Adding honey at bottling?

[reno316]

Howdy, all:

I made this last week on Friday:

http://www.beertools.com/html/recipe.php?view=11398

What I don't see mention of is adding any sort of sugar at the bottling time. I'm wondering if I should use a honey/water mixture, regular corn sugar, or if the addition of the honey at flame-out is going to be sufficient.

5 gallon batch, if that matters. Well, 4.75, because I kinda spilled some.

Thanks for your input. I appreciate.

 

[Pezman1]

Use corn sugar.
Using honey as a priming sugar will work, but it is harder to measure as different honeys have different densities/sugar content due to the water content. Also, that small amount of honey won't add any flavor to the finished beer.

The trick for using honey is to add it at flameout like you did. I have done this twice with good results, but I used a whole pound, not the half that you did.

Pez.

 

[Doomsday]

the sugar for bottling is just a given, normally not in a recipe unless its a specialty sugar (honey, molases, etc)

Your honey at flameout is just going to add sugar to the fermentation process, not bottle carbing.

check this out http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html

I would just go ahead and use corn sugar. Hope this helps.

 

[cbaron0185]

Reno,

The recipe is pretty much leaving it up to you if you want to bottle or keg. I would suggest if you are bottling using priming sugar (corn sugar). Palmer has an excellent chapter how to do it. http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter11-4.html

Honey at the flame out will be consumed by the yeast and wont really help you with carbonation.

I hope that helps a little

 

[reno316]

Use corn sugar.
Using honey as a priming sugar will work, but it is harder to measure as different honeys have different densities/sugar content due to the water content. Also, that small amount of honey won't add any flavor to the finished beer.

The trick for using honey is to add it at flameout like you did. I have done this twice with good results, but I used a whole pound, not the half that you did.

I actually split the difference, since I happened to have a 12 ounce bottle of honey. Just dumped the whole thing in.

Think I'm going to call it "Weiss Men Can't Jump"

Thanks, everyone. Appreciate.

 

[Doomsday]

I added my macadamean nut honey to my wit after primary fermentation. Supposed to help maintain that honey flavor and aroma.

Going to finally try one today!

 

[Calichusetts]

Priming with honey is easy...3 tablespoons per gallon, I use 4. I have only used honey since I started (30+ batches) and it does add aroma and a small amount of taste if you drink in the first 2 months. I don't know what the other poster is talking about with densities of honey, I've used several with no issues.

Just head up some water (don't boil) and add honey, swirl it around til it dissolves, rake beer on to it and proceed as normal. Fantastic way to add some complexity to your brew

 

[Pezman1]

Priming with honey is easy...3 tablespoons per gallon, I use 4. I have only used honey since I started (30+ batches) and it does add aroma and a small amount of taste if you drink in the first 2 months. I don't know what the other poster is talking about with densities of honey, I've used several with no issues.

Just head up some water (don't boil) and add honey, swirl it around til it dissolves, rake beer on to it and proceed as normal. Fantastic way to add some complexity to your brew

Since honey comes from different sources - the moisture content, therefore the actual sugar content (density) - will vary. It is usually easier for most folks to use corn sugar, and go by the weight.

Like I said, you can absolutely prime with honey, but most of the posts I have read by people using that technique do not report much honey character in the beer.

I do know that adding a pound or two of honey at flameout will definitely add honey character to a beer. Another thechnique is to also add some Gambrinus Honey Malt to your mash or steeping grains.

Pez.

 

[Calichusetts]

I don't get that, sounds like your right but if I pick up a 12oz bottle of honey with 30 grams of sugar, and then another and another, how is the denisty varying?

Either way, I have used basically every honey you can get in a supermarket without a single issue and I REALLY enjoy the results. I don't think I will ever use sugar even if it goes against the "style" of the beer.

I've also heard that the honey flavor can come out months later, no idea if this is true, but pez is right, honey malt (less than 5%) is the way to go

 

[Pezman1]

I don't get that, sounds like your right but if I pick up a 12oz bottle of honey with 30 grams of sugar, and then another and another, how is the denisty varying?

Either way, I have used basically every honey you can get in a supermarket without a single issue and I REALLY enjoy the results. I don't think I will ever use sugar even if it goes against the "style" of the beer.

I've also heard that the honey flavor can come out months later, no idea if this is true, but pez is right, honey malt (less than 5%) is the way to go

The water content in honey varies. Therefore the sugar content is either more or less concentrated (density - or gravity). the packages might all weigh exactly 12 oz, but the don't put in exactly 30 grams of sugar, then fill the bottle with water to exactly 12 0z.

In other words, if you get two different honeys, they won't have the exact same sugar content/ratio by weight. Some honey will be "thicker" and some will be "thinner" - more or less dense. The same is true of liquid malt extract. Of course, that doesn't matter as much if you are making wort.

As I said, its not crucial.

Glad to hear you enjoy the results. That is the only thing that really matters.
Pez.

 

[Unibrow]

Think I'm going to call it "Weiss Men Can't Jump"

that's awesome

 

[Fennis]

I've used honey to prime bottles before, actually I did it as a little test in comparison to corn sugar to see which one I preferred and split the batch in half. The honey fermented out completely just like the corn sugar, so there was no honey flavor in the beer, but I found the honey primed beer to finish slightly dryer in taste and it was a little more carbonated--most likely because in raw sugar comparison I probably had more with the honey primed bottles. I just used grocery store brand honey that was in the cupboard and was getting old so I used it up rather than let it go to waste. It worked for me.