Blood Oranges, where/when to use?

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When should I add the oranges?

  • Mash

  • First Wort

  • 20 Minutes

  • Post Boil

  • Post Fermentation/Keg


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Crazytwoknobs

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The Jewel near me is going to have blood oranges next week. I think I'll buy a bunch and try for a "Blood Orange Black Wheat". A black wheat beer with blood orange is all, I guess. Here's the idea:

5lbs Pale
3-4lbs Wheat
1lb Chocolate
0.5lbs Black Patent
1lb honey
"A bunch of blood oranges"
x.x oz Cascade sometime under 60min

Yeast: 001,S-04/S-05, Notty? I don't really want banana-clove flavors.

I'm also worried that it might end up too tart. Do you think I should add the whole orange, rind/peel and all?

Any suggestions/comments/warnings-not-to-do-this would be greatly appreciated.
 
That isn't the Jewel on Schmale and Geneva, is it? :p

I'm a bit concerned about the effect of citric acid on the yeast. Personally I'd put the orange in the keg, and use campden to kill the yeast so you don't get another fermentation, since fermented orange juice can be quite nasty...

Belgian yeast might do this recipe good. On that note, how did your AG belgian turn out?
 
It's a Jewel in Aurora, haven't been to that one in a long time.

The acid doesn't seem to mess with ciders at all, but I did think of that. I'm assuming it's fine.

If I do it any time post-boil, it would probably be just the juice.

The belgian turned out pretty bad. I think I mistreated the yeast before pitching it into an improperly made starter. Tasted like Goose Island Sofie, but with a much harsher aftertaste. That flavor could have also come from the rubber stopper that I accidentally pushed in during fermentation.
 
The acid doesn't seem to mess with ciders at all, but I did think of that. I'm assuming it's fine.

If you do the pre-fermentation route I'd put it in pre-boil to kill any live cultures, then use some 5.2 pH buffer in the wort itself.

The belgian turned out pretty bad. I think I mistreated the yeast before pitching it into an improperly made starter. Tasted like Goose Island Sofie, but with a much harsher aftertaste. That flavor could have also come from the rubber stopper that I accidentally pushed in during fermentation.

As long as you kept good sanitation your starter shouldn't be the issue... and I've never had too much issue with under/overpitching... but with the rubber stopper you might be looking at infection or oxygenation as the underlying issue. Some time at room temp might clear that up.

Mine ended up tasting kind of like a blue moon without the spices. Really good head on it, real mellow hop aroma, and good strength too.
 
Or if you're worried about cooking the orange, perhaps mash it up into a pulp and use campden/vodka to sterilize before adding it to primary.
 
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