oh i forgot-- i made a 5 gal batch not a 1 gal
Well I'd have thought it still feasible for the extra oranges to have increased the bitterness some......
It's probably one of those hard to calculate things.......
For instance, with normal scaling up, logic would dictate that you'd just multiply by 5, except if you were using wine yeast, 1 pack is (according to the instructions) enough for up to 5 gallons. The same might apply to the orange - I mean, how much of an influence is the orange flavour relative to the amount of acid in an orange - is the X 5 thing too much ?
I don't know, as I usually stick to making 1 gallon batches.
There's some threads etc that I've read where the maker has tried to eliminate the bitterness completely, by using a filleting knife to peel the skin off the orange carefully, then the pith is removed by hand, the orange then split into segments and any pips and the inner skin carefully removed. Then the only parts added to the brew are the outer skin and the segmented flesh.
Now to make a benchmark version, you'd surely have to follow the recipe verbatim, but if the consequent scaling up of 5 oranges seems to add too much bitterness, maybe you could just use 2 whole oranges, and then the zest/outer skin and segmented flesh......
That's one variation that I hadn't thought of trying......
After all, it's your brew so any mods that are done, are of your choosing. Though if it comes out well, then post the results so others can give it a try.....
