I'm making an ale using apricot puree....how should I add it?

Question

The brew supplier said to add it to cold water and not to the boil or I will wind up with wort that is too thick. So I thought I would add it to the carboy along with 2 gallons of cold water....how do you think is the best way of adding it without s******g it up?

Answer 1

I would not use a puree. You do not want it to be literally an apricot wine combination beer. You should (my opinion) just add them in lager chunks to get the essence of apricot. Keep in mind the puree will add to your S.G. and some sugar that will increas your ABV. But I love apricots and think it will be a big hit. Good luck.

To complete the brew you should add it to the fermentation vessel. Traditiional Belgian beers with fruit age the beers in a cask after the alpha fermentation. So I think that is best.

Answer 2

I wouldn't use the method you outline above.  I am, in fact, very surprised that your brew supplier recommended this method.  

The best way to add fruit to any beer is in a secondary fermentation vessel.  During your primary fermentation (right after you add yeast to the wort) the yeast are at their most vigorous.  If you've watched the fermentation, you'll notice the beer churning and bubbling as the yeast convert sugars to alcohol.  If you add fruit during this stage, a lot of the aromatic properties of the fruit will be driven off.  Assuming, like most brewers, you want to have some apricot in the aroma, this is a very poor method.  Additionally, your supplier recommended adding to water.  Why dilute your beer like that?

So, the best method is to allow your beer to ferment to completion in the primary fermentation vessel.  Then rack your beer into a secondary vessel with the apricot puree.  There is no need to pasteurize or heat the puree unless you are pureeing fresh apricots.  If you are, you can put the puree into a pot, heat it to about 170 degrees F, and hold it there for about 10 minutes.  Then cool it down to your fermentation temp (probably around 70F) and add to your secondary.  Do NOT boil the puree.  Boiling will not thicken your beer, but it will encourage the pectins to make a very cloudy beer.  (Which may not be bad in a wheat, but is quite unnecessary because that beer is cloudy enough.)  If you are using a canned or frozen puree, you can assume it's fairly sterile already and just add it to the secondary.

By the time you add your beer to secondary, the alcohol is reasonably high enough that your odds of contaminating the beer with wild yeast or bacteria is very low.  Additionally, you will get the most flavor out of the fruit!

One other recommendation.  If this is your first time brewing with fruit, I wouldn't recommend any late hop additions - unless they are absolutely crucial to the style like with an IPA .  The flavor and aroma hop additions tend to overwhelm your fruit.  Just use a single bittering hop addition and let your fruit drive the flavor and aroma.  

I have made a number of fruit beers and experimented quite a bit.  Beyond a doubt, I have had the greatest success with the techniques outlined above.  Have fun and good luck!