Grapefruit flavoring that comes with a kit

[jbbalesky]

Should I make my own grapefruit flavoring or use the concentrate that came with kit. Comments would be appreciated.
making a clone batch of Ballast Point IPA.

 

[Jag75]

Should I make my own grapefruit flavoring or use the concentrate that came with kit. Comments would be appreciated.
making a clone batch of Ballast Point IPA.

Have you checked out some reviews on this kit? That's where I would start . I've had some extracts that were good and some not so good. Is it a Brewers Best kit?

 

[jbbalesky]

No it’s a more flavor kit ! Called Ugly Fish !

 

[Jag75]

No it’s a more flavor kit ! Called Ugly Fish !

I would think you'd get a grapefruit kick without extract with those hops. I would not add the extract and see how you like it . If it's not grapefruity enough add your extract .

You can find out how much you'll need by dropping a small amount into a pint of beer . Find the right amount then multiply it by total pints then add that amount to your fv or keg .

 

[hotbeer]

Many of my first batches were grapefruit Ales or IPAs of some sort that used grapefruit juice and zest.

I'm now finding that I get a better grapefruit flavor with just hops used during the boil that have grapefruit notes to them. Cascade, chinook and citra are a few of them.

No actual grapefruit needed.

 

[PCABrewing]

Many of my first batches were grapefruit Ales or IPAs of some sort that used grapefruit juice and zest.

I'm now finding that I get a better grapefruit flavor with just hops used during the boil that have grapefruit notes to them. Cascade, chinook and citra are a few of them.

No actual grapefruit needed.

Just curious, does the zest end up suppressing foam and head-retention because of the oils, or is it too little to matter?

 

[hotbeer]

Just curious, does the zest end up suppressing foam and head-retention because of the oils, or is it too little to matter?

Geesh, you would ask me something I never thought to make note of. Though I have started to pay more attention lately.

As I recall, those beers with actual grapefruit juice and zest in them foamed appropriately when poured. However there wasn't any head retention. All but just a ring around the edge of the beer where it met the sides of the glass where what remained soon after the first few sips.

I don't really think the oil in the grapefruit zest made a difference though. I've had other beers without any adjuncts that were the same. I'm noticing that the beers I boil the hardest tend to hold the best head. Sediments fall out better too after cooling and whirlpooling.

The three or four beers I made with grapefruit, all the additions were 15 to 0 minutes to flame out in the boil. I've never added any to the fermenter. I removed the zest from the outside with a sharp potato peeler so as not to get any of the pith. Then I cut into wedges and removed the flesh from the pith with a sharp knife and briefly whizzed the flesh in a blender.

I suppose I could have strained it for just the juice first, but I wasn't too concerned with the solids. They just stay on the bottom of the kettle or whatever gets into the fermenter became trub.

I was using 1 grapefruit per 1 gallon batch of beer.

 

[hotbeer]

Should I make my own grapefruit flavoring or use the concentrate that came with kit.

I guess I should at least answer the question ask...

If I was ordering a kit that came with the grapefruit flavoring of some sort, then I'd use the flavoring that came with it.

Otherwise how will you know how concentrated or not their flavoring is and how much sugar is in it?

Does the kit recipe give you a choice and tell you how much of any other to use?