Honey Blonde Recipe Critique

[MichalekBrewing]

So the wife has really been starting to enjoy honey blondes, and the more of my beer she likes the more I'll get to make so I'm working on a recipe and could use a little critique on it, normally I just make higher ABV SMaSH beers and this is my first blonde

So here we go!

5 gallons (7 gallon start)

OG 1.054
FG 1.013
ABV 5.46
IBU 17.33

8lbs 2-Row
1Lb Honey Malt
8oz honey (flameout)

Mash @152 for 60 minutes

.5 oz Liberty for 60
.5 oz Liberty for 20
1 oz Liberty for 5

I plan to ferment about 7 days then add another 8oz of honey and give it another 5 days before kegging

Any input is greatly appreciated!

PS happy Easter all!

 

[Yooper]

Honey malt is pretty strong flavored, so you should get plenty of honey flavor from that amount- too much for me, but maybe not for her. It should be crisp and dry, with a distinct sweet honey flavor from the honey malt. I think it looks good if that is what you want!

 

[dmtaylor]

I agree with Yooper, I'd cut the honey malt down to 8 oz. Looks great otherwise. Enjoy!

 

[AzOr]

That’s a lot of honey malt. I’ve added 6 oz in a blonde but I also added apricot purée. It works well in that recipe.
I would start w 8 oz like dmtaylor said.

 

[MichalekBrewing]

I can cut it, I want lots of honey flavor but nothing so sweet it's like some of the wines she drinks. This will be my first crack at a light(er) beer

I'll try the 8oz and go from there!

Thank You!

 

[AzOr]

Be sure to report back! I’m a fan of adding honey (bee) to lighter beers.

 

[MichalekBrewing]

Would flameout and at the end of primary be the best time for honey?

I've made mead but never added it to beer

 

[AzOr]

I add honey at flame out and post fermentation. The only reason I add at flame out (actually during chilling-usually at 140f), is if I want an accurate starting gravity. Otherwise, I just throw in the fermenter after 3 or 4 days.

 

[Lefou]

What yeast will you use?
Reducing honey malt in the recipe is a good idea and the grains you have will make a firm base to modify. Blonde recipes are pretty forgiving and almost any yeast besides the hefeweizen yeasts will work well.

 

[MichalekBrewing]

I havnt fully decided yet if I'm going to just use a clean American Ale yeast or exbeeriment with a culture I've made from tha dregs of a few different pales and wheats

 

[MichalekBrewing]

Thank you all again for the assistance! I am glad I cut the honey malt down and upper the actual honey content. All in all it's around 5.5% and it was a huge hit with the wife and she is already asking for more