Questions about our second batch

[Tomerwt]

First of all, thanks for all the answers to our previous questions, you guys have been a great help so far!

Next weekend Erwin and I will start making our second batch. We have an extract kit to make 30L of fine amber beer.
As We have made wine in the past, we have 2 big wine fermenting bottles (Don't know what they're called) standing here doing nothing. So I thought it might be a good idea to start making the amber beer, then leave like 20L in our big fermenting bucket, and split the other 10L in the 2 wine fermenting bottles. Then we'd continue making the beer in the bucket by following the instructions, but try to be creative with the two bottle loads. Now I have a few questions:

1-I'd like to add honey to one of the bottle loads. Is this a good idea, or doesn't amber beer make a good honeybeer?
2-If the honey idea is a good idea, at which stage of the brewing should we add the honey?
3-I was thinking of maybe adding fruit juice to the other bottle load, is this a good idea or won't that work? If it would, which kind of fruit juice would you guys reccomend?
4-Final question, when would be the right time to split the beer in 3. Should we do that right away after pitching the yeast? Or would it be better to wait a few days?

 

[mojotele]

1-I'd like to add honey to one of the bottle loads. Is this a good idea, or doesn't amber beer make a good honeybeer?

I've been told that all this will do is basically dry out the beer and leave little flavor, if any. I'm not very experienced in that arena, though.

2-If the honey idea is a good idea, at which stage of the brewing should we add the honey?

Given your scenario, you'd have to add it after splitting the beer up into your three separate fermenters.

3-I was thinking of maybe adding fruit juice to the other bottle load, is this a good idea or won't that work? If it would, which kind of fruit juice would you guys reccomend?

I've never used fruit juice. I have used whole fruit and fruit puree, though. Juice may be a bit too watery. I'm not sure what fruit would be good in an amber beer, if any, though. The malt profile is pretty strong in an amber, so it might be too much.

4-Final question, when would be the right time to split the beer in 3. Should we do that right away after pitching the yeast? Or would it be better to wait a few days?

Well, everything you want to do can be done as a secondary fermentation. Assuming your bucket is large enough, I'd do a primary fermentation on the entire volume in your bucket then rack some into each fermenting bottle for your secondary experiments 3 weeks later or so. Add your honey to one bottle before adding the beer (you should probably boil the honey in a small amount of water first), and add your fruit to the other (again, use either sanitized fruit puree from Oregon, boil your fruit juice, or freeze your whole fruit and/or soak in vodka). Give it an extra week or two to ferment the honey/fruit then bottle/keg.

 

[Tomerwt]

Thank you! Any other opinions on what to add to my experiment bottles?

Also, is there some kind of how-to somewhere on how to soak the fruit in vodka?

 

[mojotele]

Thank you! Any other opinions on what to add to my experiment bottles?

Hmm...nothing comes to mind. The only limit is your imagination, though. Trying off the wall things is what this hobby is all about.

Also, is there some kind of how-to somewhere on how to soak the fruit in vodka?

Eh, not really. It's as simple as it sounds. You just put the fruit in a glass or a bowl and use enough cheap vodka to cover it.