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How now orange cow

Mashing
#1

I did a batch of Speckled Heifer Cream ale a while back. The last of it just dried up and I want to try this one again but… Myself and two of the other folks who had it all thought it would greatly beifit from a citus (lemony or orangy) kick. I found a bag of dryied bitter orange peel. Anybody every tried this and have any idea how much I should use. One more thing. I assume I add it at flame out. Please all correct if that is wrong.

As always, thanks for the vast knowledge bank that this forum represents,

Barrry

#2

An ounce at 5min or flameout will give you a little orange oil nose and some bitterness not unlike a citrusy hop. I’ve also dry-hopped wheat beers with a couple ounces in the keg, that gives a more pronounced aroma and flavor. You can also try some coriander, it gives a nice lemon pepper note. These are the traditional flavorings for a witbier.

#3

Thanks for the info. That was around the amount I was thinking.

A few more questions.

If the orange has a bitttering effect do I need to back off on the hops to keep from starting to get over bitter.

I had considered coriander. I assume you just use it whole but how much are we talking about?

Barry

#4

Crack the coriander first. Not fine, coarse. I’d try 1/4oz of it, but you can look up witbier recipes (NB has one) and see what they recommend.

As for the peel replacing hops, when I brew one of these I do only bitter to maybe 10IBU with hops.

#5

Thanks again,

I was thinking I would need to back off on the hops. Glad I got some confirmation. Unfortunatly that puts me into a new skill area - calculating how much hops to use to hit a certain IBU. I am just at the point of graduating from AG kits to having bulk on hand so it is time anyway. This one is important to keep mild as it is for my wife and her friends (as if I didn’t knock out a fair share) and they are not high hop beer fans. I kicked off a starter last night getting ready to do this one Saturday.

Barry

#6

IBU Calculator

#7

Thanks Ickyfoot.
I actually use the one at http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator?14751148#tag. The only real reason I go for it is it shows the different stages at which (times during boil) you add hops and the effect it has at that time.

The NB recipe calls for two hops addition .5 oz at 60 min and .25 oz at 15 min. I am thinking that the .5 oz at 60 min should be cut to .25 oz and then add the 1 oz of orange peel at 10 min along with about a 1/2 oz of cracked coriander (their witbeer calls for an OZ of each added at 10 min).

I will report back on how the Orange Cow or maybe I’ll call it the Orange Heifer turns out.

Barry

#8

I like your reasoning, and definitely let us know how it turns out. I really started liking my dry-peeled beer, especially after the sock of peels had been in the keg for a couple of weeks.

#9

You can also soak the orange peel in a little vodka for a week or so and add it to the primary post fermentation. I did that with a lemon Kolsch and it worked great.

#10

I’m assuming you put in the vodka to sanitize???

Barry

#11

That and the ethanol extracts the citrus oils better than water.

Plus the extra can be imbibed as limoncello.

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