Some people warn of infection from bacteria in the honey, others say not to worry
Honey is incredibly antibacterial, I wouldn't worry about infection. However, it may be a good idea to dissolve it in some warm (boiled, then cooled down some) water before adding to secondary, so it doesn't just sink to the bottom. Don't boil the honey in the water, it will drive off the natural aromatics/flavors of the honey.
TimpanogosSlim said:It is incredibly antibacterial because very little can thrive in that concentration of sugars. But spores can and do survive in it, particularly botulinum.
I can't say for sure that botulism would survive in beer, but i still feel safer bringing my honey solution to a boil before adding it.
I can't say for sure that botulism would survive in beer...
biochemedic said:Repeat after me:
Nothing. Pathologic. Can. Grow. In. Beer.
Despite my comment above, I don't think this is strictly true, and it kind of irks me when it's mindlessly repeated. But there's really such a slim chance when brewing in a home environment (as there is a similarly slim chance that a thousand different dangerous things could happen to you doing anything routine), so it's not rational to be concerned about it. At least, not concerned enough about it to affect your decision-making.
Don't make me sic Revvy on you...
bottlebomber said:I don't know how well you guys know emjay, but he is likely scouring the interwebz for beer pathogen info, and will soon be dropping a post that will rock your world. Prepare to be educated.
emjay said:Revvy is an experienced brewer, but it's a bit tiring how people parrot him and refer to him as an authority, as much as I respect him.
Don't make me sic Revvy on you...
Seriously, though, no disease causing bacteria can survive in the fermented environment. Spoilage organisms are one thing, but they just make your beer taste nasty (or good, if you're into sours, and you get the *right* extra bugs...) You can't get a disease or become ill from drinking it (unless it's to excess, as WreckinBrewCo said...)
motobrewer said:Boiling certainly does kill it
I add honey to my primary about a week to 10 days after initial fermentation. I use a secondary as well but only for dry hopping
Yes but how do you add it to primary? Poor it right in? Dilute with some water? Dilute with some fermenting beer?
Yes but how do you add it to primary? Poor it right in? Dilute with some water? Dilute with some fermenting beer?
Honey-user AND No-Chill advocate here, so I know enough about the 2 subjects to chime in.
Regarding the botulism, there is a mild concern among some in the No Chill community that botulism could grow inside a sealed No Chill tank pre-fermentation (so no alcohol and a higher pH than beer). However, there has never been a reported case of botulism from homebrew in America, Europe or Australia, so we are fairly sure that the fear is quite overblown. I personally had a tank go 'bad' and swell for 2 batches (so I chucked it). In that case, thereoretically botulism COULD have been growing inside. As I tasted a sample from the first swell and lived, I can verify that it wasn't in that one. Wasn't brave enough to taste the second one, it swoll the tank like a tick and smelled of Mild Ale and serious B.O. when I opened it up , so it got dumped immediately.
REGARDLESS, I wouldn't worry about botulism in honey beer at ALL since there are no reported cases that I'm aware of of the disease coming through mead. Its virtually always (1) infants eating honey, or (2) people eating swollen cans of low-acid food (green beans, peas, etc).
NOW FOR THE HONEY-BEER PART. I'm a fan of honey beers (got a decent one in the bottle at the moment) but the best one I made was a 1.040 Pale Ale (no crystal malt) that got dosed with 3lbs of pure Florida Orange Blossom honey after primary had died down. I just opened the bucket, and poured in the 3lb jar, no mixing or (heaven forbid) boiling. Fermantion started up again within about 6 hours, and took just a day or so to complete. After kegging it, I stuck my head into that empty bucket to get a whiff and it was like sticking my head up a bee's ass. Fantastic! The beer was great. It was light bodied, with a great honey kick in the taste.
Also, in a pale ale with no crystal malt (or other malts I'll assume) honey has at least a chance of coming through. Since you kegged it, you also didn't need to worry about creating bottle grenades later on.
Why would the honey be hindered in a beer with no other strong flavor components? The honey ale I have now has some crystal in it (Honey Malt no less!) and its a little less clear where the honey aroma ends and the crystal begins. Very plain beers with a single additive (honey, fruit etc) would be the BEST vehicle to taste that additive by itself. In my first one, you could tell that 100% of the flower/honey aroma was coming from the honey itself.
I have no fear of bottling either. The version I made most recently is in the bottles, and no gushers so far. The honey ferments out super quick, so even if there were bugs trapped dormant in its sticky, fructose embrace, the beer itself wold prob keep them at bay via alcohol and pH.
I think you two are agreeing...
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