Last evening I brewed the Dry Dock Paragon Apricot Blonde Pro-Series All Grain Kit. The instructions indicate to add the apricot puree 2-3 days after start of fermentation. I used a starter from fresh pack of Wyeast 1056 and visible signs of fermentation began within a few hours. Sadly I’m going to be away from my carboy for the next few days and won’t be able to add the apricot within the 2-3 day windo as instructed. My question is would it be better to add the apricot early (approx 36 hours after start of fermentation) or late (4-5 days after start of fermentation)? I do have a blowoff in place and a fair amount of headspace.
I think it would depend on how much flavor you want to get out of it. If you add it earlier, a lot of the apricot flavor will ferment out. If you add it later, it the fruit will jump start fermentation again, but you’ll get more flavor out of it.
My guess is that the instructions are basically telling you to add the apricot after the yeast has produced enough alcohol to ward off any risk of contamination. So if you added it too early without sanitizing or using campden tablets etc., there may be a higher chance that it may introduce some foreign yeast that could cause some off flavors. It could also be the case that they want the yeast to consume the malt sugars, and then be active enough to consume the fruit sugars… This is all probability and speculation though so I’m not really sure what would be the case in your situation.
In the end, I think the difference between adding it withing 3 days and adding it after 4 days is pretty insignificant. I would just add it when you return; I don’t think the window needs is that strict. A common practice with fruit beers is to add fruit to the secondary fermentor, which could be 4,5, 7 days after the yeast is pitched, so I wouldn’t worry about it too much.
Add it later not earlier. During the peak of primary you’ll blow off those lovely aromas. Added later, it will take back off and ferment the sugars in the puree with no problem. Most people wait and add it when primary is about over anyway, NB is just trying to speed the process since many people want fast turnaround.
