how to prepare spices...

[fun4stuff]

I'll be soon be brewing this witbier kit (lady in white / high gravity) and have some novice-type questions.

In their instructions they say to "crush spices": bitter orange peel, coriander, cumin.

With a mortar and pestle? in a platic ziplock with a rolling pin or spoons?

To what consistency?

The bitter orange peel that came with the kit is dried (brownish). Do they mean to crush that too? zest it? add it whole?

Thanks !!

kit: http://www.highgravitybrew.com/docs/LadyInWhite.pdf

 

[d3track]

I use my magic bullet for a few pulses, make sure you clean it right away!

 

[fun4stuff]

I use my magic bullet for a few pulses, make sure you clean it right away!

use the magic bullet for the bitter orange peel?

 

[brewing_clown]

I use a mortar and pestle for coriander seeds. I crush to the point where all of the seeds are broken open. No need to powder them.

I don't use orange peel. I prefer to use zest only. I find that the peel can cause astringency. If you do choose to use the dried peel, use it whole.

 

[yewtah-brewha]

Just made a lavender honey-ale, I did nothing to the lavender, I put in 1/2 ounce at flame out with 1 oz hops and whirlpooled it the best I could with my brew spoon. I've got to get me a stainless paddle soon!

 

[d3track]

use the magic bullet for the bitter orange peel?

Nah, you can just toss that in, but other spices can be ground with it really easy

 

[TheHappyHopper]

For coriander, you can run the seeds in a coffee grinder for a few seconds if you have one, or the other options you listed in your post sound like they should work as well - as long as the shells of the seeds are opened up.

If you are zesting fresh oranges, make sure not to go too deep - stop zesting before you get see the white part - otherwise you will end up with some nasty bitterness that you were not expecting.

I made what was supposed to be a lemon coriander wheat a few months back - but I didn't realize that I had to crush the coriander...and then I think I zested too far on the lemons :smack: ...I was really excited for the beer and it turned out terrible. I still have about 10 of the beers left, they are drinkable if you put a slice of lemon in the glass.