Blood Orange Hefe
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    This beer comes from the Extreme Brewing Book by Sam Calagione. This is the first book I read on brewing and for some reason sounded like a good recipe. I need some advice mainly around the grain bill.

    The recipe calls for 6.6 lbs of light liquid wheat extract. I think I am just going to use the grain bill from my hefe recipe. I probably won't do decoction. Maybe I will?


    Recipe: Ewalds Weissbier
    Brewer: The German
    Asst Brewer:
    Style: Weizen/Weissbier
    TYPE: All Grain
    Taste: (35.0)

    Recipe Specifications
    --------------------------
    BBoil Size: 6.93 gal
    Post Boil Volume: 6.24 gal
    Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
    Bottling Volume: 5.50 gal
    Estimated OG: 1.051 SG
    Estimated Color: 6.8 SRM
    Estimated IBU: 18.6 IBUs
    Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
    Est Mash Efficiency: 81.8 %
    Boil Time: 60 Minutes

    Ingredients:
    ------------
    Amt Name Type # %/IBU
    8.0 oz Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 1 4.8 %
    5 lbs Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 2 47.6 %
    5 lbs Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 47.6 %
    0.50 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 8.0 IBUs
    0.50 oz Saaz [4.00 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 6 4.0 IBUs
    4 Blood orange - Boil 20.0 min
    1.0 pkg Hefeweizen Ale (White Labs #WLP300) [35. Yeast 7 -
    0.50 oz Hallertauer Hersbrucker [4.00 %] - Boil Hop 5 6.6 IBUs


    Mash Schedule: Decoction Mash, Double
    Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs 8.0 oz
    ----------------------------
    Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
    Protein Rest Add 21.00 qt of water at 128.9 F 122.0 F 35 min
    Saccharification Decoct 7.03 qt of mash and boil it 147.0 F 20 min
    Saccharification Decoct 3.51 qt of mash and boil it 156.0 F 20 min
    Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 10 min 168.0 F 10 min

    Sparge: Batch sparge with 1 steps (3.19gal) of 168.0 F water

  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    Here are some more info on how to use the oranges.

    Excerpt:
    "Peel the oranges and separate sections of fruit. Discard half of the peels. Cut the remainder peel and fruit into small pieces. Use a grater as you only want the orange part of the rind. The white will add extreme bitterness. They should be small enough to allow entry into the carboy in a later step. An alternative is to use a bucket to allow easier addition of the fruit. ....

    In step 8 it says to pour the orange peel and fruit into the wort in the fermenter. "

    I guess I pour the 1/2 gallon of water the fruit is steeping along with everything else into the wort in the fermenter?

    I know I sdaid 20 min in the boil but I think I looked at that wrong in the book. Honestly it's not overly clear.

  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 88,440
    Some general thoughts in no particular order. I'm sure Fry has an opinion (more correct) on the use of fruit.

    The grain bill looks tasty, screw LME.
    What would be the point of putting fruit in the boil? Isn't that going to destroy most of the aroma?
    Or steep in water then add to the fermenter mid (ish) ferment?
    I'm more confused now than after the first time I read this. I have only used fruit once and it didn't come through in the final product, but I don't think I used enough.
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    After reading again I think it's supposed to go in the fermenter not boil. I have never used fruit in a beer.
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 88,440
    jlw said:

    After reading again I think it's supposed to go in the fermenter not boil. I have never used fruit in a beer.


    Like I said, I only did once. Added blueberries to a hefe. Mistake one was doing it in the secondary and not leaving enough headspace. It made a mess. The second problem is I got zero flavor or aroma. Maybe not enough fruit I don't know. I also sort of cooked/blanched the blueberries first. Maybe that wasn't right.

    I think it is supposed to go into the fermenter, but at what point. I would say after fermentation has slowed, that is what I'm doing next time.
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    Hmm. Anyone that reads this ... Would it be better to just the oranges and brew something else? I'm cool with that as well. I could just brew my black ipa or my Christmas beer for next year.
  • JayrizzleJayrizzle
    Posts: 90,049
    I really don't like the hefe thing. Just personal taste. But I feel blood oranges are meh when it comes to flavor. They are really cool for looks, but are sub-par for flavor most of the time.
    As for use; rind has mostly oils in it. Quite volatile oils that will boil off, yet not come out with out boiling. A bit like AA's in hops. I (with out any really knowledge) would suggest a few additions during the boil.
    "I don't have TP, but I do have ammo."
    -Some guy in Ohio
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,655


    As for use; rind has mostly oils in it. Quite volatile oils that will boil off, yet not come out with out boiling. A bit like AA's in hops. I (with out any really knowledge) would suggest a few additions during the boil.



    yes and no. Lake's wit, like many in that style, has a late boil addition of orange peel and it comes through very well in the finished beer. i'd say try a 15 minute addition and another at flameout. as for the fruit, i don't really know. fresh fruit should probably get some campden or something to sanitize it. seems like an invitation for infection to me.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    I bagged this beer for now. Brewing my Christmas 2013 RIS.
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,586


    As for use; rind has mostly oils in it. Quite volatile oils that will boil off, yet not come out with out boiling. A bit like AA's in hops. I (with out any really knowledge) would suggest a few additions during the boil.



    yes and no. Lake's wit, like many in that style, has a late boil addition of orange peel and it comes through very well in the finished beer. i'd say try a 15 minute addition and another at flameout. as for the fruit, i don't really know. fresh fruit should probably get some campden or something to sanitize it. seems like an invitation for infection to me.


    i agree with both points. for the citrus splitting your total and doing a 15 & 0 addition is going to draw out the flavor and aroma.

    as for fresh fruit additions in secondary (i wouldn't do it with orange personally) i like to put all of my fruit in a blender, add a little invert or table sugar to kick fermentation back into gear, and place the whole mess into a canning jar. boil it till it hits about 170 through out. cap it and let it cool. then it should be ready to add to the secondary.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • JayrizzleJayrizzle
    Posts: 90,049
    I like the canning idea, but if you have a pressure cooker, put it at 15PSI (250F) for 20+ min, because why not? That acidity will not requite such high heat, but kill what may live in it before you dump.
    "I don't have TP, but I do have ammo."
    -Some guy in Ohio
  • I just tried blood oranges recently. It tasted to me like a mix between an orange and a grapefruit. So you might be able to just use some peel from each of those. With those flavors in mind, you could play with the hops a bit to emphasize the citrus notes as well.


    I might try this out soon, now that my interest is piqued.