How to use Orange Zest (not peel)

[ArcLight]

Can I just add it as is directly to the secondary?

Do I first have to heat it in hot water, and if so what temperature and for how long?

Do you soak it in Vodka and add the mixture? If so how long do you soak it?


I tasted a homebrew IPA and the guy used Orange Zest and it was excellent.

In reading many posts here it seems like a lot of people add it to the end of teh boil, so maybe I should do that? For how long? 5 minutes?

 

[Ridire]

I added it to the end of the boil in my blonde and got good results. I only added 1/4 to 1/2 oz and I don't recall if it was for 5 or 10 minutes without looking at the recipe.

Note - this was a lighter beer (blonde ale) and the taste from the zest is subtle. I'm not sure it would add much to an IPA to do what I did.

 

[daksin]

I'd probably soak it in some vodka- in addition to being sure about sanitization, you probably get some extra oil extraction. Win win in my book.

 

[stvo]

I did 10 gal of Hef and added 4oz of tangerine zest at flame out.... fermented one with a Hef yeast and one with Pacman kept at a constant 64F the tasted both this week (bottling Sat) the one with the Hef yeast I can barely taste it.... with the Pacman it's a little more pronounced but no where near where I want it..... I'm going to add 1oz to my priming sugar again at flame out for each and see what happens.
Orange in an IPA Hmmmm sounds very interesting may have to try and do something like that here soon