Want to add Honey to my Hefe extract kit

hefhead25 · 08-07-2010, 12:14 AM

So I want to add a little abv and a slight crisp honey taste to my hefe extract batch but i see everyone does something different. I will be kegging as well if that makes a difference. So should i add 1 lb. of honey---end of boil, after boil, after chilled and yeast is pitched, secondary, or when kegging. Keep in mind im not trying to make the beer too dry. I've heard that those sugars added too early can do that. Any advice???

avidhomebrewer · 08-07-2010, 01:55 AM

I would add no more than 2# of honey, depending upon how much dme/lme you are using, during the last 15 minutes of the boil.

**curlyfat** · 08-07-2010, 03:06 AM

I just did this! I've done all-grain for years, but thanks to a mis-communication with my wife, I ended up with 6lbs of Wheat DME. I also had a hefe yeast cake. And 2# of honey. So I did exactly what you are thinking of doing. I brewed as normal, and added the honey with 5m left in the boil (slowly, stirring like mad). It took a really long time to ferment despite using a good amount of yeast slurry (probably too much).

I just now tested it from the carboy and it is a little dry (1.009 from 1.054), but the honey is shining through and really compliments the banana-clove from the WYeast 3068. I'm going crash cool, and start drinking this next week. Looking forward to it!

I will say that the honey flavor seems to disguise the actual dryness. It is dry by the numbers, but doesn't taste that way. We'll see after it carbonates. I would add less than 2# of honey if you're worried about dryness.

hefhead25 · 08-07-2010, 08:36 PM

Awesome! Thanks that sounds great. Couple questions, how long did the fermentation take and what kind of honey did you use?

**curlyfat** · 08-08-2010, 12:14 AM

It took almost three weeks to ferment down!

It shot to about 1.020 in less than a week, and then just tottered along for another two weeks before bottoming out. I just used Walmart Clover Honey. Nothing fancy.

**curlyfat** · 08-09-2010, 09:12 AM

Ok, I crashed, carbed and tasted. It was pretty dry, causing a slightly unpleasant bitterness. I now would strongly recommend using 1lb or less honey with an extract recipe. I might try this all-grain with mash temps around 156.

zahrndt_usmc · 08-09-2010, 09:54 AM

Ive heard that you should add it to your secondary, becuase the yeast carries off the honey flavor.. Ive tried a honey ale where I did that and it came out awesome (scored a 45 in the last comp i entered it in to) but honey in a hef, that sounds like an awesome idea. please post how it came out because id bet it really hype up the bananas taste, and I may just try that on my next hef.

hefhead25 · 08-09-2010, 06:28 PM

Thanks guys I really appreciate the help and I think I'm going to go with secondary option. Iknow it might have to sit for a week or so on the honey in there but was wondering, if you where to do it how long would you leave it in there?

hoptastic · 08-31-2010, 10:21 PM

I am adding honey to an american wheat im currently brewing but wanted a difinitive answer on how and when to add it, because it seems everyone has a different opinion, when i stumbled upon this website http://www.honey.com/images/downloads/home_brew.pdf , This is how i will be doing it, cheers!

tenchu_11 · 08-31-2010, 10:30 PM

when making mead I know meaders like me have to add yeast nutriet. Since Honey dosn't isn't as nurishing as Malt. Maybe thats why it takes so long to ferment out. Just my 2 centabos