Zest of lemon. when to add??

Eischman · 03-07-2009, 11:28 AM

My kit says to add zest in the secondary but I have searched on this forum and found a lot of you adding at the end of boil or flame out.
Could someone tell me what the difference would be in taste between
the two of them??

ScoutMan · 03-07-2009, 01:52 PM

Taste diffence would be minimal in my opinion. I like to add @ flameout so as to insure there are no nasties on the zest that could infect the brew.

BBBF · 03-07-2009, 02:48 PM

I think you'd be better extraction from alcohol, hense adding it to the secondary, but you could do it both ways.

Eischman · 03-07-2009, 04:26 PM

Can you also add some of the lemon juice at flame out?

comj49 · 03-07-2009, 04:46 PM

I have added lemon zest a few times, and it depends on how much flavor you want. Adding it at flameout will give hints of it in the finished beer, and in the secondary will really give a strong citrus flavor (depending on how much you add though). I just brewed an American Wheat and wanted some citrus background to it. I zested 3 lemons and 3 oranges, soaked them in vodka, and added it to the secondary. After 3 weeks in the bottle, it is way too much citrus flavor. Next time i would just add zest of 1-2 of each and add it to the boil.

Eischman · 03-08-2009, 12:52 PM

Thanks for the info, I put one lemon zest in the last two min of boil and I`ll
put one more in durring the secondary and see how that tastes.

ohiobrewtus · 03-08-2009, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by comj49

I have added lemon zest a few times, and it depends on how much flavor you want. Adding it at flameout will give hints of it in the finished beer, and in the secondary will really give a strong citrus flavor (depending on how much you add though). I just brewed an American Wheat and wanted some citrus background to it. I zested 3 lemons and 3 oranges, soaked them in vodka, and added it to the secondary. After 3 weeks in the bottle, it is way too much citrus flavor. Next time i would just add zest of 1-2 of each and add it to the boil.

I do a summer wheat with lemon and I can confirm that adding it to secondary makes it quite strong. I add some at 10, some at 5, some at 2, and some at flameout (along with grains of paradise at 10) and it makes for a nice sublte hint of lemon. It's there, but it doesn't dominate.

Eischman · 03-08-2009, 01:13 PM

Even one in secondary? maybe I`ll try using just half of one.

JMG680 · 03-08-2009, 03:30 PM

Good to know, I am doing a honey wheat on Tuesday and was going to add in secondary now I will do only boil.

Eischman · 03-13-2009, 11:48 PM

How long do you have to soak in vodka??
My Instructions tell me to microwave the zest