I'm kicking around ideas for my next brew. I had a thought to do a Belgian wit for summer, but in lieu of zesting a bunch of oranges, adding a bit of orange liqueur instead. Has anyone ever tried something like this with successful results? If so, what amount did you use?
Never tried it, but I would say to go with Cointreau. Triple Sec is kinda gross, as is Curacao. Gran Marnier's brandy base might not suit a wit. There's a nice formula in Experimental Homebrewing on pg. 190 on how to figure out gravity contributions. Really cool as a way to just use a liqueur as bottling sugar.
Thanks for the input. I'll have to give Cointeau a try. I've always used Triple Sec for my marguerites because I was too cheap to buy Cointeau. I figured I was overpaying for the label, but if the difference is that noticeable I may have to try it.
In a margarita, it's hard to taste the difference. In a wit, more than likely. I know every kitchen I've worked in that wanted to use an orange liqueur in a dish but didn't want the brandy base of Gran Marnier used Cointreau. Go to a bar that has both, where the bartender is familiar with you, and ask for shot of each to sip and taste the difference. Make sure to explain why, as this will raise an eyebrow or two, and tip well.
Make some fresh orange liquor, I bet it would be even better than Cointreau. My wife makes her own, her recipe is 1 cup of simple syrup, 1 cup of vodka (smirnoff triple distilled) and orange/tangerine rinds. Put's it all in a jar and let it steep for about a week. It is very aromatic and delicious. Some people may say don't add the pith from the peel, but I think it helps in this recipe. The bitterness helps to balance the sweet simply syrup. Simple syrup is easy to make as well, 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar, bring to a boil and let cool. I better include the word beer in this post to keep it beer related. Try to make a batch, it's easy and cheap to experiment with.
