Flavoring Quest.???

I'm preparing to make an Allagash Clone and was wondering about the Bitter Orange Peel flavoring. Can I somehow use a fresh orange to get the same flavor?? Also, the recipe calls for .5 oz of Saaz and 1 oz Tettenanger, I have a ton of Amarillo, Cascade and Centannial hops on hand and was wondering if i might be able to sub them and still come close to the same taste? Thanks!

I recently brewed a witibier with bitter orange peel, and to be honest, I wish I'd have added some fresh orange as well; the bitter peel doesn't give the citrus character I'm looking for. Try zesting a fresh orange and using that in addition to some bitter orange peel-- that should give you a fresher, more citrusy profile.

In terms of hops, you can certainly substitute any of the varieties you listed, but just be aware that you'll have an American hop profile rather than a classic Noble hop aroma. Also, if you do substitute the American hops, you'll want to adjust the amount of bittering hops to compensate for the different AAU levels.

Did you just add the flavoring at flameout and leave it in the primary?

Yep, that's what I did...though boiling the orange with some water to make a sort of "tea" to add to secondary would probably work at least as well.

I think i'm gonna try just the fresh zest this time. I did a Wit about 6 months ago with the bitter orange peel, and i'm like you, i just didnt get that citrus i was lookin for. Plus, I'm tryin to do this one with as little damage to the wallet as possible.

Just remember to do your zesting before you start the boil. It can take awhile, and you'll probably need a lot of it.