I've been toying with a grapefruit beer ever since I tried Magic Hat's Electric Peel and Sammy's grapefruit Rebel Rouser. However, I did try the Ballast point grapefruit skulpin and that was too IPA--the grapefruit didn't really shine in that one. How would you go about this? Peel added to boil? Fruit juice in the brew? I've done an orange IPA before, many years ago, and it turned out really well, but that was 11 years ago and I didn't take notes. It's been so long since I did any serious brewing (not just kits a couple of times a year) that I feel like a noob again. Thanks folks.
Funny, I thought the grapefruit was a back-seat in Electric Peel, but way more prominent in Rebel. Rebel I believe they add the juice which gives it a slight sour edge imo. Careful though with juice, too much and you'll get a sour-tasting beer. So I just had a recipe i brewed run in the BYO that is out called citrus-grove IPA…was hoping I could link it, but guess not…though a basic IPA base. 10# pale malt 2.5# wheat malt 18 oz rolled oats 2# turbinado 3 grapefruits peeled 2 oranges peeled 1 lemon peeled 1 lime peeled Bravo bittering 40 ibus. Then tossed in some Centennial with like 10 mins left in the boil and a combo of maybe 5 oz. Citra/Cascade along with half of the total peels at FO. Whirlpooled for 30 mins. Fermented with Boddington's strain. Another ~5 oz total of Citra/Cascade in dry hops along with the other half of the peels (soaked in vodka). Been a crowd pleaser…but definitely BIG citrus… Just be sure to use organic fruits and SCRUB them with hot water & soap before peeling. There is wax that is sprayed on the fruit that will destroy any possibility of head retention if you don't.
I have not brewed with grapefruit to be able to give first hand knowledge, but I'm pretty sure this topic has come up in this forum in the past, so doing a search of thread titles would probably get you a lot of previous thoughts/discussions.
I dry-hopped the zest of 6 grapefruits at the end of primary for 2 days before packaging in an IPA with Cascade and Chinook. Turned out really well.
I had the opportunity to drink a Grapefruit Tripel at the 2015 NHC that I thought was outstanding. I spoke to the brewer and from memory she told me she used the zest of 6 grapefruits; 3 used for end of boil and 3 added mid-fermentation. She used a combination of Ruby Red Grapefruit and 'regular' Grapefruit but I do not remember the details. Cheers!
Is that just the peels or the juice plus the peel? And I agree that Rebel has more upfront grapefruit, but compared to the Ballast Point, Electric Peel was much more grapefruit. I think my husband liked the Electric Peel more because it was more IPA, but basically anything IPA that I'm willing to get a keg of that he won't object to is a win for both of us.
Just the peels…juiced the fruit and drank that in some cocktails after pitching the yeast…need the vitamin C
