Sour Orange Chocolate Porter

[browndog]

For anyone out Ipswich way there is a massive sour orange tree that overhangs into my yard that is loaded with oranges at the moment. Looking forward to trying this one Ross.

cheers

Browndog

 

[Ross]

Update:

Having tasted Ok in the fermenter with all that unfermented wort to balance it, a taste test today tells a different story. The sourness really is in danger of being too over powerring.
Any suggestions on what could be added to cut it down a bit - The wife suggested bicarb of soda, but I have no idea what this would do :unsure: . I was planning on some Vanilla extract to counter the sourness, but I think I need something else - lactose maybe :unsure: ?


Cheers Ross

 

[Gerard_M]

Blend it with more Porter or something similar.
Cheers
Gerard

 

[Darren]

Update:

The sourness really is in danger of being too over powerring.
Any suggestions on what could be added to cut it down a bit - The wife suggested bicarb of soda
Cheers Ross

Probably would cause alot of foaming. Worth a try in a glass full. Dont try a fermenter full or could be a big mess.

cheers

Darren

 

[bconnery]

Update:

Having tasted Ok in the fermenter with all that unfermented wort to balance it, a taste test today tells a different story. The sourness really is in danger of being too over powerring.
Any suggestions on what could be added to cut it down a bit - The wife suggested bicarb of soda, but I have no idea what this would do . I was planning on some Vanilla extract to counter the sourness, but I think I need something else - lactose maybe ?


Cheers Ross

Time.

More time.

For the first six weeks of my beer, at least, the sourness was mouth puckering. Intense lambic or brett beer levels. I loved it.

When you tasted it at Squires' Xmas swap was nearly 5 months old. The more recent ones you've tasted have been nearly a year. Your beer will get to that balance, and I think you'll agree, it should be worth the wait.

You could, and I dont' want to suggest anything too crazy here , bottle it...

I think any attempt to cut this other than by aging will be a mistake. Time is the only method in my book.

 

[Ross]

Ben,

Thanks for that reassurance - & yes, i was also seriously considering bottling it. i'll have a little play when it's ready & make the decision then

cheers Ross

 

[Tony]

Definatly sounds like a beer to bottle and forget about for a while.

Im interested guys....... whats the go with these sour oranges. Are they a specific type of orange?

cheers

 

[bconnery]

Ben,

Thanks for that reassurance - & yes, i was also seriously considering bottling it. i'll have a little play when it's ready & make the decision then

cheers Ross

Bottle me one early cause I like em sour!!!

 

[bconnery]

Definatly sounds like a beer to bottle and forget about for a while.

Im interested guys....... whats the go with these sour oranges. Are they a specific type of orange?

cheers

Yes, but I have no idea what.

My folks have a bunch of citrus trees, not farmers or anything, just planted them, and one grew as some sort of sour orange. I don't think they are straight Seville, which is what many people seem to immediately think of, I think they are some kind of weird bush/something cross. Whatever the case they are intensely sour.

I took one taste and thought they'd make a great ingredient for souring a beer without mucking around with Brett or Roselare(sp?) cultures.

I used them last year in a Flanders Red type beer and Ross was very impressed so I said I'd get him some of the latest crop of them.

This year's batch that Ross has used are from different trees again so I have no idea if they are the same or what but once again they are, to quote Ross, "the habaneros of the sour orange world"...

I have two batches ready to go....

 

[frogman]

You could, and I dont' want to suggest anything too crazy here , bottle it...

I think bottling it may be the go.
Not sure Ross would be able to spare a keg to let it age for up to 12 months.



FROGMAN.

Edit=added pic.

 

[winkle]

The green one bottom left. "Its a bit green"

 

[Ross]

Well it's in the keg & had my 1st glass this afternoon.
It's drinkable, not as sour as I had feared & has potential (I think :unsure: ) - Only time will tell.



Sour Orange Chocolate Porter
Type: All Grain
Date: 31/07/2007
Batch Size: 27.00 L
Boil Size: 35.31 L
Boil Time: 90 min Equipment: My Equipment
Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.0

Amount Item Type % or IBU
5.00 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.9 EBC) Grain 59.1 %
1.00 kg Caramalt (Barrett Burston) (49.3 EBC) Grain 11.8 %
1.00 kg Munich Malt II (23.0 EBC) Grain 11.8 %
0.60 kg Brown Malt (128.1 EBC) Grain 7.1 %
0.35 kg Amber Malt (43.3 EBC) Grain 4.1 %
0.17 kg Carafa II (811.6 EBC) Grain 2.0 %
0.17 kg Chocolate Malt (Thomas Fawcett) (1000.8 EBC) Grain 2.0 %
0.17 kg Chocolate Malt pale (886.5 EBC) Grain 2.0 %
45.00 gm Galena [12.90%] (60 min) Hops 45.7 IBU
0.50 kg Dark chocolate 72% cocoa (Boil 80.0 min) Misc
0.50 tsp Koppafloc (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
5.00 gm Orange Peel, Bitter (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
400.00 ml Sour orange (5 oranges) (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Nottingham (Danstar #-) Yeast-Ale
20.0 ml Vanilla Extract (keg addition)

Measured Original Gravity: 1.076 SG
Final Gravity: 1.020
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 7.3 %
Bitterness: 45.7 IBU Calories: off the chart
Est Color: 70.5 EBC

Cheers Ross

 

[browndog]

Had a taste of this beer yesterday arvo and from Ross's build up, I was expecting a sour hit like a dose od ascorbic acid. To my and Ross's surprise the sourness had mellowed quite a lot and the beer was well on it's way to becoming something special. There is the big hit of chocolate at the front with the sour orange developing as time passes. I think this is going to be a great beer down the track if Ross can keep it from his many visitors.

cheers

Browndog

 

[tangent]

whats the go with these sour oranges. Are they a specific type of orange?

Certainly are Tony, quite a few different varieties. The most well known would be Curaao and Seville.
Wiki
Obviously in our sugar-junkie society they're not the most popular tree to get your hands on. I'm trying like crazy to get a Curaao orange tree, but not having much luck as yet.