Orange zest at bottling

[sundaypapers]

I've been searching for this for a couple of days on line, but haven't found the response I'm looking for, per se.
I have a blonde ale finishing up and wanted to add some kind of fruit to it to give some to my wife, she is not a fan of beer really but will drink fruity beers and dos Equis with lime or whatever. I first thought of strawberries, but since I only bottle, I have read that to really get the sweetness and character of fresh strawberries, it's best to keg on them and keep it cold so as to not cause a secondary ferment.
So now I'm thinking just zest a few oranges/limes/lemons, and toss the zest into the priming solution after it's done boiling so I don't lose those aromatics and bottle it after straining through a sanitized strainer. My question is: will the short contact time in the priming sugar pot and bottling bucket be enough to really impart a strong enough citrus aroma to the finished beer.
I have never used fruit of any kind in a beer, so I am sort of in unfamiliar territory. I've read all over that you leave zest in vodka, and then pour it into the beer either in a secondary fermenter or at bottling, but I don't have vodka-and don't really see myself ever buying any-so I'd like to avoid that. Just curious if anyone has done this and gotten a good amount of that citrus character in that short amount of time. Sorry for being long winded. Thanks.


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[sptaylor70]

I don't think that this is going to give you what you're looking for. The contact time isn't enough. You could try boiling the zest and fruit (exclude the pith) with the sugar - like a mulled cider. The best thing, however, might be to add the zest (and/or fruit) late in the boil, before fermentation, as in a witbier.

 

[30Bones]

I agree, I add my zest at the end of the boil

 

[duboman]

If the beer is finishing up you could rack to a secondary once it's at FG. In the secondary you could add the zest of 2-3 lemons or oranges (Not sure I'd do lime) and let it sit in secondary for a few days at ambient temps to impart the lemon/orange flavor you desire.

You will have to taste it as it goes. I suggest allowing it to get a bit stronger than you want as the flavor will fade a bit.

 

[sundaypapers]

Thanks for the responses guys. I may end up doing the secondary on the zest. I just wondered if the oils from the zest would be steeped out at say 180 F as the priming solution cooled, rather than 2-4 days in a secondary at 72 F. Sounds like I may need to split this batch and experiment...


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[duboman]

IME you will get more flavor out of the secondary than in the boil. That being said, you'll get the most flavor by simply adding a slice to the beer when you pour


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[sundaypapers]

This may be the simplest option. Haha, thanks.


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