goplayoutside

Recipes 

Hey Gang -

I am thinking about what spice mix to put in a belgian wit. The plan is to add it all at flameout, here is what i have so far:

1 oz coriander
1 oz bitter orange
1 oz sweet orange

I want to add some star anise. How much is a good idea? I want it to contribute to complexity without overpowering things. And when in the boil is it best to add the anise? Also from the perspective of not overpowering things, do I have too much orange? What about adding some crushed black pepper? Again any info on when and how to add this stuff would be great, I've never put spices in beer before.

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"Beer, if drank with moderation, softens the temper, cheers the spirit, and promotes good health" -Thomas Jefferson

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Primary: gaping pipeline hole
Bottled, waiting: gaping pipeline hole
Ready to Drink: Mystery Beer (Mis-Mashed Belgian White)
Coming up: Something one of these days...

ChemE

Recipes 

Jamil recommends:

1-2 oz fresh citrus zest (any fruits will do)
0.5 oz indian coriander
0.25 chamomile

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My Super Efficient 5-Gallon Mash Lauter Tun • Graduating Carboys • Leaf Hop Absorption Measured
Primary - Bemused Bitter, Munich Saaz SMaSH
Secondary - Air
Bottled - Oatmeal Stout 2011, Apfelwein, Withdrawn Wheat, Bourbon Barrel Barleywine SMaSH, Christmas Ale 2010, Perplexed Pale Ale

BobA

Recipes 

I like to add 1 teaspoon crushed clove in with the coriander.

SnickASaurusRex

Recipes 

This is mine:

2 oz fresh zest. (Saville for bitter, Valencia for sweet, Tangelo for fruity) (about 2 fruits)
.75 oz coriander
2 grams paradise seed (ground)

The Chamomile is a real nice idea.

SnickASaurusRex

Recipes 

The go easy on the spices. They should be just almost there in flavor.

If you are going with the dried orange stuff, I really suggest not to. They still have the orange pith on them and make for a bitter brew that will take extra weeks to calm down in the bottle. The fresh is a good route, they get the idea across. use a vegie peeler to just get the zest without the white pith.

Don't worry to much about finding the bitter oranges. Just put a bit of grapefruit zest in to help balance it.

ChemE

Recipes 

The best tool for zesting fruit bar none is the microplane. Vegetable peelers tend to take the pith too which as SnickASaurusRex pointed out is highly bitter and wholly undesirable. If this is a style you enjoy making this tool is $15 well spent and is available at any Bed Bath & Beyond.

__________________

My Super Efficient 5-Gallon Mash Lauter Tun • Graduating Carboys • Leaf Hop Absorption Measured
Primary - Bemused Bitter, Munich Saaz SMaSH
Secondary - Air
Bottled - Oatmeal Stout 2011, Apfelwein, Withdrawn Wheat, Bourbon Barrel Barleywine SMaSH, Christmas Ale 2010, Perplexed Pale Ale

SnickASaurusRex

Recipes 

Yeah! Forgot about those. I have been working in kitchens all my life. I could probably do surgery with a good peeler or birds beak knife.

If you freeze the fruit first. A peeler will skim right over the pith.

chefmike

Recipes 

It is the little tricks like this that make masters in the kitchen (or brewhouse).

I zest 20 lemons for my limoncello liquor....

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Reformation Brewery: A 15bbl community brewpub and coffeehouse coming soon...
Obsessing over: starting a local brewery, CSA produce, my wife, 7 month old and 4 year old, my chevy 6.5L diesel Suburban
Reading: Radical by David Platt
Building: gardens, recipes, and trailer mounted smoker/ wood pizza oven

SnickASaurusRex

Recipes 

chefmike - if you don't mind a recipe for said liquor would be great. I used to make a bunch of different ones but not in a while.

goplayoutside

Recipes 

Lots of good feedback here-- I can see that lots of folks are dubious about the bitter orange peel. Others have told me I should use it for authenticity and cut back on the hops to reduce bitterness. Thoughts?

__________________
"Beer, if drank with moderation, softens the temper, cheers the spirit, and promotes good health" -Thomas Jefferson

---
Primary: gaping pipeline hole
Bottled, waiting: gaping pipeline hole
Ready to Drink: Mystery Beer (Mis-Mashed Belgian White)
Coming up: Something one of these days...