not just using a kit, but I feel like this sounds good. The only thing I'm not sure about is where I removed the 1.0 lbs Cara pils/Dextrine and added 1.0 lbs of Crystal Malt. the other thing I was considering was instead of the 1.0 oz Amarillo maybe 1.0 oz Cascade for the last 5 minutes

9.5lbs Pilsner 2-row Belgium
1.0lbs Munich Malt
1.5lbs Crystal Malt

Mash:
151.0 F for 60min, 12qts water (maybe 15qts, but that requires a bigger pot)

Hop Schedule:
1.0 oz Amarillo [60-0 min]
.50 oz Simcoe [60-0 min]
.50 oz Warrior [60-0 min]
1.0 oz Amarillo [5 min]
.50 oz Willamette [5 min]

Fermentation:
Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II)
1.0lbs Dextrose
2min oxidation

Secondary:
2oz Amarillo
2.0lbs Apricot puree (rack beer on top of)

5oz Dextrose / 2 cup water priming solution for bottle carbing.

Let me know what you guys think and thanks JSmith82 for all the tips.

 

[Madub]

So Beersmith didn't agree with what I put in so I changed it to and all extract looking like this:
1.5lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt 60L
1.0lbs Munich Malt
4lbs Light Dry Extract
3.3lbs Light LME

Hop Schedule:
1.0 oz Amarillo [60-0 min]
.50 oz Simcoe [60-0 min]
.50 oz Amarillo [20 min]
.50 oz Simcoe [20 min]
1.0 oz Cascade [5 min]
1.0 oz Willamette [5 min]

Fermentation:
White Labs California Ale V
1.0lbs Dextrose
2min oxidation

Secondary:
1oz Amarillo
2.0lbs Apricot puree

5oz Dextrose / 2 cup water priming solution for bottle carbing.
Beersmith says this is about 7%