Adding to an extract kit

[cableman]

Hello all, making plans to brew a kit while I'm stuck in from the ice and snow coming here to Kentucky tomorrow. At our local pizza craft beer joint, they have a honey blonde ale that my family really likes. All they will say is it starts as an Old English Pale Ale then modified. Brewers Best has a English Pale Ale kit that I ordered. I have a half pound of Gambrinus Honey Malt to through in. In some of the forums i have read, when adding to a kit someone always suggest cutting back on some other ingredients in the kit. Here is the ingredients in the kit i ordered, is there anything that needs to be changed.

Ingredients
FERMENTABLES
3.3 lb. Maris Otter LME
2.0 lb. Light DME
SPECIALTY GRAINS
8 oz. Caramel 60L
HOPS
1 oz. UK Fuggle
.5 oz. UK Fuggle
1 oz. UK Golding

That's all, do you think I need to make any adjustments. Also I was planning on steeping the honey malt with the caramel. All thoughts appreciated.

Thanks

 

[GenIke]

I'm doubting you could turn an english pale ale into a honey blonde due to the higher amounts of hops. Why not just make a honey blonde from a honey blonde recipe or kit?

 

[Malticulous]

A half pound of honey malt will only make it a bit sweeter. If you want to get some honey in the aroma add a pound of real honey at flame out. It will add to the ABV and dry it out too.

 

[cableman]

I'm doubting you could turn an english pale ale into a honey blonde due to the higher amounts of hops. Why not just make a honey blonde from a honey blonde recipe or kit?

I am going by what I have been told and what they show as being the base for the brew.

 

[cableman]

A half pound of honey malt will only make it a bit sweeter. If you want to get some honey in the aroma add a pound of real honey at flame out. It will add to the ABV and dry it out too.

I have talked to one of the brew guys there and he said they only use honey malt for the touch of sweetness. He said the same as I have read here in several forums that real honey doesn't give any honey flavor. Should i use a quarter pound then?

 

[Malticulous]

The honey malt is fine. You could use a whole pound and not use the C-60L. Honey will not really add much any flavor but added during cooling you can still get some of the aroma. The aroma will make it seem like your tasting honey. Not using any late hops will help with that perception.

 

[cvisinho]

Based on a recent experiment, 1lb of honey in the boil did nothing but boost abv and dry the beer out a little just as research states. I tasted Zero honey.
I might try adding some at flameout next time then secondary after that.

It was just a basic citra and maris smesh.

 

[cableman]

The honey blonde that we get at the pizza joint doesn't have any honey taste at all that's why I believe they use the honey malt. Frankie the afternoon craft guy is the one who steered me to the brewers best kit. I think I will use a little more than a quarter of the pound of malt he got for me, just to see how it turns out.

thanks for the info
cableman

 

[Calder]

Honey malt will add some honey flavor, and make it seem sweeter. But it will not add any sugars, unless mashed. Be careful, a little goes a long way - I'm biased, I don't like it at all in a beer; some people really like it. If you use it, no need to remove any ingredients as it does not contribute any sugars when steeped.

 

[Malticulous]

Based on a recent experiment, 1lb of honey in the boil did nothing but boost abv and dry the beer out a little just as research states. I tasted Zero honey.
I might try adding some at flameout next time then secondary after that.

It was just a basic citra and maris smesh.

I've added at flame out and gotten some of the aroma. My last one I added it at 150F (a honey/rye that is still in the fermenter). It probably would be even better to add it to the fermenter after fermentation slowed. That way you would not loose it up in steam or as much out the air lock. It's just a small risk of contamination. I'm going to prime the honey rye beer with honey too; it's not a lot of honey but there is no where for any of the aroma to go but into the beer.