belgian wit - fresh orange zest or dried??

I got a kit from AHS and it included dried orange peel.

This is my first beer that has any spices added to it and I dont want to mess it up, but should I use fresh orange zest or peel??

Also do I crush the corriander, or throw them in whole??

Thanks to those out there with experience with this.

Use the dried orange and crush the coriander...

Fresh is better, but for a first beer I would just stick to dried. and yes crush the Coriander with a wine bottle or any other heavy roller.

muchos gracias

for a first beer, first few really, stick to an established recipe. gotta crawl before you can walk...but once you feel comfortable walking, the sky's the limit!

I brewed the Austin Homebrew Supply Belgian Wit a few weeks ago and have it in secondary right now. I made the mistake of not crushing the coriander. It even explicitly says it in the directions to crush it!

I don't know the conversion of fresh zest to dried, but I know that they are not interchangable. I would recommend using what comes with the kit, they are tested and proven to work (as long as the directions are followed of course ).

The spices made my apartment smell great though! The fresh wort tasted very spicy and the orange flavor was prominent for sure. After transfer to secondary, it is definitely not as spicy but tastes a lot more like a Wit. I'm excited to bottle soon.

I was listening to The Jamil Show Podcast (on itunes), and the guy who was apparently great at making Wits recommended LOTS of fresh zest from a variety of citrus fruits. He said he zested for hours, but I couldn't tell you how much he used, or what size of a batch he used for that matter. However, he did give some great tips on serving temp, carbonation, and a few other items. I'd recommend giving it a listen.

Have fun!

Eric

Traditional Belgian Wits use dried Bitter Orange Peel. This is the same type of orange peel that Celis used in thier White (Wit).

You can add or change the recipe but I would not assume it is incorrect. Make the kit as is and if you need to change it go for it.

Forrest

Here are some comments on the kit:

Comment on Tuesday 29 January, 2008
I agree with everyone here.. this is an AMAZING beer and even non-drinkers will love it. It has a superb foamy head with an aroma, flavor, and aftertaste that will keep your lips on that glass rim! I've fed this brew (with BrewVint Alcohol Boost as well as using the YeastFuel) to a beer afficionado (lush) and all they kept saying was "HOLY COW. This is unbelieveable!". I foresee myself brewing large amounts of this in the future and experimenting with the recipe in subtle ways. This is one of the only beers that I could intake without getting severe congestion/allergies too. This beer recipe has awaken not only my brewing desires, but has also opened many others' eyes to the passion of homebrewing. I have noticed that the 2008 version of this recipe uses a different hops (Amarillo) than previous versions, but after tasting the beer just before transferring to secondary, it was very good.

Comment on Friday 25 January, 2008
I make this beer regularly and entered a slightly modified version of it in Dixie cup this last year and won an award. If you have not made this one yet, then you are missing out!

Comment on Monday 29 October, 2007
Award winner @ Czech Festival in Victoria, TX. Very unique taste and great in summer time, refreshing. Taste gets better the more it ages. A must keep in stock!!! (san antonio,tx)

Comment on Sunday 28 October, 2007
Excellent Belgian wit Beer kit. I kept it in the carboy for two weeks then transfered it to the keg and then aged it for 2 more weeks. Drinking it now on tap!!

Comment on Sunday 05 August, 2007
Good beer, I like it so far. I tried one each additional week after bottling and it keeps getting better. Can taste the orange a bit, not overpowering at all. The color of my batch has a tinge of red in it but pretty close to the pic.

Comment on Tuesday 10 July, 2007
Bottled this one and trying to make it last, but freinds LOVE it! This one is a beer that can convince you to homebrew. After a couple of weeks in the fridge the yeast will fall and it turns into a clear beer. But just rouse it and pour, it becomes cloudy again. Great Brew! -coachG

Comment on Friday 18 May, 2007
This is an excellent representation of a Belgian Wit. Due to some mess-ups on my part during brewing my SRM was nowhere near what it should be for a Wit, but it still has the pronounced orange and corriander tastes that really set this beer apart. I will certainly be brewing this again.

Comment on Tuesday 27 February, 2007
An excellent beer. Have yet to find anyone who does not like it. It has become one of my 'stock' brews. I will be sure to always have it on hand.

Comment on Saturday 02 December, 2006
I made this back in August and was impressed with it in September. I secretly kept back 24 of these babies to save for the holidays and broke a few out at Thanksgiving -- WOW! possibly the best beer I've ever had; amazing how much this brew improved over the months. I can't wait to make (and stash) another batch of this.

Comment on Wednesday 18 October, 2006
I have lost count of the number of times I have made this beer! It is a great beer kit!! Try the mini-mash, it takes it up a notch in taste and appearance.

Comment on Monday 18 September, 2006
Great flavor, nice balance. Good comments from friends. I'll keep this on hand.

Comment on Tuesday 15 August, 2006
Great Beer Kit! I used the T-58 yeast instead of the liquid and it turned out really tasty. The flavor really improves the longer it ages. I will be brewing this kit again, Thanks Austin Homebrew!

Comment on Monday 10 July, 2006
This is a very good brew. Many people liked it. However, I suggest to let it fully condition (3 weeks as per recipe.) I will definately re-brew, especially during the summer months. As usual I tend to start tasting my brews before they actually are ready.

Comment on Wednesday 31 May, 2006
My batch is just now fully carbonated, hasn't been fully conditioned, but it is very nice. I just had a sample of McKenzie Micro Saison and mine Wit tasted very similar. I am very happy with mine. It really weirds some beer debutants out but I think that might make even better because I can hoard this wonderful brew. The sad thing is that my wife likes it too!

Comment on Friday 26 May, 2006
Good recipe. Very simple. The boil is short making this beer a very quick to make, you could do this along with something else for a day and have a hell of a time. I don't like wheat beers but this is a pretty easy drinker. I brought it to BBQ a few days ago and it was a huge hit. Granted everyone is from Nebraska and Boulevard and Sunshine wheat are EXTREMELY popular. They had the choice of drinking that and i had to make a couple trips back to the car to get the Belgian White after everyone asking for more. I drank it while eating some seasoned steak and brats and it was really good considering i dont' like wheat beers. If you want a beer on tap for buddies or make a batch for the summer to take to BBQ's and what not. If you want a beer to please homebrew skeptics..this is perfect.

Comment on
Excellent beer! A wonderful version of a Belgian Wit, with a nice amount of body, very light and easy to drink and a general crowd pleaser.

Comment on
This is the third batch that I brewed in is everyone's favorite. It light and refreshing summer brew. The spice aroma and flavor gives it that added something.

Comment on
Still one of the most popular beers I make for consumption at parties. If you haven't made this one yet, you really need to!

Did your kit come with coriander? I've got a batch fermenting away right now and it came with orange peel but no coriander... unless I misplaced it.