Priming with limoncello

[bataviabrew]

Hi folks,

I'm making a cerveza from a kit, and have some home made limoncello I was looking to use to prime.

I've done this before and I added one coopwrs drop, plus a 25ml shot of limoncello in a 500ml bottle.

The end results were a lovely tasting beer, nice a fizzy, but zero head!

Anything I can do here to ensure I don't kill off the head? IM more comfortable with batch priming than I was when I made this kit previously.

Or is priming with limoncello just a silly idea? The alternative is just add some limoncello to the glass when pouring and see what that tastes like.

Thanks.

 

[Slid]

Hi folks,

I'm making a cerveza from a kit, and have some home made limoncello I was looking to use to prime.

I've done this before and I added one coopwrs drop, plus a 25ml shot of limoncello in a 500ml bottle.

The end results were a lovely tasting beer, nice a fizzy, but zero head!

Anything I can do here to ensure I don't kill off the head? IM more comfortable with batch priming than I was when I made this kit previously.

Or is priming with limoncello just a silly idea? The alternative is just add some limoncello to the glass when pouring and see what that tastes like.

Thanks.

If the beer is fizzy but has poor head retention, the problem is usually that it is too thin. This is why pub lager is always flat, for instance.

A 2 can kit or a 1 can tith 1kg DME makes for a heavier beer, with better head retention, but I think this would be quite a different drink to what you are after.

BTW, I would add the flavouring to the finished beer, as you suggest.

 

[didinho]

Hi folks,
Or is priming with limoncello just a silly idea? The alternative is just add some limoncello to the glass when pouring and see what that tastes like.

Limoncello contains a lot of essential oils from lemon peel: in Italy we do it extracting those oils in alcohol (then adding sugar syrup).
Oils destroy foam in beer, so, there is no head in your beer. and the fact that is a beer from kit may help it: I remember my kits had very poor head...

 

[bataviabrew]

Sounds good thanks. I've done a few kits new and never had any issues with head, including coopers ones. The explanation about the oils makes sense tho, will just prime as normal and add some to the glass :)

Cheers.