Blood Orange Hefeweizen

Phew. I just skimmed all 44 pages of this thread.

I was just wondering if someone could give me feedback on a couple newbie questions I have. This will be the first time I brew a hefe, and the first time I use real fruit in the brewing process. It will also be my 2nd All Grain brew.

Questions:
1. It looks like most people are putting the zest and fruit in a bag and steeping it around 160 degrees. When I go to add this to my fermenter, do I throw everything in... including the liquid and bag of fruit and zest?

2. I see people bottling/kegging at different times. With most my beers I put in a secondary to rack for a week, but should I skip the secondary and put this directly into the keg and carbonate?

3. I am assuming that I shouldn't filter this? I don't want to kill the flavor profile, but I usually filter to rid the beer of yeast sediments. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.

slumslum said:

1. It looks like most people are putting the zest and fruit in a bag and steeping it around 160 degrees. When I go to add this to my fermenter, do I throw everything in... including the liquid and bag of fruit and zest?

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yes.

2. I see people bottling/kegging at different times. With most my beers I put in a secondary to rack for a week, but should I skip the secondary and put this directly into the keg and carbonate?

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yes; 2-3 weeks primary is sufficient.

3. I am assuming that I shouldn't filter this? I don't want to kill the flavor profile, but I usually filter to rid the beer of yeast sediments. Any thoughts on this?

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Correct, do not filter. Take a look at the Hefe style guidelines; filter = bad.

Thanks for your response. My challenge now will be to find fresh blood oranges, or something similar.

Anyone else have a substitute I can use if I can't get the blood oranges?

slumslum said:

Thanks for your response. My challenge now will be to find fresh blood oranges, or something similar.

Anyone else have a substitute I can use if I can't get the blood oranges?

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Not a substitute, but this recipe works great with clementine oranges. Bitter, tangy, and good orange roots.

Jsmith82 said:

Not a substitute, but this recipe works great with clementine oranges. Bitter, tangy, and good orange roots.

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I'm thinking the next time I do this, I will put the oranges in after a couple days of fermenting and possibly use clementines or possibly cars caras

I don't know where you're located, but blood oranges are available at almost every grocery store in Central PA, and we NEVER get these at our super markets, with the exception of Wegman's. Our Giant and Weis markets NEVER carried these, but suddenly they are here... I used to have to go around from market to market, fruit stand to fruit stand to find their deliciousness...

snevey said:

I don't know where you're located, but blood oranges are available at almost every grocery store in Central PA, and we NEVER get these at our super markets, with the exception of Wegman's. Our Giant and Weis markets NEVER carried these, but suddenly they are here... I used to have to go around from market to market, fruit stand to fruit stand to find their deliciousness...

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Our local stores don't carry them. I am in the Coal Region of NEPA. I can take a ride up to the Wegmans in Wilkes-Barre, but that is about an hour drive.

I live in Missouri and I found them at the whole foods store near me.

A buddy bought the Extreme brewing book, he and I are big fans of Dogfish Head. This was the 6th beer we've brewed (brewed and fermented their 60min IPA at the same time), we've done a couple Brewers Best boxes (terrible) and a couple kits from our lhbs and this was by far the best. We brewed this holding true to the recipe and my fermentation temp was steady between 64 and 66F. For anyone who has never tasted a blood orange, they really don't have any orange flavor but instead taste like a berry. My final beer was outstanding with a very slight berry flavor throughout but very hefe with a bit of cloves and a fair bit of banana on the finish. If you stay true to the recipe, you absolutely won't be disappointed

My final product. Tastes amazing. Looks good too I'd say.

I brewed this on Jan 30th, bottled Feb 9th, and I had one tonight that's been in the fridge for a few weeks and orange flavor is at it's strongest. It's the first one I've had that I really liked.

Oranges



Boil



In the fermenting bucket (no wort added)



fermentation after 6-7 days




Beer after 5 days conditioning (i couldnt wait any longer!!!!!)
sorry for the horizontal pic


Will take another pic later this week. Hopefully it will have a very nice head.
wow love the color!!!! and even after 5 days the beer was great!

I can't believe its been nearly a year since I brewed this the first time.

Its getting warm and I think its time to do it again, this time AG! Same as last year, ill post some pics of it in the glass when its ready.

TheGeek...what all grain recipe are you going to use? I've seen several posted in this thread. I believe page 3 has one converted by beersmith. Anyone care to post their all-grain recipe for this? I'm about to bottle the extract version, but now I want to brew it again soon to compare the extract vs all grain.

Yep, I'm gonna try with the beersmith converted recipe.

I followed this recipe except I decided to go with WLP 400 Belgian Wit Ale Yeast, added the zest and fruit of 5 blood oranges, substituted the Hallertau with East Kent Golding....and added 1 oz of Corriander (crushed) seed at the end.

Hoping for a tastey "Blood Orange Belgian Wit". Just started this one 4/12, expect to let it go for 3 to 4 weeks before I bottle it. Will post my results.

My OG was 1.052

Cheers

I am going to be brewing this tomorrow. Found about 10 nice blood oranges, and the other ingredients I needed. I am going to be attempting the All Grain version of this. Can anyone who has made this All Grain shed some light on what temperatures I should mash and sparge at?

Just brewed a double batch of this stuff on Saturday. Right now the fermentor reeks of a combination of vomit and diarrhea! ha Sure hope the ferment gets all the nasty stink out!

Did other people have stinky ferments with this? I am not worried, just curious. I get worried when the brew smells like dogsh!t after it is aged and carbed in my glass

Brewing this yet again this weekend but trying something a little different this time. Using 3.3lbs pale LME and 4lbs Weyerman Pale Wheat grain along with .5lbs of Torrified Wheat, pitching 3068. It's a pretty light grain bill but I think it will stand on its own. Still can't find blood oranges but I did find Tarocco oranges, pretty close...

3rd time brewing this since February... Do I get a patch or something once I hit 5?

slumslum said:

I am going to be brewing this tomorrow. Found about 10 nice blood oranges, and the other ingredients I needed. I am going to be attempting the All Grain version of this. Can anyone who has made this All Grain shed some light on what temperatures I should mash and sparge at?

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I did the AG version and a double batch. Went off the beer smith recipe and did a 60 mash at 152F
Just realized I am way late on this reply - sure you already figured it out!

CidahMastah said:

I did the AG version and a double batch. Went off the beer smith recipe and did a 60 mash at 152F
Just realized I am way late on this reply - sure you already figured it out!

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I did! Thanks for the reply anyway. I'm sure it will help someone else trying to make this.

My batch is currently sitting in the fermenter for about a week now. I used 10 medium sized blood oranges, and the zest from about 8. It is fermenting, but it isn't as vigorous as I thought it would be. I did make a larger blow off so that might be why I didn't experience more.

I am wondering if I should leave it in the fermenter for 3 weeks and then keg, or should I rack it after this week and keg it the 3rd week. I am very anxious to see how this turns out.

i'm still on my 1st 5 gallons, and it seems to get better by the day. my easter guests really enjoyed it. 5 more gallons in the holding keezer. i think i will brew this again next in a couple of weeks while i still have blood oranges on the tree, so i can have a stash to last the summer

slumslum said:

I did! Thanks for the reply anyway. I'm sure it will help someone else trying to make this.

My batch is currently sitting in the fermenter for about a week now. I used 10 medium sized blood oranges, and the zest from about 8. It is fermenting, but it isn't as vigorous as I thought it would be. I did make a larger blow off so that might be why I didn't experience more.

I am wondering if I should leave it in the fermenter for 3 weeks and then keg, or should I rack it after this week and keg it the 3rd week. I am very anxious to see how this turns out.

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yeah I was wondering the same thing. I usually let it sit in the primary fermenter for 3 weeks, but not sure if I should be putting this to the keg at 10 days like some people have. Maybe I will wait 2 weeks.

My ferment was pretty wimpy too I used WL351.

slumslum said:

I did! Thanks for the reply anyway. I'm sure it will help someone else trying to make this.

My batch is currently sitting in the fermenter for about a week now. I used 10 medium sized blood oranges, and the zest from about 8. It is fermenting, but it isn't as vigorous as I thought it would be. I did make a larger blow off so that might be why I didn't experience more.

I am wondering if I should leave it in the fermenter for 3 weeks and then keg, or should I rack it after this week and keg it the 3rd week. I am very anxious to see how this turns out.

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what would be the point of racking it? id just let it sit for 2-3 weeks then keg.

mewithstewpid said:

what would be the point of racking it? id just let it sit for 2-3 weeks then keg.

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That was what I was thinking, but I *thought* I read somewhere here that people were drinking this very young, like at day 14, so 10 days in fermenter and 4 days to carb.

If the typical 3 week wait is what people are doing, I won't change my usual. Anybody want to chime in who has done this recipe? I can't see pulling it at 10 days unless there is a good reason to (that would be tonight for me).

i did 2 weeks primary then bottle

mewithstewpid said:

i did 2 weeks primary then bottle

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So when you bottled you had another week or so for carbing? I plan on force carbing. So this is sounding to me like wait 3 weeks and force carb.

yeah i waited one week and cracked one. It was good. waited another week and it was even better. Ive read similar statements before with this beer, that it ages well (but doesnt last long, ha)

honestly, i think either way you do it it will be great.

CidahMastah said:

That was what I was thinking, but I *thought* I read somewhere here that people were drinking this very young, like at day 14, so 10 days in fermenter and 4 days to carb.

If the typical 3 week wait is what people are doing, I won't change my usual. Anybody want to chime in who has done this recipe? I can't see pulling it at 10 days unless there is a good reason to (that would be tonight for me).

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I drank mine 10 days after a brewed it. It's a low gravity hefe so in my mind there's really no need for it to sit in the primary once it's finished. And it does not age well IMO. Near the end of the keg (lasted about 1-1.5 months in the keg) the orange flavor faded considerably and it tasted more like a standard hefe.

Well, enough differing in opinion that I think I will rack it at 10 days to a keg and keep drawing off until it gets where I want it.

Thanks all, I guess like most brews, you just have to try it out. My first hefe, so wasn't sure how young was too young.

Then at some point I will be buying oranges to spruce it up

Well, I officially brewed a third batch, I call it tarocco tornado wheat. Tarocco because of the oranges I choose.. Tornado? Read on..

Followed the recipe but did a partial mash for the wheat grains, hit 1.045 OG which is fine with me, it's bubbling away like a happy beer. I was supposed to brew this last Friday but we literally were hit by a tornado (area code 63043, give it a google if you haven't heard). I took some bad damage but the house stands on like a champ and my wife and the animals are all okay.

Here is a vid from my neighborhood I took Saturday morning, scary stuff

Click here

Saturday, we did all we could do for the house and the neighbors, called insurance and electric, gas, etc.. and I needed peace of mind so we packed all the equipment and ingredients from Friday, grabbed a sixer of local brew, then headed to a family members house, brew on.

jamesjensen1068 said:

I followed this recipe except I decided to go with WLP 400 Belgian Wit Ale Yeast, added the zest and fruit of 5 blood oranges, substituted the Hallertau with East Kent Golding....and added 1 oz of Corriander (crushed) seed at the end.

Hoping for a tastey "Blood Orange Belgian Wit". Just started this one 4/12, expect to let it go for 3 to 4 weeks before I bottle it. Will post my results.

My OG was 1.052
FG was 1.011
Cheers

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Just bottled this last nite (2 week fermentation)....Tastes like Blue Moon but better. Very well ballanced. Had to stop a few time to clear my bottle filler tip of corriander seeds. Can't wait to drink this in a couple weeks.

jamesjensen1068 said:

Just bottled this last nite (2 week fermentation)....Tastes like Blue Moon but better. Very well ballanced. Had to stop a few time to clear my bottle filler tip of corriander seeds. Can't wait to drink this in a couple weeks.

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Just curious, but why didn't you just brew a witbier? I mean actually in a way you did. Changed the yeast, the key hops, added coriander, etc. Not sure what made you choose this hefe recipe if you were looknig to brew a belgian wit.

CidahMastah said:

Just curious, but why didn't you just brew a witbier? I mean actually in a way you did. Changed the yeast, the key hops, added coriander, etc. Not sure what made you choose this hefe recipe if you were looknig to brew a belgian wit.

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I was going to make the Hefe and just decided to brew a belgian wit instead.....I did use the main ingredients, then I changed the hops because that is what I had on hand. I did use the instructions for using the blood oranges, which I think normally in a wit you use only the peel and no fruit in the ferment.

Just wanted to try something different....turned out tasty!

Go Blood Orange Belgian Wit!

I just brewed this recipe, with a twist. I had a Northern Brewer Honey Weizen kit, and made some mods to mirror this recipe.

6 lbs. Northern Brewer Wheat LME
1 lb. Honey (0 min)
½ oz. Tettnang (60 min)
½ oz. Czech Saaz (20 min)
½ oz. Tettnang (10 min)
Fruit from 4 Tangelos, zest from 3 (in ½ gal. water heated to 160* in another pot, add to fermenter)
Wyeast 1010 American Wheat

The unfermented wort was easily the best I've ever tasted. It's been bubbling mightily in my fermentation chamber since last night. I can't wait for this one!

Is it just me or does this taste pretty much like a regular hefe. Not getting a ton of orange flavor at all. It is good, but not as sexy as the name implies. Time get some fresh oranges

Keep in mind that blood oranges tastes closer to a berry flavor than the traditional orange, also mine has been sitting in bottles for about a month and a half now and then yeast flavors are mellowing out allowing the oranges to come through more, hefs aren't really my favorite style but it is getting better on a daily basis

I just had a few pints that a buddy brewed up recently. Rather than doing the zest and vodka route, he added orange near the end of the boil. I swear I could drink this stiff all day. If I didn't already have a recipe lined up I'd be doing this one next.

JollyIsTheRoger said:

Keep in mind that blood oranges tastes closer to a berry flavor than the traditional orange, also mine has been sitting in bottles for about a month and a half now and then yeast flavors are mellowing out allowing the oranges to come through more, hefs aren't really my favorite style but it is getting better on a daily basis

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I guess my comment was from some of the posts that were like - "you can taste so much orange", etc. Maybe mine is just too young, but I am not getting overwhelming orange, just a slight citrus. Guess what I am saying is... I will wait this out for the course of the beer and keep trying, however this recipe (for me) isn't anything special. Though it is a lot more work than similar tasting heffe recipes.

Perhaps part of this is that wheats aren't my favorite style either. However, I have an above average palate, so I guess I am just surprised at the raving some folks did for this brew. Its good, but nothing special in my book.

I did follow the recipe to a T and monitored fermentation temp, etc.