Honey wheat ale

So I made up a recipe for a honey beer and am curious to get some feed back on how more experienced brewers think it's going to turn out



Ingredients:
1/2 lb honey malt
4 lbs wheat extract
4 lbs honey
2 oz hops Hallertauer Magnum
Ale yeast

I steeped the honey malt then added the wheat extract and honey. Put it in the primary and added the hops dry.

That's almost a braggot! Interesting choice to dry hop with the Magnum.

ArcaneXor said:

That's almost a braggot! Interesting choice to dry hop with the Magnum.

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What's the point of home brewing if you don't experiment ya know?

From what I've been told trying to make a honey wheat is that the honey malt needs to be mashed. I have done both and still didn't get much of a honey taste. But I used less than half of the honey you did (1 lb a week after brew day and 1/2 lb as my priming sugar). I was told that it ferments out and leaves virtually no taste. But I've also been given conflicting information on that. Some say add it at flameout and you'll keep some honey flavors.
I'm guessing this is a 5 gal batch?
I'm quite curious about your hopping style. What made you decide to try that (dry hop?)?
And I'm quite curious as to how it turns out as I've been struggling to make something like Blue Moon honey wheat...

alot of people are saying the same bout not getting honey flavor ive read honey malt is a good start but y does every1 try and cook the honey why not just add it before bottling after fermentation some will ferment out id imagine but not nearly as much as if it was added sooner and went through all the fermentation...?

4 lbs of honey is quite a bit! Expect it to finish pretty dry, which I'm not sure will be desirable in a wheat ale. Of course if it isn't good at first just let it age for a while and you should have a decent braggot!

From what I've heard, honey is usually added right before, to right after, flameout while the wort is still hot so it's at least pasteurized. Most people say it will ferment out completely without leaving much flavor behind. So if you want honey flavor, honey malt can add a type of honey essence but should be used sparingly and only needs to be steeped like crystal malts.

I've used honey in a few recipes and found that adding it at 5 minutes left in the boil or at flameout have worked best.

I made a honey basil ale with 1 pound at 5 minutes and I get lots of sweetness without an overpowering honey taste.

A lot of people have been curious why I choose to dry hop the Hallertauer Magnum. I really like the Aroma and smoothness that comes from the hops. All honestly I wanted to try something different and see how it turns out. I added a lot of honey to give it a dry finish that has a subtle smoothness to it and string aroma from the hops. Boiling the hops would have taken a lot of the aroma out. I am shooting for a slight honey taste. I forgot to add my starting gravity. I will find it and post it soon. For now I will post a photo. It's about one week in and there is a lot of activity and tons of Hallertauer Magnum aroma in the air I will let it sit probably three more weeks before priming and bottling

I will be bottling a honey wheat this week. I also think the honey malt needs to be mashed. See how it goes. I think it wi be dry, that is a ton of honey. I only used a pound at flame out, but mashed honey malt in. what did your recipe say your abv was?

CrazyBastardsBrew said:

alot of people are saying the same bout not getting honey flavor ive read honey malt is a good start but y does every1 try and cook the honey why not just add it before bottling after fermentation some will ferment out id imagine but not nearly as much as if it was added sooner and went through all the fermentation...?

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This is precisely what I did. I "mashed" my 1/2 lb of honey malt as I was told steeping it isn't enough. I added (maybe not enough) 1 lb of honey 1 week after fermentation began, and also used 1/2 lb for priming, but still barely taste the honey.

I did an all grain brew, 3.5 gallon batch and used a whole pound of honey malt, prior to adding honey at flame out it did have a light honey taste. Will see in about three weeks. This was my first time working with honey or honey malt.

For those that made honey wheat before how long did it take to ferment did it clear at all. Cause line is about a week and a half in and bubbling activity is dropping quickly once it stops I will take a reading wait a week and take another one but it seems to have gone pretty quickly

From what I have heard, Honey malt adds a honey like aroma, not much for flavor. I have used it a couple of times. The aroma is definitely their but flavor is a little lacking.

I never touch a beer for 3 weeks unless I am adding something or a lagering process is going to happen. Just keep the airlock from drying out. Wheats tend to stay a bit cloudy.

I am hoping since I dry hopped more honey flavor will remain

cgr2973 said:

For those that made honey wheat before how long did it take to ferment did it clear at all. Cause line is about a week and a half in and bubbling activity is dropping quickly once it stops I will take a reading wait a week and take another one but it seems to have gone pretty quickly

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The way I understand it is, unlike the 3 weeks people typically give a beer to ferment, a wheat is given 2. The extra time does not help it.

Wheat beers are cloudy. It doesn't clear up.

rodwha said:

The way I understand it is, unlike the 3 weeks people typically give a beer to ferment, a wheat is given 2. The extra time does not help it.

Wheat beers are cloudy. It doesn't clear up.

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Well if that is the case I will be bottling neck week

Since I had added honey after a week of fermentation, which kicked it back into high gear, I gave it 3 weeks total...

For those that are wondering I primed and bottled this brew. I did a little taste test on it and it came out well. All bottled. It has a perfect subtle honey taste good wheat flavor a little dry on the finish like a good wheat ale and awesome aroma. I got petty good flavor out of the hops for dry hopping it