Orange peel

[Jag75]

I've got some naval oranges and I've peeled and cut out most of the pith. I put them in a jar with 2 vanilla beans and am soaking with vodka . I'd like to add some peel in the last 5 minutes of my boil. I've seen people talking about using zest . I've only used dried peel so I'm curious to what the difference is by using fresh zest compared to dried . I have a few oranges left . I'm making a orange cream milkshake IPA .

 

[Dgallo]

I've got some naval oranges and I've peeled and cut out most of the pith. I put them in a jar with 2 vanilla beans and am soaking with vodka . I'd like to add some peel in the last 5 minutes of my boil. I've seen people talking about using zest . I've only used dried peel so I'm curious to what the difference is by using fresh zest compared to dried . I have a few oranges left . I'm making a orange cream milkshake IPA .

So the zest vs peel differ in only two ways and that’s surface area and the the pith. The pith can contribute bitter flavors which can take away from the true orange flavor. Since you removed most of the pith, you’d probably be safe here. The more important part is surfaced area. When you zest an orange you are turning the peel into hundreds if not thousands of little fragment that can all be in contact with wort/beer. Increased surface area always increase extraction. It’s the same reason people dryhop with pellets vs whole cone.

Now if you haven’t done so yet, do not add your tincture to the boil, the boil and fermentation will cause a loss of your aroma and flavor. Add your tincture directly to your keg or at time of bottling. This well help conserve all those precious oils from the orange and vanilla

 

[Jag75]

I've only done cocoa nib and vanilla bean tinctures that I add in the fermenter after fermentation is complete. I usually leave it in for 2 weeks then keg. I also toss in the nibs along with all the tincture. Should I do the same with this or just add the tincture and not the peel and beans? Instead of doing 2 weeks your suggesting I add right before I keg it? I will try zest this time at last 5 min of boil. Will be brewing Friday.

 

[Dgallo]

I've only done cocoa nib and vanilla bean tinctures that I add in the fermenter after fermentation is complete. I usually leave it in for 2 weeks then keg. I also toss in the nibs along with all the tincture. Should I do the same with this or just add the tincture and not the peel and beans? Instead of doing 2 weeks your suggesting I add right before I keg it? I will try zest this time at last 5 min of boil. Will be brewing Friday.

Time is used for extraction purposes. If you already made a tincture for 2 weeks, the oils are already extracted into the vodka, so there is no reason to have it sit 2 weeks in your fermenter. So just strain it through a small sifter and you’re ready to go

 

[Jag75]

I think I have about 6-8 oz of tincture

 

[NeoBrew]

What size batch are you running? That is quite a bit of vodka to add to a 5 gallon batch. You might get some hot alcohol flavor from that.

My usual practice (I do 5 gallon batches) is to zest about 4 oranges, put that into about 1/2 cup of vodka and let it sit 1 about a week. I would then either add the strained vodka to the keg and rack onto it, or pour the vodka into the keg and capture the zest in a tea ball or mesh pouch and suspend that high up in the keg off the lid or dip tube.

 

[Dgallo]

What size batch are you running? That is quite a bit of vodka to add to a 5 gallon batch. You might get some hot alcohol flavor from that.

My usual practice (I do 5 gallon batches) is to zest about 4 oranges, put that into about 1/2 cup of vodka and let it sit 1 about a week. I would then either add the strained vodka to the keg and rack onto it, or pour the vodka into the keg and capture the zest in a tea ball or mesh pouch and suspend that high up in the keg off the lid or dip tube.

That’s not much more vodka than you use, a 1/2 cup is 4 fl oz so at most he’s doubling what you have. A cup would be 1/80 of the entire volume. Shouldn’t bring the abv up much at all. Maybe .25 % at most

* edit I did the math using a 6 %abv beer as a base. It would bring it to. 6.42% which shouldn’t have much a flavor impact unless it a cheap vodka.

((1 cup x 40% abv) + (79 cups x 6%abv)) / by 80 total cups for 5 gallons = new abv

 

[Jag75]

I'm doing a 5 gallon batch.

 

[NeoBrew]

That’s not much more vodka than you use, a 1/2 cup is 4 fl oz so at most he’s doubling what you have. A cup would be 1/80 of the entire volume. Shouldn’t bring the abv up much at all. Maybe .25 % at most

* edit I did the math using a 6 %abv beer as a base. It would bring it to. 6.42% which shouldn’t have much a flavor impact unless it a cheap vodka.

((1 cup x 40% abv) + (79 cups x 6%abv)) / by 80 total cups for 5 gallons = new abv

You are correct. I don't do math on Sunday morning, my intuition got the best of me!

 

[Jag75]

You are correct. I don't do math on Sunday morning, my intuition got the best of me!

Lol, I dont do math period

 

[Jag75]

I was going to use 1/4 - 1/2 # of Lactose but it seems like others are using 1 # with good results. Already have the grain and hops so it's coming together nicely.

 

[Brian66]

I plan on making a Citra NEIPA with orange peel. Question on the orange peel soaked in vodka. Last time I did this with grapefruit peel, I soaked it for 24 hours and then just added the peel at end of fermentation for a couple of days. I did get a good grapefruit flavor. Should I instead be adding the vodka or both the peel and vodka?

 

[Jag75]

I plan on making a Citra NEIPA with orange peel. Question on the orange peel soaked in vodka. Last time I did this with grapefruit peel, I soaked it for 24 hours and then just added the peel at end of fermentation for a couple of days. I did get a good grapefruit flavor. Should I instead be adding the vodka or both the peel and vodka?

Yes add the vodka . Your making a tincture. Being it was only 24 hrs its probably good you added the peel as 24 hrs wouldnt be enough to extract the flavors imo. I normally soak for a couple weeks .

 

[Dog House Brew]

I use the zest from 5 oranges in a triple I make. I’ve never put them in vodka. I just toss them in at whirlpool. Not an orange crush type a thing, but it does add a subtle flavor. I’d say in the keg would be good. I’ve never done that before.

 

[LuukGx]

From a bartending perspective, moved into brewing. The higher proof vodka (if you can get Everclear, do it), the faster the extraction. Volatile oils in citrus peel will be captured within 24 hours, letting it sit longer doesn't do much. If you can use a sous-vide setup, you can even do it in an hour.

 

[Brian66]

So I have everclear and the oranges. Beer is in the fermenter now. What's the best time to add the tincture? I'm thinking a couple days before kegging if I want to do a closed transfer. Or am I better off adding it to the keg and not doing a closed transfer?

 

[Jag75]

So I have everclear and the oranges. Beer is in the fermenter now. What's the best time to add the tincture? I'm thinking a couple days before kegging if I want to do a closed transfer. Or am I better off adding it to the keg and not doing a closed transfer?

Add during kegging or right before. Stick to closed transfers