Honey instead of corn sugar as a primer

NChomebrewer · 10-24-2006, 04:20 PM

I am getting ready to bottle a honey brown ale and I have a few questions in regards to using honey as a primer rather than corn sugar.

Will using the honey increase the taste of honey in the beer?

How much honey should I use and how should it be prepared before putting it into the bottling bucket?

If I do use honey, how much time should I allow the beer to age in the bottles?

Thanks in advance for answering my questions.

Cheesefood · 10-24-2006, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NChomebrewer

I am getting ready to bottle a honey brown ale and I have a few questions in regards to using honey as a primer rather than corn sugar.

Will using the honey increase the taste of honey in the beer?

How much honey should I use and how should it be prepared before putting it into the bottling bucket?

If I do use honey, how much time should I allow the beer to age in the bottles?

Thanks in advance for answering my questions.

I tried priming with honey and didn't appreciate the results compared to priming with a healthy dose of DME (I got with about 1.5 cups for 5 gallons). I've had luck going half-DME and half honey.

Wheat King · 10-24-2006, 05:07 PM

molasses? ill be bottling my gingerbread ale in a couple weeks...
ive asked elsewhere before, but the more help, the better!

Evan! · 10-24-2006, 05:36 PM

I really doubt that the priming sugars will have too much influence on the finished products aroma/palate. We're talking about a pint of primer vs 5 gallons. So that's 2.5% of your total fluid. Given that alot of the impurities boil out (as they should) during the primer boil, you're going to get even less flavor than you think.

The primer is not the place to optimize your recipe. If you think the beer isn't what you wanted, then amend the recipe and do better next time. Right now, the best thing you can do is focus on adequate carbonation---meaning, corn sugar or DME.

Or, if you want to wait, you could always brew and ferment a small supplementary batch that is strong on the characteristics you're looking for, and then blend them.

Have you tasted your beer in awhile? Are you even sure that it needs any help?

NChomebrewer · 10-24-2006, 06:38 PM

I have tasted the beer and there is not much of a honey taste to it. The recipe called for a pound of honey and I used 1.5 lbs.

I didn't think using honey instead of corn sugar would make that much of a difference because so very little is used but I thought I would ask anyway and see what opinions I would get.

Thanks for the input.

**Yuri_Rage** · 10-24-2006, 07:13 PM

Honey ferments pretty completely, leaving a very subtle flavor. If you want honey flavor, kill the yeast with heat or Campden tablets before adding it or use a honey malt. I like adding honey on the order of several pounds as an adjunct, but I doubt I'll ever use it to prime.

**Evets** · 10-25-2006, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yuri_Rage

If you want honey flavor, kill the yeast with heat or Campden tablets before adding it or use a honey malt.

But if you kill the yeast, you can't bottle carb it, only CO2 in a keg, no?

**Pumbaa** · 10-25-2006, 12:37 AM

How Much to use? check here http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator/carbonation.html

Time wise I would guess a month for carbonation, but check it at 2 weeks and decide for yourself

I prepare it just like you would if it was corn syrup or DME, add some water bring to a boil and cool

The increas in honey flavor will be very little, possibly not even noticable unless you mention it to someone

Brewpilot · 10-25-2006, 12:55 AM

I have used honey in several brews and had great results. I am talking carbed bottles in several days! I use 1 cup water and boil it, then "melt" the honey in it... let it cool and add it at bottling time. It leaves very little taste to the beer, if any, but I have had great carbonating results with it certainly!

Brewpilot

Drinking: Summer Wheat
Brewing: Raspberry Ale
Gone too soon: Drowning Wasp Ale

fermenteverything · 01-04-2011, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brewpilot

I have used honey in several brews and had great results. I am talking carbed bottles in several days! I use 1 cup water and boil it, then "melt" the honey in it... let it cool and add it at bottling time. It leaves very little taste to the beer, if any, but I have had great carbonating results with it certainly!

Why is it that people love to throw their vague opinions around but no one will commit to giving any facts, like how much honey to use for priming?