Apricot Wheat in Beer Recipe

This is a great summer beer that lasted me through the summer of 2010. At the request of my wife, I brewed this up and it's been a staple on those hot summer nights.

American Wheat Beer with Apricot - Extract with Steeped Grains

Ingredients for 5 U.S. gallons (38 L)

6.6 lb (4.5 kg) American wheat malt liquid extract

1.0 lb (0.9 kg) Carapils

1.25 oz (35 g) Cascade whole hops, ~7.8% alpha acid (60 min.)

0.75 oz (35 g) Cascade whole hops, ~7.8% alpha acid (20 min.)

1 Can - Apricot Puree

4oz bottle of apricot flavoring

Wyeast 1010 - American Wheat

Bottled carbonated with 4.5 ounces dextrose

Irish moss to clarify (1 Tbs)

Original Specific Gravity: 1.046

Final Specific Gravity: 1.012

Boiling Time: 60 min

   1. Heat 3 gallons of water and include your grains (in a grain bag) in the pot. Remove the grains when the water reaches 170ºF.
   2. When the water reaches 170, pull it off the heat and stir in the two cans (6.6lbs) of Wheat Extract so it is completely dissolved
   3. Place pot back on the heat and bring to a boil. As soon as it reaches a full boil, start the 60 min countdown and add your first set of hops.
   4. At 20 minutes left, add your second hop addition.
   5. At 15 minutes left, add the irish moss.
   6. When the 60 minutes is over, remove the hop bags and put the lid on the pot. Place the pot into an ice bath and cool down as fast as possible to about 70-75 degrees.
   7. When the wort is cooled down, pour it into your plastic fermenter. Top off with cool water to 5 gallons.
   8. Aerate your yeast by vigorous shaking, stirring, or pouring back and forth.
   9. Pitch the yeast, seal the fermenter, and add the air lock. Place in an area with an ambient temp around 68F.
  10. After the first 3 or so days, the violent fermentation should subside and you can add the can of puree to the primary fermenter.

Now you have to wait about 7 more days and it's ready for bottling. This is a wheat beer so no secondary fermentation is necessary. Prior to bottling, rack your wort into a bottling bucket. Here is where you will add your apricot flavoring. I used the entire bottle, but you can add as much (to taste) as you want.

Bottle condition for about 2 weeks and you're ready to chill and drink.