Adding orange peel

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Carrollyn

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
129
Reaction score
51
I plan on adding the zest of fresh oranges to this golden ale extract kit I have. Advice was to add it at flame out. But I'm confused about what should happen to the peel after that point. Strain it out with the sediments as it goes into the fermentation bucket? Use a hop bag and replace it into the primary after straining? Don't strain the wort since there won't be much to strain out anyway? I have zest from about a dozen plus small oranges for a five gallon batch.
 
Strain it out. You are after the oils from the zest and those will have come out into the wort. After that, the zest is no longer needed.

I recently brewed a Saison and added the peel of 1 large orange and put it in the boil with 5 minutes remaining and then whirl pooled for 15 minutes before starting to chill.

I would not recommend using the zest from 12 oranges. Like I said, I used the peel from a large orange and it is noticeable. 12, I feel, would be way too much.

Just remember, you can never take out. Start low. If it's not enough, add a little more next time and adjust.
 
I agree that you might not want to use 12 oranges. I have done a couple blonde ales with orange.
Batch #1 was an oz of sweet peel in the boil for 40 minutes. Good beer just not enough orange taste.
Batch #2 was the zest and fruit from one large orange in secondary for 2 wks.
Much better!!
Nice aroma and perceptible orange finish.
 
I would use about 1.5 oz of peel (2 oranges). Do 1 oz at 15 min and 1/2 oz at 5 min
 
Glynn, that sounds very reasonable. I'll try it and post how it comes out.
 
one of our members did a hefe that i tried with that same amount plus 1 oz of coriander at 15 and it was so good i had to make it myself
 
I tasted the wort before I put it in the fermenter and I did not detect any orange. If that is still what I perceive later on, would it be a good thing to put some peel in the secondary? (I've gotten away from secondaries, usually) with a vodka soak, of course.
 
I did a belgian white with orange and corriander. I threw them right into boil gettle and used an auto siphon to transfer to fermentor. Worked well. :)
 
Back
Top