Honey Blonde Ale

Am doing a Honey Blonde Ale, and it is basically a Blonde Ale recipe. I want to add some Honey to it, but I don't waant to ruin it. I am brewing a 5 gal batch, and was wandering.......how much honey should I put in, and when do I add it? Any advice would be awesome.

If you want a touch of honey flavor id recommended using a small amount of.honey malt. Generally pure honey has to be added during fermentation to add any honey smells or taste. I've done a blonde using honey malt and have had great success.

I have a wit that uses 3lbs of orange blossom honey. It leaves a pronounced sweet honey note. If you want a hint of honey I'd maybe drop it to a pound with about 5 mins left in the boil.

I do not recommend using clover honey. I've used it twice and much prefer the result from orange blossom.

I have this kegged, has just enough touch of honey sweetness. My first time playing with honey malt and i'm pretty happy with how it came out. I wouldn't think about using too much more than .25lb/5gal though.

9lb 2-row
.5lb Crystal 20
.25lb Honey Malt

.5 Centennial FWH
.25 Cascade 15
.25 Cascade 10
.25 Cascade 5
.25 Cascade 0

Hey King,
Do you have to sterilize or pasturise the honey to keep undesirables out. What precaurions do think I would have to take?
Toppop.

Honey Malt (grains), not honey. And if I recall correctly you have to mash it, steeping it won't get the same results.

As a matter of fact i'm drinking it as we speak. As I mentioned - it's not like you're taking a spoonful of honey every sip, it's more of a honey "sweetness" to it. Subtle changes to a blonde that I think are pretty good. I might actually brew this again as just a blonde without the honey additions and do a side by side test to see which I like better, but I think the honey will take the edge.

Also from what i've read and just understand about sugar, if you add honey during the boil or early in fermentation - the yeast will just eat all the sugar in it without leaving the taste. You'd have to add the liquid honey late, in secondary or a keg to get the results you're thinking of - and even then it might just ferment out (someone who's used liquid honey set me straight if i'm off base here).

I think you should try the honey malt and see how it goes, like I said i'm pretty happy with it.

I have done honey malt and while it is honey-ish, it can be cloying in the finished beer. I have also added honey to the end of the boil and it be barely detectable but is was there. The best honey flavor I have found is by using a .5 to pound of a strong flavored honey at flame out and the add another pound right into the primarary at the last 1/3 of the ferment, usually around day 4 or 5. This retains the aromas but will extend your fermintation a few more days as well. Leave a honey beer on the cake for at least 14 days. Raw honey will not spoil your batch as it is self preserving. It preserved mummies, so it will preserve your 5 gallons just as well.