Imperial IPA with apricots

[Merlinus]

Hello, I'm planning in brewing an IPA using Amarillo, Cascade and Perle also dry-hopped. I want to add at minute 45, 900 grams - 1 kg of fresh apricots (washed, peeled and chopped). Will it influence the aroma? Is it too much ? What about the sugars in them, how much will they boost the alcohol. Initially i wanted to add them to the fermentation also, but i don't know how i can determine after the alcohol they will provide. (because they will provide the sugars after the OG reading)

Thanks !

 

[lazarwolf]

actually sounds about right, are the apricots headed for the fermenter too? they will increase the trub, and create some intresting floaters. On the AHB website one of the winning beers is an apricot wheat, I believe he just used extract. The apricot probably wont compete well with that much hop aroma and flavor. It will be in the background. I make mostly fruit beers. Raz Wheat, Peaches and cream, and Strawberry Blonde. Fruit ales are what SWMBO prefers, and I like them too. The only fruits that seem to do really well in a hoppy IPA for me are citrus. Also apricots are a member of the plumb family, a whole apricot doesnt actually have much sugar, about 9g but loads and loads of fiber. Be ready for some fermenter loss to the fiber. So I say sure, try it, please. I recommend that you try it, and then use extract to adjust before priming or carbonating the beer. http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/SummerBreeze

 

[Merlinus]

actually sounds about right, are the apricots headed for the fermenter too? they will increase the trub, and create some intresting floaters. On the AHB website one of the winning beers is an apricot wheat, I believe he just used extract. The apricot probably wont compete well with that much hop aroma and flavor. It will be in the background. I make mostly fruit beers. Raz Wheat, Peaches and cream, and Strawberry Blonde. Fruit ales are what SWMBO prefers, and I like them too. The only fruits that seem to do really well in a hoppy IPA for me are citrus. Also apricots are a member of the plumb family, a whole apricot doesnt actually have much sugar, about 9g but loads and loads of fiber. Be ready for some fermenter loss to the fiber. So I say sure, try it, please. I recommend that you try it, and then use extract to adjust before priming or carbonating the beer. http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/SummerBreeze

I don't know if i should add them to fermenter, initially i wanted, but i kinda changed my mind. What if i only add 1 kg to boil ? (1 kg for a 2.5 gallons batch). I read somewhere that Peaches would go well with Amarillo and Cascade. Since the hops are already citrusy, i would see no point in adding mandarins or oranges ... ?

 

[lazarwolf]

You wont get much flavor. a better idea might be to get some frozen apricots and pasteurize them on the stove top. then rack ontop of them. I would probably put apricots in a bag. But im weird about floaters in my beer. before bottling, I would taste the beer to see if I had the flavor I wanted. I would supplement with apricot extract as needed.

So Im intrigued, why apricots? they dont generally play well with hoppy beers.
An idea might be to go buy some fresh apricots and some hoppy IPA, and take a bite, then a swig. It might be awesome.

 

[Merlinus]

You wont get much flavor. a better idea might be to get some frozen apricots and pasteurize them on the stove top. then rack ontop of them. I would probably put apricots in a bag. But im weird about floaters in my beer. before bottling, I would taste the beer to see if I had the flavor I wanted. I would supplement with apricot extract as needed.

So Im intrigued, why apricots? they dont generally play well with hoppy beers.
An idea might be to go buy some fresh apricots and some hoppy IPA, and take a bite, then a swig. It might be awesome.

Don't know. Dogfish has an Apricot IPA, also one guy said : "I think the amarillo should work nicely with the apricot"

 

[lazarwolf]

it might, like i said give it a try.

I mostly make fruit beers. They appeal to me and the Mrs. what I do to determine if it will be good is what I outlined above. Id go buy an IPA that you admire and an apricot. have them together. If its awesome please let us know. Dogfish head does some crazy things. Thats what makes them cool. They also make a beer with blue corn, where human spit is the active mash enzyme.

Here's where I was really headed. Apricots are plumbs. They just are. They are orange and fuzzy, but they are plumbs. The flavors of a plumb, i tend to associate with gentler, maltier, darker beers. But that may just be me. You may love it. And that is what this is really all about. Apricot Stout... im all in. Apricot Belgian Strong, ooh yes please.

 

[Merlinus]

it might, like i said give it a try.

I mostly make fruit beers. They appeal to me and the Mrs. what I do to determine if it will be good is what I outlined above. Id go buy an IPA that you admire and an apricot. have them together. If its awesome please let us know. Dogfish head does some crazy things. Thats what makes them cool. They also make a beer with blue corn, where human spit is the active mash enzyme.

Here's where I was really headed. Apricots are plumbs. They just are. They are orange and fuzzy, but they are plumbs. The flavors of a plumb, i tend to associate with gentler, maltier, darker beers. But that may just be me. You may love it. And that is what this is really all about. Apricot Stout... im all in. Apricot Belgian Strong, ooh yes please.

Ok thanks ! Will think about, i will try an IPA served with an apricot and see how it goes.

Anyway im waiting other opinions from other members, and even what fruits would go better with an IPA. I prefer just to add them to boil and not to fermenter.

 

[lazarwolf]

if you want to do it to the boil, you might up it a bit. let us know how it goes.

im now playing with an apricot wheat recipe... thanks allot. oh well guess ill brew again this weekend.

cheers

 

[Merlinus]

if you want to do it to the boil, you might up it a bit. let us know how it goes.

im now playing with an apricot wheat recipe... thanks allot. oh well guess ill brew again this weekend.

cheers

Good luck ! Im thinking to add 1 - 1.2kgs of apricots at the boil. That's for 2.5 gallons batch. I don't know if its better to puree them or just cut them in small pieces...

 

[lazarwolf]

I haven't done it that way. So I couldn't comment. But watch your water chemistry. If you're going to add them to the boil. I have no idea what they will do.

 

[blizzard]

apricot IPA sounds delicious. No personal experience on this, but I would probably add them at flame out or very late in the boil.