Newest Threads

Lambeau · 05-22-2011, 07:09 PM

Okay, so I just brewed a ~10 gallon batch of IPA yesterday, and it's sitting in the conical with an OG of ~1.060. I'd like to add about 4-5 lbs of raw honey after 7-10 days of fermentation and possibly finish it off with some champagne yeast (haven't decided for sure yet). I'm at a loss as to how to calculate my ABV. Should I take another gravity reading after I add the honey, then a third after that fermentation? I just don't exactly know how to go about this, any help is appreciated.

Cheers!

**Double_D** · 05-22-2011, 07:16 PM

Wouldn't it throw off the beginning specific gravity reading if you add honey halfway through the fermentation? I haven't seen this process before. What are you making specifically? Usually honey is added at the end of the boil so you can get a cumulative total of sugars and from there you can easily figure out ABV. You could get yourself a rough estimate of how much fermentable sugar you are adding by finding the estimated available fermentable sugar per pound for the honey but it wouldn't be exact because all honey is different.

turtle · 05-22-2011, 07:17 PM

there's probably a million ways to do this, I would
1)take gravity right before adding honey
2)take gravity right after adding honey
3)calculate the difference and add that to original gravity

**Double_D** · 05-22-2011, 07:18 PM

that's what I was just about to add^^

Lambeau · 05-22-2011, 07:20 PM

Specifically, I don't really know what I'm making. More of an experimental IPA. I want to add the honey after fermentation has well and started so as to avoid contamination issues, as I will not be pasteurizing the honey. I'm not adding the honey solely for the sugar, I'm also trying to get a slight braggot feel to the beer.

Lambeau · 05-22-2011, 07:22 PM

Turtle- that sounds like the way I may go for this. Makes sense: simple, effective.

Thanks!

turtle · 05-22-2011, 07:22 PM

meh...I never really know what I'm making until after I drink the last bottle of it. and by then I've forgotten how I made it. I've always had good results with honey in beer.

StoneFan · 05-22-2011, 09:50 PM

I brewed a beer adding cherries
I took a reading before I added the cherries
A reading right after adding cherries
Then a FG.
I added % from OG to before cherries to my % gained after the cherries
I came out with just under 8%

I had an analysis done by Stone and it came out to 7.77% That is pretty damn close IMO

**biochemedic** · 05-23-2011, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turtle

there's probably a million ways to do this, I would
1)take gravity right before adding honey
2)take gravity right after adding honey
3)calculate the difference and add that to original gravity

This is what I do for late sugar additions too...sometimes I knock a point or two off to account for the increased volume...it's all an estimate anyway...

dcp27 · 05-23-2011, 02:55 PM

I'd just calculate the honey addition like it was added during the boil with everything else. when you add it doesnt effect how it changes your abv. honey does vary a bit tho, so i guess you could do turtles way if you want to know the exact ppg, should be around 35 tho.