Need an unfermentable way to add citrus to the keg

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Coastarine

We get it, you hate BMC.
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At last tasting my citrus kolsch was slightly lacking in the citrus department. It got 0.5oz of bitter orange peel, 0.5oz of sweet orange peel, zest of two lemons, and 0.5oz crushed coriander with 10 mins left in the boil, and I really thought that would be enough. I want to enter it in NHC as a fruit beer, and I may need to give it a little extra lemon or orange oomph in the keg. We'll see, as carbonating might bring out the citrus. It will get bottled of course, so I want this to be unfermentable. They don't seem to make orange or lemon extract for beer/wine but they do make both for baking. Another thought was grand marnier. Also, possibly "dry hopping" with zest.
 
Make sure whatever extract you use doesn't have oil in it. Many of the orange zest extracts are full of orange zest oil and that will mess with your head retention.
 
I would recommend reading Mosher's Radical Brewing. He describes how to make a "potion" using vodka and then adding it at bottling - along with tons of other tips on fruit.

I zested several oranges, added some indian corriander, and then soaked it all in vodka for a couple weeks, then strained it and added some at bottling. It turned out really well.
 
That sounds like it could be good. I'm not sure if it would be ready in time for me, especially since I like to add a little at a time, give it a day, then judge it.

I just kegged this beer and it is chilling and carbing. I have a feeling I'm going to taste the citrus much more once it is bubbly and the yeast has settled out. I'm just looking for a backup plan in case I don't.
 
grand marnier has a very high sugar content. I added some to a Saison in the primary after it stopped at 1.08 and fermentation started again for a few days I added about 2 cups. Most liqueurs are made with a lot of sugar. I would do the soak in a neutral tasting alcohol or maybe some Smirnoff orange?
 
Okay, it definitely needs something before it can compete at NHC in the fruit beers.

Pure Lemon Extract - SCE-012 - Country Kitchen SweetArt

Right now something like that is my best idea. Extract. Oils might mess with the foam stability but it really doesn't have that much to begin with.

What about Absolut Citroen? That has a definite citrus taste. I've never done it, but it sounds good to me right now. Of course, I'm fairly hammered. When I'm sobered up, it might not sound so good.
 
Have you tried True Lemon products? Link: True Lemon®
They have lemon, lime and orange flavors and are available in many supermarkets.
Ingredients in the True Lime are: citric acid, lactose, lime juice, lime oil, maltodextrin and ascorbic acid. I added several packets to my Hard Limeade just before bottling and while carbonation did take a few weeks more, it did carbonate. If you're kegging it may not be an issue.
 
In the stores that I go to (Shaw's or Stop & Shop), I believe they're with the sweeteners (artifical and regular sugars). Good luck! I hope it works out for you!
 
One issue might be how to integrate it into the beer. I might have to dissolve it in water before I add it. Powder to an already carbonated keg is bound to result in a major foamup. Any recommendation on how many of those packets I'd be looking at adding?
 
Hmmm, I can see your dilemma. As I added just before bottling, I mixed with some of the Hard Limeade in the bottling bucket. I added 6 packets. The Limeade, which didn't turn out well for other reasons, does have a lime aftertaste - hence the back flavoring. I was worried about lactose and carbonation - I read somewhere that it could be a problem. If it helps, on the individual packets it states "add to any 10-16 oz. beverage". Is there any way of doing some sort of test run?
 
Sounds like a plan! Did you check to see if there are stores in your area that carry it? There's a place on the website where you can plug in your zip code.
 
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