Seconary fermentation addition question

I'm brewing a Belgium wit beer similar to blue moon , instructions say to add bitter orange peel a few days before bottling or kegging. Guess my question is how do I sanitize the orange peels before they go in without compromising taste or full flavor or orange , or do I instructions say just throw it in but I was under the impression you had to sanitize everything that goes in any time. Help would be appreciated. This is my first brew that requires an addition at a later time, don't want to ruin my beer after all my hard work already.

 

I would add the addition at flame out next time.

Also, don't use the LHBS stuff in the package, source bitter oranges yourself, or use navel orange zest in a larger quantity if the bitter orange is unavailable.

My gripe with the dehydrated bitter orange that is sold at the LHBS is that it has pith along with it (it is very bitter). You really only want/need the zest.

I have brewed a Witbier at least every year since I have been brewing, and I am refining my recipe. I am actually drinking a pint of my latest Wit right now! I brewed 10 gallons on 3/14, ran through 1 keg and kicked it last Friday, tapped the second 5 gallons Sunday...delicious!



FWIW, IMHO, Witbier benefits greatly from true Seville orange zest, I use about 6 oz (wet) at flame out for a 10 gallon batch. Indian corriander is an absolute must, you cannot get the same aroma/flavor from store bought (citrusy vs celery respectively), and a small addition of lavender or chamomile is a unnecessary yet nice addition. To conclude, and once again IMHO, White Labs WLP 400 is the superior yeast for a Belgian Wit, I have not used anything that even closely compares.

In your situation, RDWHAHB, toss the bitter peel in (as long as it is the dehydrated type--fresh peel will undoubtedly have a good deal of wild yeast on it), and follow the instructions.

Do further reading, brew more, you will find that infections are much more uncommon (if you follow sanitary practices) rather than contamintion which can be somewhat easy without careful attention to details.

Good luck I hope your brew turns out magnificent!

Cheers!

 

Lots of recipies say to boil the peels in the last five min of the boil, so personally I would just boil the peels for five min then add them... Next time I would put them in either the last five min of the boil or at flameout.

 

Curious: would you add the boiled water and peels, or just the boiled peels? Haven't brewed a wit yet but it's on the bucket list.

 

Great question

 

If you forgot the peels in the boil I would add the boiled water and the peels, but I would use as little water as possible. It would be much better though if you just added the peels in the last five min of the boil.

 

Yea instructions said add later I'll do water and peals

 

Camp out om not much orange flavor but still good

 

I use the zest only, two weeks before bottling or kegging. I rinse in vodka before adding.

 

I would add it to the Secondary because the heat if you add it at the end of the boil and then the fermentation would let much of the flavor out .

The best way to sanitize an Orange and a Peeler is as follows :

(Assuming they are washed well and clean)

- Boil 1/2 Gallon of water for 15 minutes .

- Dissolve 1/2 tblspoon of "Benzalkonium chloride 10%" in 1/2 Gallon of water and leave the Orange and the Peeler in this solution for 15 minutes .

- Rinse the Orange and the Peeler with the water which was boiled and use them right afterwards .

Hector