When do I add Orange and clove to Hefe?

[babelfish]

Im looking at making a hefeweizen wheat beer. I have the ingredients to brew the basic beer but I want to add some fresh orange peel to the beer to get a feel similar to blue moon. On top of that i would like to add clove to get a holiday flavor and scent to the beer. I know all the steps to make the basic brew but im not sure when i should add the orange zest or rushed cloves. Should i use a secondary for the fruit infusion or add it at some point in the boil. If i add them in the boil should i strain them out when it goes into the fermentor or leave it in until i rack the beer? I don't want to over do the flavors either...any help would be appreciated!

 

[Spicemon1972]

I can't speak to the cloves but I recently did an Orange Wheat and I used the zest from about 12 fresh oranges in the boil. The boil was 60 minutes and I added for the last 5 minutes.

 

[Calichusetts]

Flameout or to the secondary, or even both. You can make a vodka tincture and soak the oranges and cloves in them for a week or two. Then add it to the secondary or bottling bucket

 

[freisste]

If it's a Hef, don't you get the clove from the yeast? Adjust pitch rate/temp to force clove or banana flavors. Or are you just going for a stronger flavor?

 

[TheSmithsEra]

Never

 

[MuddyCreek]

I use orange zest in the final 5 minutes. I don't use 12 oranges, but in the end how much you use depends on how much you want.

As for cloves, never done it.

 

[axmdr40]

Never

Prost

 

[babelfish]

This is my first Hefe brew so i'm not sure how to accomplish the Clove flavor using the yeast. I usually ferment around 65-68 degree (the house temperature)I know that I wanted a the aroma and slight flavor of the clove and orange since ill be serving the beer near the holidays. Will the yeast provide aroma as well as flavor?...Ive drank a few hefes but dont remember them tasting like clove, but I guess that why i'm posting in the beginners forum!

PS im using: Danstar Munich German Wheat Beer Yeast

 

[Spicemon1972]

I use orange zest in the final 5 minutes. I don't use 12 oranges, but in the end how much you use depends on how much you want. As for cloves, never done it.

They were pretty small oranges...

 

[MuddyCreek]

Dude! Don't ever let her tell you that!

 

[Spicemon1972]

Dude! Don't ever let her tell you that!

Bwaaaahahahaha!
Perfect response!
Well done, sir - well done!

 

[causeimthesquid]

If you want more clove flavor, slightly under pitch your yeast and ferment a little above 70f. I've never made a hefe, can't see drinking 5 gallons of the stuff, but I understand that is how you create more
Phenols and esters.

 

[babelfish]

Thanks for all the great ideas! I think Im going to skip the clove and look at coriander instead, along with the zest of about 3 or 4 navel oranges. Hopefully the clove will come through with the yeast. I also read that Chamomile adds and excellent scent and flavor that blends well with this brew. Anyone have an experience with Chamomile in brews?

 

[freisste]

This is from the Adventures in Homebrewing website description of Wyeast 3068 (a wheat yeast):

"The balance can be manipulated towards ester production through increasing the fermentation temperature, increasing the wort density, and decreasing the pitch rate. Over pitching can result in a near complete loss of banana character. Decreasing the ester level will allow a higher clove character to be perceived."

Ester is banana and phenol is clove. So reduce fermentation temperature, reduce wort density (unlikely), and increase the pitch rate.

Basically use yeastcalc.com or mrmalty.com to see the ideal pitch rate, increase it a little when you pitch, and stick to the bottom of the ideal range for your yeast. You can do that pretty easily with a tub partially filled with water and swapping out frozen water bottles.