Witbier Orange Blossom Special

Orange Blossom Special
Brew Type: Extract Date: 2/22/2009
Style: Weizen/Weissbier Brewer: John Setzler
Batch Size: 5.00 gal Assistant Brewer:
Boil Volume: 5.50 gal Boil Time: 60 min
Equipment: My Equipment
Taste Rating (50 possible points): 35.0

Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Wheat Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 85.71 %
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.00 %] (30 min) Hops 10.8 IBU
0.75 oz Orange Peel, Sweet (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1.00 lb Honey (1.0 SRM) Sugar 14.29 % @ Flameout
1 Pkgs Belgian Wit Ale (White Labs #WLP400) [Starter 1-liter] Yeast-Wheat

Beer Profile Estimated Original Gravity: 1.059 SG (1.044-1.052 SG) Measured Original Gravity: 1.062 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.014 SG (1.010-1.014 SG) Measured Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Color: 7.1 SRM (2.0-8.0 SRM) Color [Color]
Bitterness: 10.8 IBU (8.0-15.0 IBU) Alpha Acid Units: 4.0 AAU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 5.96 % (4.30-5.60 %) Actual Alcohol by Volume: 6.53 %
Actual Calories: 277 cal/pint



Carbonation and Storage Carbonation Type: Corn Sugar Carbonation Volumes: 2.4 (2.5-2.9 vols)
Estimated Priming Weight: 3.8 oz Temperature at Bottling: 60.0 F
Primer Used: - Age for: 4.0 Weeks


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This beer is a variation of DubbelDach's "Orange Honey Hefeweizen" that I found here on HBT. After reading this recipe, I decided I wanted to give it a whirl and make a few minor changes to it.

love the logo. Orange blossom honey or clover?

scinerd3000 said:

love the logo. Orange blossom honey or clover?

Click to expand...

I used Orange Blossom Honey, but clover honey would work equally well and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

FWIW, I only recently learned that Orange Blossom and Clover honey names really have little or nothing to do with the flavor of the honey. Those are just the sources of the pollen that the particular honeybees collect in whatever hive the honey is being collected from. A while back, I taste tested the two types to see if I could tell a difference, and I couldn't distinguish one from the other, so I doubt it would have any impact on a beer or much of anything else...

How much "orange" flavor is in this? The SWMBO and I were down in Tucson a little while back and they had a beer called "Orange U Glad" that was heavy on the orange flavor. She loved it, so I thought I would give your recipe a shot this weekend.

The orange 'flavor' isn't significant. There is just a very light citrus aroma on this beer. If you wanted this beer to have a citrus flavor, you might want to consider adding one of the extracts in the bottling bucket or possibly adding some orange slices in the secondary...

Thanks, ill give that a shot =)

JMSetzler said:

The orange 'flavor' isn't significant. There is just a very light citrus aroma on this beer. If you wanted this beer to have a citrus flavor, you might want to consider adding one of the extracts in the bottling bucket or possibly adding some orange slices in the secondary...

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Or try some dried sweet orange peel in the last few mins. of the boil.

Nice looking beer and label!

So I did this, and made a couple changes..

- I zested 4 oranges, then peeled them and cut them into smaller pieces. Brought all of that up to 160* with 1cup of water. Cooled and added when I pitched the starter.
- I did not add peel to the boil
- Fermented 14 days in primary @68

This beer had a nice orange flavor that only lasted a couple days, but that was OK because the keg only lasted about a week. The SWMBO and everyone who tried it loved it. I plan to brew it again and do 2 batches. One with a much larger orange profile (going to step up to ~5lbs of oranges) and going to freeze them this time. Also going to put the zest in some vodka and add that at bottling instead.

When I do this one again, I think I might zest two oranges and soak the zest in vodka for a week or two while the beer is in the primary and then dump the vodka and zest into the secondary for another two weeks to see what sort of flavor/aroma profile that provides...

Post up how that turns out! I really liked the flavor profile of this, even when the orange faded... so I may try 2 different methods of getting the good orange flavor.

I cannot wait as long as you did though, and I skipped the secondary to keep it from losing that wonderful hazy/yeasty look/flavor! You are a way more patient man then I am!

Since the woman really loves this.. I made a double batch a few weeks ago. Here is what I did differently:

I did 2 batches, one was WLP300 the other was WLP400. Both were really good, but I think the 400 is better for sure. I did 8 large oranges into each primary. The flavor was hardly noticeable at kegging time. When I did the oranges, I zested 4 into a glass jar with 1 cup of vodka (twice, one for each batch).

I poured this vodka through a paint strainer bag and into the keg.. then tied off the bag and tossed the zest bag in the keg. I racked on top of that. Much better orange flavor, very clean. From now on, I wont waste the time/mess of oranges in the bucket and go straight for the vodka soaked zest!

Edit* forgot to mention aroma, the smell of oranges was awesome!

I'm gonna do this beer again, but it's most likely going to be an all-grain alternative version. I will probably brew it in March or April so I'll have some of it around during the warmer months...

Yeah, I will be doing this one more time for my wedding this year.. but next year, when I make it again, it will be all grain as well.

Your boil volume is listed as 5 gal. Did you boil all five, let it cool, then pitch? This looks delicious, by the way. I'm thinking about brewing this, and resting it on peaches in the secondary.

hroth521 said:

Your boil volume is listed as 5 gal. Did you boil all five, let it cool, then pitch? This looks delicious, by the way. I'm thinking about brewing this, and resting it on peaches in the secondary.

Click to expand...

Yes... I boiled the entire volume. You could boil less if you wanted to. You could treat this like any other extract brew...

I'm trying this one next!

I brewed this and just tasted the first bottle.

I used WY 3944 whih is supposed to be the same as the WL 400.

Very good beer. This will be a good summer brew. Yum.. I am going to put this one in the rotation.

Pumped to try this one. I was thinking of adding wet orange peels for 5 minutes in the boil. I also wanted to throw in some peels during the secondary stage. I was wondering if dried peels are better for secondary?

I am brewing this today and had a question about the oranges.
I bought 3 large Navel oranges, probably the size of your average grapefruit.
Do you add the zest and oranges bag to the primary ? or after it has stopped fermenting ? I usually don't do a secondary unless it's a beer that has to age longer than 1 month.
I was gonna add to primary after 7-10 days of initial fermenting.
Is it supposed to be added to the boil, fermenter or secondary is what I'm trying to ask.

When I did it, I put them in the primary.. and did the zest with vodka to put in my kegs. That was the most orange flavor. Since this is a wheat beer, short ferment and it leaves it nice and cloudy.

I haven't done this in awhile, since I do AG now. I will probably do an AG version of this one of these days.

So this is what I did:

6 Lbs Wheat DME added for full 60 min boil - Full 5 gallon boil BTW.
In a separate pot I held about 2 quarts water at 160 while I steeped zest from and peeled oranges ( 3 extra large navel ) for 30 min. and also dissolved 1.5 Lbs corn sugar into this pot.
1oz Hallertau @ 60
1oz Hallertau @ 5
At flameout I poured the orange/sugar mixture and 1 Lb. Orange Blossom honey. It only took me a few quarts of cold water to top it off to 5.5gal
Cooled to 80, O.G. was 1.072:cross: Pitched WLP-300 Held around 68-70 degrees
On day 12 it's still bubbling away, only a bubble every few seconds but still going. Just took a reading and it's 1.020 , gonna give it another 5-10 days and check but it smells awesome. If the F.G ends up around 1.015 or lower this thing is going to be 7.5% or higher... Crisp, tasty Hefe with a whopping ABV, can't wait.
I'll keep you posted

So... it got down to 1.010 so my final gravity measured 8.1% and I Bottled about 5 days ago, couldn't wait and cracked open a bottle.

Although it's not finished it did have signs of decent soft carbonation.
Cloudy yellow haze appearance with a dull gold body. Distinctive hefe yeast banana and clove taste with upfront zesty tangy orange fruit. Very drinkable but deceptive as the high ABV is like a mule kick. Definitely some fluffy heat but at the same time smooth and mellow.
I expect it to get highly carbonated in the next week or two and get more action towards the head and lacing but the flavor is there and is typical of a great wheat-y Hefe except that it's 8.1%
This is a keeper.
Feels like a session/lawnmower beer but is truly a sipper because the ABV catches up to you fast.
Thanks for the ideas /comments.
I'm really enjoying this one.