Anyone used fresh orange zest in a beer calling for orange peel (sweet or bitter).?
Yes, I have.
The original intent of the bitter orange peel in a Witbier was for bitterness. Citrus zest will not provide that, but it adds a nice citrus aroma. Try to avoid getting much of the white pith as it has a bitter off flavor.
I tried using the peel of two oranges during the last 5 minutes of the boil (4.5 gallons) for a three gallon batch of IPA with the intent of adding aroma and flavor. Before adding to the boil, I filleted the pith off the peel. I couldn’t tell that it added anything to the final product. However, I’ve only done this twice, so I’m not sure I’ve nailed the process.
I have great success with zest added after fermentation has slowed
fyi
Thanks all for the info. Looks like I’m going with Fire Rooster’s link to beerandbrewing.com;/orange-appeal
If I really want orange aroma and flavor, I make a tincture of orange zest and add it at the time of packaging. I live in an area where oranges just grow on the local trees, so I can grab 'em when they’re nice and fresh and fragrant. I use a microplane to zest the surface, and then let it sit in a few ounces of vodka for a week or two before filtering out the solids.