# Where To Get Bitter Orange Peels



## steve78 (25/9/10)

Hey all,

In making my last (was also my first..) witbier, I couldn't get hold of any of the bitter curacao orange peels that this style usually calls for, so I dried my own orange peels with the white stuff taken off. The result was not the best, and I put it down to the orange peels.
The Brewcraft website shows they do supply this product (number 50700), but my LHBS states they cannot get it. Does anyone know where I can pick up a pack of this stuff at all?

Cheers,

Steve


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## Rodolphe01 (25/9/10)

I could be wrong, but I think I have seen them on the shelf at craftbrewer (but not on the website), maybe give them a call... when they're open.


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## steve78 (25/9/10)

Cheers big fella, will call them on Monday...


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## white.grant (25/9/10)

Asian grocery stores usually stock it too.

cheers

grant


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## jakub76 (25/9/10)

Grantw said:


> Asian grocery stores usually stock it too.



I picked mine up from an asian grocer but it was pretty unexciting. Everything I have read and heard since suggests using fresh zest instead. When I make my next wit I'll be using fresh orange zest for sure.
No doubt you're planning on using corriander seeds too...grab one and grind it up, inhale. That's where a lot of your orange flavour comes from, freshly ground in a mortar and pestle it's AWESOME! 

Last time I used 2tsp of ground corriander seeds - next time I'll be using at least twice as much. A whole masterfoods jar is 18 grams, I'm going to use a whole thing...all 18 grams in at flameout. As far as the zest goes I reckon I'll be using the zest of around 6 oranges/citrus (maybe a grapefruit or lemon in there too). Doc at the BN recommends chamomile tea also, sounds like the flavours would meld nicely. Also the White Rabbit White uses honey for priming and I reckon it works really well with the flavours of the spices and wheat malt...I'll be doing it next time.


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## white.grant (25/9/10)

jakub76 said:


> I picked mine up from an asian grocer but it was pretty unexciting. Everything I have read and heard since suggests using fresh zest instead. When I make my next wit I'll be using fresh orange zest for sure.
> No doubt you're planning on using corriander seeds too...grab one and grind it up, inhale. That's where a lot of your orange flavour comes from, freshly ground in a mortar and pestle it's AWESOME!
> 
> Last time I used 2tsp of ground corriander seeds - next time I'll be using at least twice as much.



True, fresh peel ftw.

Indian coriander is much more fragrant than the standard se Asian stuff. You can tell them apart as the Indian ones are oval and the se Asian ones are round. 

Cheers

Grant


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## pjwhite5 (25/9/10)

Apparently November is when bitter Orange (Seville) will be available in Aust. I have heard that there is a place out Orange (Central Tablelands NSW) way that grows them. I am also trying to get my hands on some.

Cheers

PJ


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## Batz (25/9/10)

pjwhite5 said:


> Apparently November is when bitter Orange (Seville) will be available in Aust. I have heard that there is a place out Orange (Central Tablelands NSW) way that grows them. I am also trying to get my hands on some.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> PJ




I don't suppose it will do you any good but there's plenty of Seville oranges falling off trees around here. Pick them yourself.


Batz


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## TidalPete (25/9/10)

Batz said:


> There's plenty of Seville oranges falling off trees around here.
> Batz



PM sent.

TP


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## Guysmiley54 (25/9/10)

I am planning a wheat beer for my next batch. How should I get the zest? When I zest for cooking, I use a very fine zesting grater and stop before the pith (white stuff). Is this the same technique when getting orange peel for brewing?

One recipe I'm considering calls for 20gm of zest, that would take a LONG time to do this way. What do you guys think?


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## fawnroux (25/9/10)

> I am planning a wheat beer for my next batch. How should I get the zest? When I zest for cooking, I use a very fine zesting grater and stop before the pith (white stuff). Is this the same technique when getting orange peel for brewing?



Personally, I just use a vegetable peeler and peel the zest off. 20g is maybe 2 oranges worth? (give or take). You could use a small knife to then cut away any pith if your peeler takes to much off.

Dave


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## Wolfy (25/9/10)

Randy Mosher's book suggests the peel from 2x Sweet Oranges and 1x Grapefruit make a good approximation to bitter orange peel if you can't get it.


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## pjwhite5 (26/9/10)

Batz,

Well it looks like I'm in the wrong state, will be able to get up there in Nov, but with the no fruit across the the border, still doesn't help.

looks like I will have to wait until I can get my hands on some down here,

Wolfy,

I tried Mosher's suggestion, and its not too bad, also tried his idea of using a range of citrus fruit, Grape fruit, sweet Orange, tangelos, manderines etc, also not too bad, but would like to compare using the Seville.

Cheers

PJ


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## Batz (26/9/10)

TidalPete said:


> PM sent.
> 
> TP




PM not received.

Batz


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## TidalPete (26/9/10)

Batz said:


> PM not received.
> 
> Batz



Fixed!  

TP


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## Guysmiley54 (26/9/10)

thefawnroux said:


> Personally, I just use a vegetable peeler and peel the zest off. 20g is maybe 2 oranges worth? (give or take). You could use a small knife to then cut away any pith if your peeler takes to much off.
> 
> Dave



That sounds much more sensible than grating 20 grams with a zester!


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## Weizguy (26/9/10)

Guysmiley54 said:


> That sounds much more sensible than grating 20 grams with a zester!


+1 for the vegie peeler method. Have used this myself, and made a winning (and tasty too, mind you) beer with it.

I read an article once that suggested 50/50 dried chinese peel and fresh Valencia peel (dried in the microwave) was a good option.
I have used 100% Valencia peel and plenty of coriander, with pleasing results (for my tastes).

As suggested, you get most of the orange/citrus character from the coriander, than you do from the orange peel.
The peel is there to supplement bitterness due to the lack of bittering hops (i posted about this years ago,if you want to do some AHB research and get a history lesson).

Good luck with your Witbier, and REMEMBER: Witbier is different to Wheat beer


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## Kai (26/9/10)

Another option; I have used Angas Park mixed peel before with good success. It's approximately 95% glacd orange peel and 5% lemon and gives some great zesty marmalade character.


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## haysie (26/9/10)

Quantity is thing with orange zest and spices. Underdo it and you may as well have not bothered, overdo it and you may have a listerine type of beer.

Are weights in recipes dry or wet? Thats something to give thought.

For orange I prefer to buy a 3kg bag of IGA Australian oranges for the whole of about $2.99, grate the zest and spread over newspaper for a week then jar it. The oranges, wifey makes some juice.
Then when I cook up recipes saying ex amount of orange etc, using the dried I get far better results.
I add to the cube now instead of the boil, its good!


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## steve78 (27/9/10)

Well cheers guys for the responses. Personally, I peeled several oranges, took the pith off and dried them in the sun till they were crisp and I had 17g. I used the same in crushed coriander seeds. Belgian Wit Wyeast and a Pils/Wheat malt base with 10g Saaz at 15 mins. 
I've heard the Seville oranges were the ones to use, or mandarins.... I've also heard mixed reports about the ones from the Asian shops. 

Guysmiley, grating the zest didn't work for me. you can peel it off, take the white pith off with a knife and hang them in a hop bag or similar on the clothes line. That worked for me, it was just the taste of the oranges that didn't...

May try and get my hands on the Seville ones, have heard the best reports from them.

Cheers guys, best of luck!!!!

Steve


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## Guysmiley54 (27/9/10)

Thanks for the detail, will do mine the same way. My recipe calls for "sweet orange peel" so I don't think I will miss the seville.

Cheers :icon_cheers:


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## jakub76 (27/9/10)

steve78 said:


> 10g Saaz at 15 mins.



Is that all the hops you used? That's about 2 IBU's - generally this style sits between 10 & 20 IBU.


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