How many fresh Oranges For a Wheat Beer?

Hi there

First off I am new to this forum, I was trying my best to do research on here to find the answer to my question, but didn't have any luck. I want to add orange flavour to my wheat beer. I was thinking of steeping orange zest/slices (minus bitter white part) in some water, then adding the water to the bottom of my secondary and maybe putting the zest in a bag in there. My question is how many oranges do I need to add to get a nice/decent amount of orange flavour?

Thanks for your help
Jon

Just use the zest, not the juice. Citrus fruit doesn't ferment well.

I don't know how much. Maybe the zest from 3 oranges. Soak in a little vodka. The higher alcohol will sanitize it, and is aslo better at extracting the oils.

Try some freshly ground corriander too.

Calder said:

Just use the zest, not the juice. Citrus fruit doesn't ferment well.

I don't know how much. Maybe the zest from 3 oranges. Soak in a little vodka. The higher alcohol will sanitize it, and is aslo better at extracting the oils.

Try some freshly ground corriander too.

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So for a 5 gallon batch only need 3 oranges? and you think I should just skip the steeping?

I use 3-4 large oranges. I get a standard potato peeler and peel the zest but then use the back of a knife to scrape off the white pith. This makes big pieces that are easy to manage.

Then soak in vodka as stated above and add to secondary. I normally add orange to the final minutes of the boil 1 oz 10 min 1 oz 5 min 1-2 oz flame out. Gives a nice aroma.

Ok disclaimer: my method is designed to produce something close to Blue Moon but with more orange flavor.

I put a mix of dried sweet orange peel and crushed coriander in the last 10 to 15 minutes of the boil. To beef up the orange flavor and aroma I buy 8 to 10 naval oranges at the grocery store and peel them. I don't worry so much about not including the white part of the rind but I don't intentionally try to include it either.

I put these peelings in the oven at 200 degrees for about 15 minutes then add half of the dried peels to each of two kegs (about 4-5 oranges worth of peels per keg). I put them in sanitized boiling bags and drop them in the kegs with the beer after primary is complete as if I was dry hopping. The peelings stay in contact with the beer until the kegs are done but I don't taste them for about a week until the force carbonation is complete. YMMV.

I have found steeping the peels at flame out to give the best flavor. I've done it with oranges, lemons and limes.

I am planning on adding some flavors to my next batch as well. Many people have suggested adding "liquid flavor extracts" instead of actual zest for various reasons. McCormick has tons of extracts. Adding those should be much easier, without the possibility of getting any off flavors which might come from boiling the peels, zest etc. The extract can be added directly before bottling or even in the secondary.

http://www.mccormick.com/Spices-and-Flavors/Extracts-and-Food-Colors/Extracts

I haven't decided whether to go with the liquid extracts or actual zest for my next batch. Might split the batch into two to try out both.

hmmm I am not sure which route to take ha ha. Even down to zest or to peel? Sounds like it could be personal preference.

So if I used 6 Oranges zest or peel, do you think that would give a decent amount of orange flavour and aroma? I am thinking of using Cara Cara oranges.

I have tried the extracts and they make a "fake" flavor.
I prefer the real thing. Its not so scary.

So I have been doing more reading. Would you guys add the vodka and orange peels after letting it soak for 24 hours, then add beer on top in the secondary?

The only citrus flavoring I have used was real lemongrass in my 2nd batch. Was a Paulaner Hefe-Weizen clone with some honey and real lemongrass from an Asian market. I peeled it, chopped it in roughly 1" pieces, put it in a hop bag and pressure cooked it. Then added the bag to the final 15 minutes of brew.

Came out lovely and tasted "real" because it was real. Similar to Magic Hat's Circus Boy from Vermont.

Personally I will never, ever add any flavoring to a beer that isn't natural. I don't buy flavored beer or "malt beverages", wouldn't drink them if they were free so I sure ain't gonna make one. The closest I have pushed it was adding coffee extract to a smoked porter. Next time I will use real coffee.

One thing to keep in mind if using orange zest is that the majority of pesticides are going to be on the outside of the peel. If doing the zest route considered selecting organically grown pesticide free oranges. They are expensive as hell but you can eat the inside, make your zest for the end of the boil and have natural -real- flavoring.

Or just squeeze some OJ into the brew right before you drink it. Belgian style!

Oh, and you can also get citrus by adding Citra hops right at the end of the boil. Recently did that with a Simcoe Cascade Pale Ale and it was succulent. If my brew buddy doesn't pick up his last remaining six pack soon, well.....

HomeBrewMaster said:

So I have been doing more reading. Would you guys add the vodka and orange peels after letting it soak for 24 hours, then add beer on top in the secondary?

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I have done the soak the peelings in vodka and add them to the keg approach and I didn't get as much orange flavor as when I do the heat the peelings in the oven approach I wrote about above. When I tried the vodka soak method I added both the vodka and the peelings, which I'd put in boiling bags, to my kegs but I didn't let them soak 24 hours, but instead I did about a 6 hour soak. YMMV.

I just completed a recipe that had me add the zest of 2 oranges and 1/2 oz ground coriander at the end of the boil. The orange scent and flavor was very apparent in the gravity sample I took although I imagine it will mellow as fermentation takes place.