Orange peel porter?

I'm looking at a few different recipes, including Papazian's Goat Scrotum Ale. He lists several different ingredients one can add, but I'm thinking about sweet orange peel. Would this style of beer work with the fruity/bitter of orange peel? If so, when should it be added?

I'm thinking about using a secondary with this batch. If I simmer the orange peel in water to break down the oils a bit then add it to the secondary would it give me a more pronounced orange flavor?

Not sure about an orange porter. Typically, you see fruits added to either a wheat beer or to a stout (cherry stouts and the like). I tend to think that the orange might get lost in the roasty/smokey/malty goodness of a nice porter. The fruits that you see added to darker beers tend to be pretty strong themselves, like the cherries, or rapsberries.

But, orange is a classic flavor in a wheat beer, along with some corriander seed. I'm not sure when to add the orange, though - I think it goes right in the boil so the citrus oils can be isomerized, but I'm not positive.

Orange peel is also a good addition to a Christmas ale - along with some other traditional spices. I cannot imagine what it would taste like alongside a roasty grain like Black Patent - it just doesn't seem "right" to me. I agree that the subtle orange flavor would be overpowered by the other qualities of a good porter.

That being said - part of homebrewing is working outside of the bounds of common reason, etc. Go for it.

I think orange would go very well with a bitter, chocolatey porter. There are, afterall, chocolate covered orange peels. Yum!

A few things though. First, though fresh orange peel is best, some oranges have a wax on the peel to make them more appealing at the supermarket and that will impart a waxy flavor. Organic oranges, or pre-ground, dried orange peel would be a safer, albeit less flavorful, alternative.

I would think it would be like hops- you can add it in during the boil, but will probably lose some flavor components. So I vote for both in the boil and in the secondary. And I'd probably reduce the hops to compensate. I suspect the two will have a similar profile, so you want the orange to be distinct in there.

I just added some fresh orange peel to my honey wheat primary. I used a potato peeler to take large chunks of peel off and then let them sit in water that was first boiled, then cooled to 180dF just enough to kill off any nasties. Then I poured the water and peels right into the primary. We'll see how it works out. If it comes out, it'll be called Citroney Wheat.

I decided to keep this one simple and bypass the orange peel. However, we grow our own oranges so there's not worry about wax. Come harvest time, I'm going to dry the zest for future brewing though

Ok... here's a hijack for ya..

Does anybody know whether orange or lemon peel has Alpha Acids? I mean, they're bitter, right? Does that translate to AA? Or is there an approximation?

I'm sure it will vary, to a degree, based on the type of oranges and a million other things, but does anybody have some working figures? Just wondering...

Definately try using fresh zest on your completed porter and take notes on the experience so that you'll have some reference points when you try to brew it.

A chocolatey porter and orange would go together, I think.

You can also try this...
http://www.bevmo.com/productinfo.as...llpartial&Ntk=All&nocontinue=s&cntShpng1Rec=1

It would be a good combination. Deep, rich flavors pair very well with heavy citrus (as mentioned before, one thing that springs to mind is dark chocolate and orange flavor, I once made a dark chocolate ice cream with chilis and orange zest). You might need more than you think to get the desired effect.

olllllo, thanks for the idea of putting the zest in a finished brew. I never thought of trying it that way, and will definitely give it a try!

zoebisch01 said:

It would be a good combination. Deep, rich flavors pair very well with heavy citrus (as mentioned before, one thing that springs to mind is dark chocolate and orange flavor, I once made a dark chocolate ice cream with chilis and orange zest). You might need more than you think to get the desired effect.

Click to expand...

Chocolate and orange is my favorite taste combination, which is why I was thinking orange might go with a chocolate porter. Swenson's, an old-fashioned ice cream parlor that used to be all over Phoenix, used to have a dark chocolate ice cream with orange bits. Talk about heaven!

I have to agree with the other posts, a chocolate porter and orange sounds great to me. In fact, I may try it myself in the next batch of porter I brew.

All this talk about chocolately orange porter is making me salivate! If I rack the brew into a secondary, what would happen if I added simmered orange peel at that time? I'm thinking I could try a taste after primary fermentation and if I like it, add boiled orange rind to the secondary.

I dunno, I'd say go for it. Keep good notes on the type of peel you use (this will make a difference to a degree), the amount you use and exactly how you prepare it (remember to let it cool ). Also, after you peel it, take a pairing knife and work off the (white) pith as this will contribute bitterness.

You could always split the batch....

Orange peel actually contains a very small amount of some form of alcohol. If you squeeze the peel while holding it near a lit match, the spray that comes out will burn.

sounds delicious
i love beer, just plain beer. but i also love exciting and unique flavors of beer. well, i guess i could say "I love beer!"

Jim Karr said:

If you squeeze the peel while holding it near a lit match, the spray that comes out will burn.

Click to expand...

Yeah that is a fun trick. I think it works with most citrus.

Hi all, I'm new to this, but I did recall reading somewhere that when using orange, and I suppose the skin of any fruit (grapefruit, lemon, whatever), it is important only to use the zest. The rind, which is the white layer directly underneath the orange zest, becomes very bitter when boiled. Also, the article I read recommend carefully shaving off the zest with a cheese grater, and then microwaving it for 30 seconds to kill any microbes. This is then put into the secondary fermenter.
I would think that boiling the zest would be sure to remove most of the aromatic, volatile oils from the zest that give it its citrus flavor. That's only a guess, however. I hope this is helpful, and your idea does sound delicious!