brewing a mid west extract kit making changes?

[chaos2984]

Im trying to brew a blue moon clone or something close to it. What i have come up with from searching is the Midwest kit Belgian Witbier. I have a question about the orange peel in it. Im wondering if it is enough orange peel to give it that sweet orange flavor or can i add some more orange peel to the brew and get a better taste out of it. Or should i add it to the fermentation stage.

Thanks

 

[kevokie]

If you are wanting the orange flavor out of it, you may try adding it to the secondary, or late in primary if you are a primary only kind of guy. I'm thinking that adding it to the primary early on will blow off a lot of the aromatics of the orange during fermentation.

 

[chaos2984]

well i want a more fruity orange flavor like bluemoon or shock top. should i add more to the brew in the last 3 minutes or add some more 1 week after fermentation and let it sit??

 

[helibrewer]

well i want a more fruity orange flavor like bluemoon or shock top. should i add more to the brew in the last 3 minutes or add some more 1 week after fermentation and let it sit??

For added flavor I would work it in during secondary/aging like you would oak or fruit puree. In secondary there is nothing to drive off the flavor and it is easier to monitor so you don't over do it.

 

[Ultrazord]

You could also call midwest. They are very knowledgeable and helpful.

You could possibly try an orange extract too, though I never have. Typically the flavorful additions are added one week before bottling.

 

[chaos2984]

well im gonna keg my brew. no i know you cannot airrate the brew in the secondary but what do you do when you add the fruit to the secondary. Will just putting it on top will work its way into the brew and everything be fine.

 

[Screech]

I too was interested in doing a blue moon type of brew. Could you just use boil an orange peel of small piece of an orange that you would get from the food market, or would you have to buy special additive?

Kevin

 

[chaos2984]

well here are the results. I added a extra whole fresh clementine orange peel to the last few minutes of the boil. And I have been crabbing it for the past week minus a few hours. And man i just tasted it and it tastes good. I am gonna put an orange in it tomorrow and we shall see. But it tastes good. Im gonna compare it to a shock top and blue moon and see what i got.