• FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    anyone ever brew with citrus?

    i'd like to split a batch and make a citrus bomb ipa sorta like grapefruit sculpin, etc. anyone have any experience with that?
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,568
    My experience with citrus has been in lighter beers using the peel. I'd like to know what the grapefruit sculpin process is.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • CurlyFatCurlyFat
    Posts: 71,622
    Same here. I've only used peel.


    I took a short one a couple hours ago. It was nice. --
    C_B

  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    Thym said:

    My experience with citrus has been in lighter beers using the peel. I'd like to know what the grapefruit sculpin process is.



    i'd really like to know what the pineapple sculpin process is. that seems way easier to make disgusting.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    i think i'm just going to do a 10 gallon batch of ipa, then add peel and juice in the kegs. split it up between a grapefruit ipa and a pineapple/mango/whatever ipa.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,568

    i think i'm just going to do a 10 gallon batch of ipa, then add peel and juice in the kegs. split it up between a grapefruit ipa and a pineapple/mango/whatever ipa.



    I'm pretty sure there is no juice used in the commercial processes. My guess, based on experience and some recent reading is that they probably use either use the two processes below or just brew a normal sculpin and skip directly to process two.

    1) add copious amounts of fresh peel to boil
    2) add pressed oils from the peel to the fermenting beer

    the oils could impact head retention, so im not sure how they get around that. Maybe i should visit the brewery.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    Thym said:

    i think i'm just going to do a 10 gallon batch of ipa, then add peel and juice in the kegs. split it up between a grapefruit ipa and a pineapple/mango/whatever ipa.



    I'm pretty sure there is no juice used in the commercial processes. My guess, based on experience and some recent reading is that they probably use either use the two processes below or just brew a normal sculpin and skip directly to process two.

    1) add copious amounts of fresh peel to boil
    2) add pressed oils from the peel to the fermenting beer

    the oils could impact head retention, so im not sure how they get around that. Maybe i should visit the brewery.


    lemme clarify:

    grapefruit half-rind/peel
    pineapple half-juice at kegging.

    for the rind, i'll pull a couple pints and re-boil, then add to the keg.

    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    For a citrus forward ipa, I might suggest a combination of Citrus and Mosaic hops.
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    jlw said:

    For a citrus forward ipa, I might suggest a combination of Citrus and Mosaic hops.



    i'm not a huge fan of mosaic. i was leaning towards galaxy, citra, and either ahtanum or azzaka.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    yeah, stick with peel... in my experience, most citrus juice ends up smelling/tasting very much like vomit after it ferments
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454

    jlw said:

    For a citrus forward ipa, I might suggest a combination of Citrus and Mosaic hops.



    i'm not a huge fan of mosaic. i was leaning towards galaxy, citra, and either ahtanum or azzaka.

    I was also reading to use zest and the peel and eliminate as much pith as possible.
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    But then again, take anything I post about brewing with a grain of salt since I don't actually brew.
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    ceannt said:

    yeah, stick with peel... in my experience, most citrus juice ends up smelling/tasting very much like vomit after it ferments



    it'll be added after fermentation is finished. i don't think pineapple rind is the flavor i'm aiming for...
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654

    jlw said:

    But then again, take anything I post about brewing with a grain of salt since I don't actually brew.



    i will, because:

    jlw said:

    jlw said:

    For a citrus forward ipa, I might suggest a combination of Citrus and Mosaic hops.



    i'm not a huge fan of mosaic. i was leaning towards galaxy, citra, and either ahtanum or azzaka.

    I was also reading to use zest and the peel and eliminate as much pith as possible.


    hops don't have peel or zest...
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828

    ceannt said:

    yeah, stick with peel... in my experience, most citrus juice ends up smelling/tasting very much like vomit after it ferments



    it'll be added after fermentation is finished. i don't think pineapple rind is the flavor i'm aiming for...


    Better make sure ALL the yeast has been killed... or it will ferment; there be sugars in that there juice
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    jlw said:

    jlw said:

    For a citrus forward ipa, I might suggest a combination of Citrus and Mosaic hops.



    i'm not a huge fan of mosaic. i was leaning towards galaxy, citra, and either ahtanum or azzaka.

    I was also reading to use zest and the peel and eliminate as much pith as possible.


    Pith = bad
    Just zest the very outside of the peel
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    ceannt said:

    jlw said:

    jlw said:

    For a citrus forward ipa, I might suggest a combination of Citrus and Mosaic hops.



    i'm not a huge fan of mosaic. i was leaning towards galaxy, citra, and either ahtanum or azzaka.

    I was also reading to use zest and the peel and eliminate as much pith as possible.


    Pith = bad
    Just zest the very outside of the peel


    generally, i agree. but i've used store bought dried citrus rind before and there is always a bunch of white on it, but it didn't give me any of the bitter gross flavor people complain about.

    either way, fresh zest tastes way better.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    ceannt said:

    ceannt said:

    yeah, stick with peel... in my experience, most citrus juice ends up smelling/tasting very much like vomit after it ferments



    it'll be added after fermentation is finished. i don't think pineapple rind is the flavor i'm aiming for...


    Better make sure ALL the yeast has been killed... or it will ferment; there be sugars in that there juice


    more or less. i've backsweetened many many ciders without any issues.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    see, i know nothing about brewing.

  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828

    ceannt said:

    ceannt said:

    yeah, stick with peel... in my experience, most citrus juice ends up smelling/tasting very much like vomit after it ferments



    it'll be added after fermentation is finished. i don't think pineapple rind is the flavor i'm aiming for...


    Better make sure ALL the yeast has been killed... or it will ferment; there be sugars in that there juice


    more or less. i've backsweetened many many ciders without any issues.


    two questions....

    Why would you backsweeten a cider?

    and... are you not the guy that says you don't like "sweet"?
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    ceannt said:



    two questions....

    Why would you backsweeten a cider?

    and... are you not the guy that says you don't like "sweet"?



    because that's how i like it, obviously.

    and...i didn't say candied cider, you knob head. i just add a little juice concentrate back in to up the apple flavor and balance out the tartness. my ciders aren't nearly as sweet as say, strongbow/magners/etc.

    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    Just pullin' your chain there fuzzy...
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    ceannt said:

    Just pullin' your chain there fuzzy...



    i don't have a chain. it's a fiberoptic tether.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828

    ceannt said:

    Just pullin' your chain there fuzzy...



    i don't have a chain. it's a fiberoptic tether.


    I used the euphemism, it's easier to type
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.