FIRST all-grain: Apricot Ale

Brewing Processes
1

Hi folks!  So - I started brewing a couple months back and now have 3 recipes/batches under my belt: Midwest’s Smooth Nut Brown and their Liberty Cream Ale, and my own extract recipe, a honey wheat.  They’ve all turned out great (with rave reviews!) so  I’ve decided it’s time to go ahead and try my hand at all-grain.  I went ahead and purchased the full copy of BeerSmith 2 and have designed my first recipe, an apricot ale.  I wanted something similar to Pyramid’s apricot ale.  I’ve done research and have gathered quite a bit of info about their recipe and have come up with my own “clone”, although it won’t be exact.  I’ve put my own spin on it to make it my own.  Please review this recipe, keeping in mind that this will be a BIAB (brew in a bag) batch in a 5.25 gallon pot.  Please critique both the method involved and recipe (both noted).  One big question I had is this - is it necessary to mash out with BIAB, or can I just fly sparge with the remaining amount of water?  And do I need to test ph levels to confirm saccharification?

Recipe Specifications

Boil Size: 4.08 gal
Post Boil Volume: 3.33 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal 
Bottling Volume: 4.78 gal
Estimated OG: 1.046 SG
Estimated Color: 4.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 26.2 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.8 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:

Amt                  Name                                    Type          #        %/IBU       
4 lbs                  Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)        Grain        1        45.7 %       
4 lbs                  White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM)            Grain        2        45.7 %       
8.0 oz                Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM)            Grain        3        5.7 %       
4.0 oz                Honey Malt (25.0 SRM)                    Grain        4        2.9 %       
0.50 oz              Nugget [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min        Hop          5        21.9 IBUs   
0.50 oz              Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min          Hop          6        4.4 IBUs     
1.0 pkg              Safale American  (DCL/Fermentis #US-05)  Yeast        7        -           
3.90 oz              Apricot Extract (Bottling 5.0 mins)      Flavor        8        -

Mash Schedule: BIAB, Light Body
Total Grain Weight: 8 lbs 12.0 oz

Name              Description                            Step Temperat Step Time   
Saccharification  Add 18.88 qt of water at 154.8 F        147.9 F      90 min       
Mash Out          Heat to 168.0 F over 7 min              168.0 F      10 min

Sparge: Remove grains, and prepare to boil wort

2

looks good to me but I’m not sure about the -apricot- flavor addition.

biab doesn’t need a sparge since the full water volume is added at mash in. you could certainly do one but at that point you might as well get a cooler and do a batch sparge. do raise temp to mash out if you can. I had good success doing biab. my efficiency never got above about 75 but it was consistent. make sure you do a good job wrapping the kettle during the mash.

3

Thank you Sparkle.  What would you suggest wrapping the kettle with?  I would be wrapping to keep the temp level up, correct?  If I don’t have anything to wrap with, can I “goose” the stovetop if need be?

4

also I’m guessing you will be topping off the fermenter to achieve your 5.0 gallon batch as the pot seems to be too small to do a full volume biab and end up with 5 gallons.

5

yeah, goosing is fine. I used a towel and then a down vest. but not both. that would be a nasty fire hazard.

6

good advice - and yes, topping to 5 gallons.  i’ve set the equipment up in order to do so (hopefully).

7

thats an aweful lot of boil volume in a 5 gallon pot for my comfort.  you may want to go purchase an antifoam agent at your LHBS if you are worried.  fermcap is like 3 bucks.  let us know how it turns out!

Jeff

8

I would add one thing - I’ve yet to brew with or try a fruit beer made with extract or flavoring that doesn’t taste artificial ( for obvious reasons).  If your LHBS has it, or if you can find it online, get an apricot puree instead (look for Oregon brand first) . Your beer will be exponentially better.

9

…and if you go the puree route, add it to your secondary.  If not, add the extract at the end of primary fermentation, so that the aroma isn’t driven out with the CO2.

10

+1 on apricot purée. It’s an awesome way to get the apricot flavor. It’s about 3.5 lbs if memory serves me, and you can dump it in the secondary, and rack on top of it. A few weeks after its ready to bottle or keg. Don’t expect it to be extremely clear though. It will take some lengthy old conditioning to settle, but the slight haze doesn’t impact how your beer will taste.

11

This is the best apricot ale I have had
5.25gallons
OG 1.052
FG. 1.011

91% American pale 2 row
9%. Crystal 40

Mash at 150 x60 min

Cascade hops at 60 min for 11ibus

Pitch wyeast 1056

2 days into fermintation dump a large can (3.3lb) Oregon fruit purée into carboy/bucket. I
Be prepared it will go nuts and will blow off

Ferment to finish x 2 weeks keg and add 3 to 4 oz apricot extract to keg

It is tasty thanks to dry dock brewing company

12

+1 to Dry Dock’s Apricot Ale.  I’m not a big fan of fruit beers, but Dry Dock’s Apricot Ale is by far the best I’ve had!  I’ve never brewed this, but a buddy of mine has and got the exact (or real similar recipe) as yours directly from the guys at the Brew Hut/ Dry Dock.  If I were to do an Apricot beer, this would be exactly how I would do it.

13

Very interesting.  That recipe seems very straightforward to me but I’m still pretty new at brewing.  I will be keeping all of this in mind during brew day and will keep this string updated with results!

14

You would be amazed at what “simple” can do for your beers. Keep it simple.