Orange Zest Woops!!! PLEASE HELP

[vulcan7864]

So I am new on here, and also a fairly new homebrewer. I just tried out a new recipe. I was going for a nice summery brew using Mt hood and UK Fuggles and zest from some tangerines. This is where my issue comes in, i put in a bit to much zest. Now my beer is in the primary, but it smells a bit too sweet, is there anything i can do to fix this? should i dry hop more fuggles in the secondary?

i used:
1oz mt hood
.5oz fuggle
2 cans light malt extract
and too much tangerine zest

Any help would be awesome, im in the 3rd day of the primary.

 

[djsethall]

Did you record how much zest you put in? This may be the best beer ever. I would say dry hop no matter what. More fuggle the better. Throw some zest in secondary and make an awesome brew that is original from a can. The beer isyours to do with, you cant hurt it by adding zest or more hops. Have fun. RDWHAHB

 

[Rob_B]

How much zest was used? The flavors will likely melow out over time, besides if it's only been in primary a few days it's too early to make a judgment call. Try a sample after a couple weeks and like djsethall said you may decide to add more zest and dry hops.

 

[badhabit]

I think it would be pretty tough to use too much zest in the primary. Depending on how much flavor you want you end up using quite a bit anyway but I think that you will loose a lot more of the flavor by using it in the primary rather than the secondary or at least in the primary after most of the strong ferrmentation activity has stopped. Then again I guess I am in the same spot as others, how much is too much.

 

[BigRob]

The zest of how many Tangerines?

Also, taste it when you rack to secondary (if you secondary) you might find it tastes perfect, it might be flat but you'll get an idea of whether the tangerine taste is going to be too intense. Then make your choice about dry hopping, if you think it needs it, or if dry hopping will even do what you want flavor-wise.

 

[jsweet]

I made a lemon beer recently that I felt upon tasting had way too much zest. But it's been the most popular beer of mine with my friends so far, they all like it. I'm planning on doing a v2.0 and tweaking the recipe, but my point being it may not be as bad as all that.

 

[Leeds1]

I'm in the opposite boat. I just kegged an Orange Hefe that doesn't have enough orange flavor. I soaked the zest of 3 organic oranges in vodka for two weeks and added that to the keg when I racked the beer. After pulling a sample (uncarbed) from the keg, I don't taste the orange at all.

What is the best way to add more orange flavor now that the beer is kegged?

I zested two more oranges and have the zest soaking in just enough vodka to cover the zest. Should I add this to the beer, stir it in, and then see if it has the flavor profile I'm looking for? Or is there a better way?

 

[vulcan7864]

I put in about 3 tangerines worth of fresh zest, so i would say about 2oz, and it went into the boil with about 20 minutes left. Thanks for all the responses so quickly.

 

[vulcan7864]

I'm in the opposite boat. I just kegged an Orange Hefe that doesn't have enough orange flavor. I soaked the zest of 3 organic oranges in vodka for two weeks and added that to the keg when I racked the beer. After pulling a sample (uncarbed) from the keg, I don't taste the orange at all.

What is the best way to add more orange flavor now that the beer is kegged?

I zested two more oranges and have the zest soaking in just enough vodka to cover the zest. Should I add this to the beer, stir it in, and then see if it has the flavor profile I'm looking for? Or is there a better way?

You could squeeze in some fresh orange juice directly into your beer, it will be directly flavoring it. because although the vodka would sanitize it, im sure that having the zest sitting in the vodka for that long its losing a lot of flavor

 

[badhabit]

All that you need to do is clean/sterilize the peel before using. I wipe off with bleach water and rinse beforte using, but I have heard lots using vodka. I would not let the zest sit. Get it in the wort ASAP to get the most out of it.

As far as using 3 tangerines, that doesn't sound like that much. I use two oranges in my belgian wit and I would bet that it is about the same volume of zest. The suggestion to tast at secondary is a good one. You may want even more....measure twice and cut once.

 

[bknifefight]

I put in about 3 tangerines worth of fresh zest, so i would say about 2oz, and it went into the boil with about 20 minutes left. Thanks for all the responses so quickly.

That doesn't sound like an unreasonable amount by any means.

 

[vulcan7864]

Thanks a lot, I will let you know how it comes out. I have a bout 5 days till secondary.

 

[vulcan7864]

4 Days until I bottle, and it tastes great already.

 

[rycov]

i just used the zests from two oranges in addition to a package of dried orange peel in a wit i brewed. i can taste the orange but its not at all over powering. it could take more i feel.