Orange Creamsicle Braggot

[Chris_The_Rogue]

I got the idea in my head to make an Orange Creamsicle Braggot.

My goal is a semi sweet to sweet after dinner drink with a little bit of a kick. I'm hoping to get a strong orange flavor and a creamy mouth feel (similar to what you would get from a milk stout).

Below is the recipe I have come up with. This is the most complex recipe Ive tried to date, so I would appreciate any feedback / warnings you guys could give.

3 Gallon Batch ( Estimating ~8.5 ABV, 9.5 IBU, 4.5 SRM )
60 min boil

3 Lbs Wheat DME
0.3 Lbs Lactose
0.25 oz Hallertau (2.7%) @ 60min
0.25 oz Mandarina bavaria (7.2%) @ 15min
0.5 oz Mandarina bavaria (7.2%) @ 5min
0.5 oz Sweet orange peel @ 5min
1 can frozen orange juice concentrate @ 0min

Cool then Add to fermenter along with
3 lbs orange blossom honey
2 Vanila beans ( Cut in half )

Yeast: Red Star Cote Des Blanc

 

[loveofrose]

Looks like a good start. I have a few suggestions.

1. Nutrients - Wheat LME and fruit may provide enough, but some extra insurance wouldn't hurt.

2. Lose the OJ concentrate. It will likely drop the pH to a point of stalling out the ferment. If you decide it has to go in, take a pH reading and adjunct the pH to ~4 with potassium carbonate. Considering the acidic fruit you are adding, potassium carbonate may be a good addition in general.

3. I've not used Cote de Blanc for a braggot, but I imagine the ester profile may fight what your going for. Wyeast 1388 or US05 are some ale yeast suggestions, but perhaps you have a reason for this yeast choice (?).

4. Also consider Citra hops. They really compliment orange flavors in braggots. It can also add a great deal of bitterness to balance the sweetness. Sweet braggots have a way of being sickeningly sweet without a balance of hops. I suggest 1 oz Citra (11%) for 10 minutes. Try to get the IBUs in the low 20s.

 

[Chris_The_Rogue]

1. Yeah i was planning to use nutrient just didnt list it.

2. Ill have to look into the pH testing stuff. But is a single can of oj is going to be that acidic? All said and done it would be diluted to 1/6th of its usual strength.

3. I was looking at Cotes de Blanc at the recomendation of the local brew shop guy. He said he had used it on high gravity beers and that the results were clean.

4.Ill have a look at the citra hops and see from there.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Those orange concentrates are quite bitter. Just watch out with it.

 

[Chris_The_Rogue]

Those orange concentrates are quite bitter. Just watch out with it.

Would it be better to juice an orange or three like in the Not so ancient orange mead recipe?

 

[m00ps]

when I made my mom and orange creamsicle cream ale, I used 2 tangerine peels tossed into the boil and 2 more for a dry hop. Worked really well especially with the amarillo I hopped it with. I just used whole tangerines from teh store, ripped the peels into large pieces and dumped them in

 

[OHVolsfan23]

Omg this sounds amazing!

 

[Chris_The_Rogue]

Finally got around to brewing this one. Made some changes to the recipe. Brewer's friend said i should expect.
OG 1.093 / FG 1.027 / ABV 8.74% / IBU 19.21 / SRM 4.57
My Original Gravity was 1.084.

3 Gallon batch

3 lbs wheat DME
5.3 oz Lactose
0.5oz Hallertau hops @ 60min (2.7%AA)
0.5oz Mandarina Bavaria hops @ 15min (7.2%AA)
0.5oz Mandarina Bavaria hops @ 5min (7.2%AA)
0.5oz Sweet orange peel @ 5min
3 lbs Orange blossom honey @ 0min
1 can Orange juice concentrate @ 0min

1 Vanilla bean cut in half in primary
Nottingham ale yeast.

Will allow it to ferment for 1 or 2 weeks before racking to secondary and replaceing the vanilla bean with a fresh one.

 

[m00ps]

I would up the vanilla beans. Ive made an creamsice cream ale twice and last time I used 4 vanilla beans in a 5gal batch, 1 lb lactose, and 4 whole skinds of tangerines along with a quick squeeze of juice. It still couldve been a BIT stonger

 

[Chris_The_Rogue]

Racked to secondary today. Added two vanilla beans cut in half. The sample i took/tasted was quite cloudy but didn't have any off tastes. Orange and vanilla flavors were mild, but it was a warm un-conditioned sample. Will allow it to secondary for a week or two before i bottle.

 

[Chris_The_Rogue]

Bottled this back on 10-19-15, poured one today to give it a try.
Not overly thrilled. It had NO carbonation, either the yeast gave up prior to bottling or its going to be one of those that takes forever to carb up. The mouth feel was exactly where i wanted it. The orange flavor was there but surprisingly mild, and overall it was just a tad too sweet (should have upped the hops a bit more) . Appearance wise it was cloudy, im thinking its from the concentrate.
Im going to let these sit for a month and try another one. Hopefully a little time will work some magic on it.

 

[Chris_The_Rogue]

Poored another one late december. It has actualy aged into a decent enough beer. A little on the sweet side, very mild hints of citrus and vannilla.

 

[jdona022]

Poored another one late december. It has actualy aged into a decent enough beer. A little on the sweet side, very mild hints of citrus and vannilla.

Hey man looking into a orange creamsicle braggot? I know this is an old thread but how did it turn out over time?

 

[Chris_The_Rogue]

While it didn't get any worse it didn't get any better. It was an OK beer but nothing too impressive.