Can I add steeped grains to secondary?

[ScottyC]

So I have just made a "Honey Moon" for a buddy's wedding. Basically a Blue Moon clone but with 1 lb. of honey added. It just finished up primary and is tasty -- but it doesn't have as much honey flavor as I'd like

Can I steep ~ 1/4 lb. of honey malt for 15 mins, bring to a boil, cool and add this to the secondary? Is there anything wrong with this?

 

[Nateo]

Should be fine. Honey malt is mostly unfermentable, AFAIK, so you wouldn't need it to ferment.

 

[944play]

I'm highly skeptical that a quarter pound (assuming 5 gallon batch?) would have any overarching effect, but moreover, Honey malt, to the best of my knowledge, has a small amount of diastatic power and WILL contribute fermentables.

Regardless, there's a pretty good chance your beer needs age before it will shine.

 

[ChshreCat]

Regardless, there's a pretty good chance your beer needs age before it will shine.

+1 on this. I'd be more of a mind to let it finish up as it is and see how it tastes after carbing and conditioning and then tweaking the recipe next time. Easier to isolate what you want to do if you take it a step at a time like that and then adjust.

 

[ScottyC]

Honey malt, to the best of my knowledge, has a small amount of diastatic power and WILL contribute fermentables.

I guess my question is -- even if it does contribute some fermentables -- why is that such a bad thing? I mean people add fruit purees, etc, in secondary which have some fermentables. Is there something bad with a little bit of restarted fermentation in secondary?

My recipe had just 1 lb of honey -- I presume it's all fermented out and no honey flavor come through the coriander and orange peel once it's aged.

Thanks for your help, guys.

 

[ScottyC]

More on this topic -- I found this link:

http://www.brew-dudes.com/diastatic-power/630

showing that honey malt does have a bit of diastatic power (a little less than Munich, but more than Crystal Malt, which has none)

 

[indigi]

Next time I'd use more honey if you want any appreciable honey flavor and not just extra fermentables. One pound won't contribute much flavor to a standard gravity brew.

 

[ChshreCat]

Too much will start to thin out the brew. Honey malt really is good to give honey flavor.