Using Juicer to Capture Ingredients for Boil

[maximus4444]

I've been looking at some recipes that call for additions of zest from various fruit during the boil. Grapefruit, oranges, limes, lemons, etc.

I'm curious if anyone has used a juicer to capture the pulp/zest/rind from the fruit?

 

[unionrdr]

I used our blender on the smoothie setting for some sugar baby watermelon juice once. Strained it in my dual layer, fine mesh strainer twice. Added 3C of it to my Bavarian hefe at flame out. Now think it'd been better added in secondary for better flavor.

 

[Schreiner]

Don't do it! The zest is just the very outer layer of the peel. The white part below (the pith) will add undesirable bitterness. I have no idea why you would want the pulp in the boil. Maybe add the juice at flame out?

Just get out your grater and run the fruit over the finest area. Stop and rotate the fruit once you get to the pith. You're not going to get much per fruit, but a little goes a long way.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah, the zest is just the colored part on the outside of citrus fruit. Since I ran mine on the smoothie setting of a blender, the pulp got mashed instead of separated like a juicer does. So I fine mesh strained it twice. I for one didn't want pulp gunking things up, or floating & getting moldy.

 

[m00ps]

You can really do whatever. Orange peels are typically added in a lot of belgian style beers. I've used the dried peels from homebrew stores and just peeled a fresh navel orange and tossed that in the boil. Just be sure to add it very late so you don't get too much bitterness or drive off the aromas. Juice I would add directly to the fermentor in small amounts to your taste

 

[maximus4444]

Good to know about the pith. I wasn't aware about that. I think I'll just stick with the zest.

 

[JimRausch]

Tip- use a vegetable peeler to get the zest without the pith. It's much easier than a grater.

 

[SUCCESSOR]

Just use a knife!

I haven't done it for beer but in food recipes where I don't need the zest to incorporate (small bits) I just use a knife. You can cut off a thinner layer than if you use a potato peeler or mandolin and it is less of a hassle than using graters/zesters.

I have a juicer and I was planning on using it to pull the juice from apples, lemons, and ginger to make hard cider. Unfortunately it's a bit costly compared to bottled juice or concentrate, but I really wanna try making it from fresh cider.