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Orange Peel
So how much fresh orange zest is too much? I want to throw some into my secondary next week and don't want to over do it.
I need some clarification, the zest is just the outermost layer of the peel correct? If so what the best way to get it? And I would also assume that it works for any citrus fruit like lemons and lime. Does the zest also add flavor, or just aroma?
both
Flare_dogg wrote:
I need some clarification, the zest is just the outermost layer of the peel correct? If so what the best way to get it? And I would also assume that it works for any citrus fruit like lemons and lime. Does the zest also add flavor, or just aroma?
Zest is just the outer, colored portion of the peel. You don't want to get down to the white stuff (I forget the name) as it is usually bitter and not something you would want to drink.
As for getting the zest, I have found that a zester is really the best way. I have tried regular graters and, while they work, a zester is much better. The one I have is about 40 years old, and I found it at a garage sale for a quarter. Makes a huge difference over the zest from a grater.
McBrewer wrote:
Flare_dogg wrote:
I need some clarification, the zest is just the outermost layer of the peel correct? If so what the best way to get it? And I would also assume that it works for any citrus fruit like lemons and lime. Does the zest also add flavor, or just aroma?
Zest is just the outer, colored portion of the peel. You don't want to get down to the white stuff (I forget the name) as it is usually bitter and not something you would want to drink.
As for getting the zest, I have found that a zester is really the best way. I have tried regular graters and, while they work, a zester is much better. The one I have is about 40 years old, and I found it at a garage sale for a quarter. Makes a huge difference over the zest from a grater.
White layer = pith
Orange layer = rind
Referenced from Radical Brewing by Randy Mosher:
Homebrew shops sell both bitter and sweet orange peel in a dried form but it is not recommended as it contains far too much of the bitter white part. Fresh zest is best.
Choose your citrus fruits based on your desired aroma and flavor characteristics. Wash fruit thoroughly to remove waxes, antifungals, etc before using zester, microplane grater, or potato peeler to remove color part of peel only. Most people add zest at end of boil, some add to secondary fermenter, others extract aromatics and flavor by soaking the zest for several days in just enough vodka to cover the peels then adding zest and vodka to secondary fermenter or vodka only at bottling.
BITTER/SOUR ORANGES
Examples:
Seville/Curacao Orange Difficult to find in grocery stores. Marmalade flavor and aroma. Use the zest from about 1 orange. If you can't find fresh fruit a tablespoon or two of orange marmalade jelly is a great substitute. Some people get good results by substituting the fruit with a bottle of Triple Sec liqueur added to the secondary fermenter or as a priming sugar at bottling. One 750ml bottle contains about 5 - 6 oz of sugar which is about right for priming and the alcohol it contains will only raise your total ABV percentage by about 1%. You can also use it to extract the aroma from your crushed coriander for a few days and then add it to the secondary fermenter or at bottling.
SWEET ORANGES
Most every other type of citrus falls under the Sweet Orange category. Use instead of or to balance characteristics of Bitter/Sour Oranges. Use approximately 3x the amount sweet orange peel substituted for bitter orange peel to achieve a similar intensity (albeit with a different aroma/flavor profile). Two parts sweet orange zest plus one part grapefruit zest comes fairly close to the bitter orange taste.
Zest characteristics of commonly available Sweet Orange-type citrus. Use alone or in combination to achieve higher level of complexity.
Kumquat Sharp, clear aroma, suitable substitute for Seville Oranges. These have no bitter white pith. Use 6 - 10 whole kumquats.
Blood Orange Complex aroma with light tannins. Use zest from 1 - 4 fruits..
Grapefruit Pungent aroma that blends well with American hops. Use zest from about 1/2 grapefruit.
Lime Strong, single-minded aroma. Use zest from about 1 or 2 fruits.
Key Lime Milder and more complex than regular limes. Use zest from 1- 4 fruits.
Lemon Bright, sunny aroma. Use zest from about 1 or 2 fruits.
Mandarin Orange Delicate, mellow aroma. Use zest from 1 - 4 fruits.
Tangerine Soft, rich aroma, especially nice with medium to darker malt flavors. Use zest from 1 - 4 fruits.
Tangelo Nice, deep, complex aroma. Use zest from 1 - 4 fruits.
I know 1n1m3g uses whole orange peels in his Saison that he made on that kick ass May brew day. I think he used the peel from 3 Curacao oranges. I tasted the wort after he took the FG, even then it tasted unbelievable, I actually drank the whole sample. I just went to the local grocery store, and got the dried brand there for my Hoegaarden grand cru clone. They used Valencia oranges. At any rate, I'm having one right now as i'm typing this and it's fantastic. I don't think it matters what kind of oranges you use, the flavor of oranges in a beer is great.
P.S 1n1m3g, i'm still waiting on my share of that batch. Ha Ha
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