Getting Citrus In Your Beer

[manticle]

I'm very curious about developing certain ester flavours in my beer. These range from plum and raisin to port and citrus.

At the moment I'm particularly curious about citrus as I'm drinking a chimay white clone (recipe courtesy of another poster) and the only fruit I have is banana. I'm fairly certain it's my processes rather than the recipe - yeast was 1214 which is supposedly the chimay strain. In the real version I get citrus and a dryness whereas in my clone version I have banana and some warm alcohol (too much) which I put down to letting my temps get too high (trying to coax the right esters from the yeast and failing).

Any suggestions? I know I can get citrus with hops but what about yeast? Is it more complicated than finding the right temp at the right time?

Cheers.

 

[bum]

Can't help with the citrus but I've read (after a Barney Banana Brew I made once) that banana can come from brewing a little too warm.

I'll be keeping an eye on the answer to this one too.

 

[manticle]

Yeah brew got up to about 24. Mostly 20 throughout primary but warmed to 24 towards the latter stages to try and hit the esters.

 

[rackemup]

small dosage of food grade citric acid added during bulk priming perhaps? not sure if it will harm the yeast or not...
Aren't glacier hops supposed to be rather citrusy?(Aroma: From the sources I read, the aroma is the hops strong point. The descriptors of “Pleasant” and “Good” were used a lot. Some citrus mixed with some Goldings candy-like qualities. Maybe hints of pear or apricot. - brew-dudes.com) maybe throw in a bit of dried lemon/orange peel into the secondary?
all three?)

 

[Adamt]

You don't get citrus flavours from yeast, well you shouldn't. In Chimay White's case it would be hops giving it that "citrus" character - the White is a Tripel and is supposed to be quite hoppy.

 

[manticle]

Well chimay do use some american hops as far as I know so perhaps that's it. However I have read descriptions of esters that suggest citrus can result from ester production (unfortunately no info on how to achieve it though).

 

[bum]

Well chimay do use some american hops as far as I know so perhaps that's it. However I have read descriptions of esters that suggest citrus can result from ester production

The Wyeast 1272 I'm brewing with right now says it'll have a "light citrus character" when brewed cool but I dunno if that's because its an America Ale style yeast and the expectation is that you'll be using citrussy hops? Seems a bit too presumptuous to be likely to me.

 

[manticle]

1056 suggests the same thing. Just did a brew with it but I have the same issue as amarillo is the hop used and that gives me citrus anyway.

 

[peas_and_corn]

The best way to get citrus in a beer is to use the American 'C' hops.

 

[manticle]

I have some cascade which I'm not in a hurry to use with other brews. You reckon that would do it? Good solid flavour additions between 30 and 20? Some noble hops somewhere (seems traditional) and bittered to above 30 ibu with little to no late additions?

 

[peas_and_corn]

IMO if you want good aroma/flavour a 5 min or flameout addition would be best for Cascade. That said, I'm a big fan of flameout additions in general.

 

[3G]

I made a lime wit with zest of 10 fresh limes straight off the tree in the boil for 5 mins. Lots of lime there

 

[Screwtop]

Chimay Blanche does have a kind of wierd orange thing going on in there. As it's a Belgian I would try replacing some of the sugar with a little Marmalade Jam.

Screwy

 

[HoppingMad]

Citrus esters in a yeast?

I fermented an all-grain wheat beer low at a steady 16 degrees using Dry WB-06 (Fermentis product). I wound up with a grapefruit ester that was told by some more experienced brewers is consistent with a Wit Bier (embaressingly I was trying to make a weizen ).

This was at the lowest range recommended for this yeast. This is an area you could explore with the yeasts you have on hand if you wanted to experiment.

Otherwise as some have said hops would be your safest way to introduce citrus.

Some worth considering:
B Saaz
Cascade
Glacier
Pacific Jade
Sapphire

I gather glacier is good for the lemon factor, but haven't tried it myself.

Hopper.

 

[manticle]

Mainly after oranges. Will try fermenting lower and will also try using some cascade.

Cheers

 

[Adamt]

Try Challenger hops for a more jammy orange, or D Saaz for a zestier orange character.

 

[Fourstar]

IMO if you want good aroma/flavour a 5 min or flameout addition would be best for Cascade. That said, I'm a big fan of flameout additions in general.

Mainly after oranges. Will try fermenting lower and will also try using some cascade.
Cheers

Personally id be jumping at using Centennial. Nothing but citrus. I get a 'fruit tingle' sensation for heavily hopping with Centennial.

 

[A3k]

Hi Manticle,
WYeast 3711 is a Saison yeast which is meant to give citrus-esters (Link).
I've just finished fermenting with it. I haven't had heaps to drink of it as i'm trying to CC it, but any citris doesn't seem massivly obvious to me. Nice though.

Cheers,

 

[manticle]

Personally id be jumping at using Centennial. Nothing but citrus. I get a 'fruit tingle' sensation for heavily hopping with Centennial.

Just ordered some centennial for the next attempt.

Hi Manticle,
WYeast 3711 is a Saison yeast which is meant to give citrus-esters (Link).
I've just finished fermenting with it. I haven't had heaps to drink of it as i'm trying to CC it, but any citris doesn't seem massivly obvious to me. Nice though.

Cheers,

A few yeasts suggest citrus esters (1056 is another) so any idea on how best to encourage it?

 

[A3k]

I think I read somewhere about fermenting cool for 1056 to encourage citris