honey

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benkeirs

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hi, I'm about to brew a honey beer, does anyone have any tips or suggestions? also will brown sugar work?
 
Honey and sugars ferment out making the brew dryer and thinner. They don't contribute flavor, add them towards the end of the boil.

Use honey malt to get a honey flavor.
 
Honey can add flavor depending on the recipe as a whole, the type of honey, when it's added, and how much you use. But on average, honey malt will add more honey flavor... Real, quality honey however will add more floral honey aroma.

Just about any type of sugar will work. Some will offer more character than others depending on the style you're brewing --> Real Vermont maple syrup in the case of Founders CBS.
 
Honey adds plenty of flavor. 1# in a 5 gallon batch will have only a minor effect. 3# can be significant. Add honey when you only have a few minutes left in the boil.

I've used Walmart generic (wildflower?) honey with success.
 
I'm re-brewing a honey ale tomorrow to be done hopefully by Thanksgiving. On the first version of this recipe, i added 3 pounds of honey added straight into the fermentor after the initial fermentation was over. It was high quality Florida Orange Blossum honey and was very present in the aroma of the beer. I'm not changing much for the next one.
 
ghpeel said:
I'm re-brewing a honey ale tomorrow to be done hopefully by Thanksgiving. On the first version of this recipe, i added 3 pounds of honey added straight into the fermentor after the initial fermentation was over. It was high quality Florida Orange Blossum honey and was very present in the aroma of the beer. I'm not changing much for the next one.

Did you leave it all in a primary put move to a secondary?
 
No secondary on that one. Added the honey to the carboy after the initial fermentation was done. It bubbled again as the honey fermented, and when that was done, I kegged.
 
I bottled an amber wheat with honey malt today. 3% of the grain bill was honey malt and used uncooked unfiltered wildflower honey as the priming sugar. I really wanted buckwheat honey but that will be next time. After tasting the hydro sample I think next time around I need to bump up the honey malt a few points. We will see in a few weeks what the priming honey brings to the party.
 
Here's a recipe I just did. Fermenting now in primary. Super simple....smells great.

6# northern brewer gold LME
1# carapils
1# honey from a farmers market(so I'm guessing its good stuff)
1oz centennial pellet hops
Coopers dry ale yeast.

Steep the caripils for 30 mins at 150-153 degrees. Add half the gold LME. Heat to boil. Add centennials, boil 60 mins. Add honey and remaining LME with 15 mins left on boil. Cool wort, add to 5 gallons water, stir and add the yeast. Fermentation started about 3 hours after pitching. I'll let you all know how it turns out!!!!

I didn't want too much of a hop profile for fear it might mask the potential honey flavor.
 
Sampled today after carbing for 3 weeks. Sweet honey aroma was there, not overpowering. Need to bump up the honey malt to prob 8-10% and change a couple other things. The honey taste is there, but its overpowered by other flaws in the recipe. But... I know the flavor is there from the honey malt and the aroma was there from the priming honey. It can be made better.


I bottled an amber wheat with honey malt today. 3% of the grain bill was honey malt and used uncooked unfiltered wildflower honey as the priming sugar. I really wanted buckwheat honey but that will be next time. After tasting the hydro sample I think next time around I need to bump up the honey malt a few points. We will see in a few weeks what the priming honey brings to the party.
 
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