BlackSwaen Honey Biscuit Malt - Anyone used this?

[Calder]

Thinking of getting some of this malt. Anyone used it. Sounds intriguing.

"Distinguishes well balanced flavor and aroma profile. The typical dry biscuit combined with sweet malty and honey taste with a touch of chocolate."

My only reservation is that I really hate Honey Malt. How similar/different is this?

 

[triethylborane]

Hmm. The description sounds like it could work well with my smores porter. Definitely something Ill pursue further.

I have no idea how it relates to honey malt, never used it, sorry.

 

[ericbw]

If it's honey malt, and you hate honey malt, what is it you find interesting?

This year, I've used Swaen and really have had good results.

 

[jmcquesten]

If it's honey malt, and you hate honey malt, what is it you find interesting?

This year, I've used Swaen and really have had good results.

I agree with both of these statements. I only have experience with Swaen Pilsner malt, it makes a great Helles. Never used the honey biscuit, but if I didn't like honey malt I probably wouldn't.

 

[Rhaop]

I started a thread on this malt before, not too many people have used it that i know of I used a pound of it in a pumpkin ale last year, for my palate the beer was dominated by spice even though i used very little spices, my best guess is that it’s more like biscuit malt but a hint of the honey malt sweetness

 

[Phoenix75]

Indeed, the malt is produced as a biscuit malt but we have used a different base malt. Normally a biscuit is a standard Pilsner roasted very shortly and not to intense. For honey we use a Munich malt as a basis. Hope this helps a bit. Cheers

 

[seanjmc]

I use Honey Malt all the time, I like it but this Swaen sounds interesting. I use the common Honey Malt which is the Gambrinus. I'm careful with it. For a 12 gallon batch of Saison, I use 18 ounces on honey malt to 15# of pilsner and 2# of flaked oats/barley. I'm finding it a tad too sweet for me, but the 'sweet' easily gives way to a biting weird sweetness that is unpleasant easily at higher levels. Someone once told me to double the amount and it turned out horrible, I wanted to punch the guy next time I saw him. I sometimes split this Honey Malt addition with Biscuit.

Interested in this Swaen, since I'm trying to do that by mixing the Honey and Biscuit, but feeling like it's not quite doing what I want.

ALSO, there is a new offering from Briess called American Honey Malt. But they just released it and no home-brew supply seems to sell it. They describe it as honey leaning towards biscuit, so maybe closer to this Swaen than the Gambrinius is?

 

[seanjmc]

I use Honey Malt all the time, I like it but this Swaen sounds interesting! I use the common Honey Malt which is the Gambrinus. I'm careful with it. For a 12 gallon batch of Saison, I use 18 ounces on honey malt to 15# of pilsner and 2# of flaked oats/barley. I'm finding it a tad too sweet for me, but the 'sweet' easily gives way to a biting weird sweetness that is unpleasant easily at higher levels. Someone once told me to double the amount and it turned out horrible, I wanted to punch the guy next time I saw him. I sometimes split this Honey Malt addition with Biscuit.

Interested in this Swaen, since I'm trying to do that by mixing the Honey and Biscuit, but feeling like it's not quite doing what I want.

ALSO, there is a new offering from Briess called American Honey Malt. But they just released it and no home-brew supply seems to sell it. They describe it as honey leaning towards biscuit, so maybe closer to this Swaen than the Gambrinius is?

Hard to find the Swaen around...

 

[JRHoots]

I've used this in quite a few styles. It has become one of my favorite malts. They say it has a hint of chocolate flavor, but I've never detected that. I'm thinking that would only be in very high percentages. I'm actually gonna try a little bit in a Kolsch.

 

[hottpeper13]

My house ale is a honey Kolsch, with 4 oz honey malt in an 8 lb grain bill to yield a 1.044-1.048 OG. One time I used 8 oz and it was almost undrinkable, the stuff is powerful. Also used it in a Helles and did a decoction mash and came to the conclusion that you shouldn't do both.

 

[JRHoots]

My house ale is a honey Kolsch, with 4 oz honey malt in an 8 lb grain bill to yield a 1.044-1.048 OG. One time I used 8 oz and it was almost undrinkable, the stuff is powerful. Also used it in a Helles and did a decoction mash and came to the conclusion that you shouldn't do both.

Are you talking about the Blackswaen honey biscuit malt or just a standard honey malt?

 

[hottpeper13]

The Gambrinus Malt

 

[Sam_92]

I just made 2 batches that used Blackswaen Honey biscuit malt but in very small amounts. My special bitter used only 1oz (in 2.5 gallons) and my winter warmer used 2oz (again 2.5 gallons). Both beers do have a very nice bready, biscuity thing going on that I haven't ever noticed before I used the honey biscuit malt.