Damn Honey Malt

[yellowthere]

So I brewed Northern brewer's Cream ale, which calls for honey malt(9%), biscuit(3%) and 2row (88%). I didn't actually buy from NB. I bumped up the recipe to allow for my horrible mash efficiency but leaned away from the specialty malts, because the last thing that I want to do is over do the specialty malts.

Mine was 2row(91%), honey (6%), and biscuit (3%). here's the issue. This thing is a honey bomb. It took me about 10 minutes to figure out what that aroma and taste was, but it is inextricably honey. About 2 years ago I did a pale that was 1/2 malt and 1/2 honey that this is about 80% as honey featured as that one. This is not at all what I was going for, not even close.

Is 6% honey malt really that much??? My FG was 1.012, which is high considering that I mashed at 149 keeping it consistent, and used a 2liter starter of Cal ale. I even calibrated my mash thermometer the DAY BEFORE. I'm so, so confused.

I am more than willing to admit my brewing faults, but I can't help to wonder what else may have happened (not to blame anyone, but just to know for next time). Has any one else put together a recipe online and been a little leery of the recipe %s that was put together for you? I'm not naming names, and like I said it could have just as easily been my fault due to my inexperience which this specialty malt.

Thanks for the help,

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

That percentage (which is around .5 lb for a 5 gal batch right?) shouldn't make it overly sweet (although it should add some). If it's super sweet then my guess would be that perhaps the yeast stalled out before finishing the job which would leave some fermentable sugars (which are the sweetest sugars).

 

[yellowthere]

I added .83 pounds of honey, a total of 6% of the grain bill. Keep in mind that I was expecting an efficiency of around 55-60% (no sparge method) and got that effeciency. I always bumped up each of my grain %s porportionally (and I even backed off of the specialty malts proportionally, but maybe I should be should only increase the base grain from now on.

I used cal ale and a 2 liter starter on a stir plate for 48 hours. The huge starter was complete over kill for an OG of 1055, but I wanted a low FG. so much for that. I also fermented it at 67 in a temp controlled chest freezer. It just doesn't sound like a fermentation issue, but obvoiuosly I'm biased. Even if I did unattenuate it, why would the honey aroma and taste smake me in the face like that? I'm more concened about the wildly strong honey flavor and aroma, than I am about the beer not finnishing totally dry.

I can't help but to think that when this online order got put together some one added way too much honey malt. I'm clearly paranoid though.

Thanks,

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Yea, you should have had plenty of yeast there and everything else you've mentioned seems fine too. IIRC, Gambrinus (or maybe it was a HBS description) suggests a full pound in 5 gal. So I don't know why you'd have that intensity.

Aging almost always seems to help.

 

[yodalegomaster]

Honey malt doesn't start to show the "honey flavor" untill it's highly diluted. In this kind of recipe with larger amount's honey malt is going to taste alot like the 2-row or crystal 20. I would be looking for excess sugar still in the beer some where else to explain your problem.

 

[joety]

I used NB's recipe for my Beire de Garde. Just brewed it so don't know how it tastes, but I used 1/2 pound and the aroma was definitely present. Do you know anything about Gambrinus' malting process that produces the honey flavor? Do they add actual honey or is it just the technique?

 

[david_42]

Don't forget, there is a difference between bumping your base grains because of low efficiency and bumping flavor/color grains. You really shouldn't do the latter.

Honey malt is kilned longer, but at lower temperatures than most specialty grains.

 

[yellowthere]

Don't forget, there is a difference between bumping your base grains because of low efficiency and bumping flavor/color grains. You really shouldn't do the latter.

Honey malt is kilned longer, but at lower temperatures than most specialty grains.

I hear you, but I went from .75 to .83. I was being pretty conservative, or so I thought.

 

[freddyb]

I added .83 pounds of honey...

Just want to make sure you added this (honey malt):

and not this (hunny, er honey):

 

[yellowthere]

Honey malt doesn't start to show the "honey flavor" untill it's highly diluted. In this kind of recipe with larger amount's honey malt is going to taste alot like the 2-row or crystal 20. I would be looking for excess sugar still in the beer some where else to explain your problem.

That is interesting. I'm not argueing, just curious, but In general the greater the concentration of anything, the greater its' impact. Beer, koo-aid, etc. This is different though?

 

[yellowthere]

Just want to make sure you added this (honey malt):

and not this (hunny, er honey):

You got me.. how did you figure it out.

 

[yellowthere]

I used NB's recipe for my Beire de Garde. Just brewed it so don't know how it tastes, but I used 1/2 pound and the aroma was definitely present. Do you know anything about Gambrinus' malting process that produces the honey flavor? Do they add actual honey or is it just the technique?

It's just the best way that they could describe the light caramel flavor of the malt, but it is very honey like in my opinion.

 

[yellowthere]

I used NB's recipe for my Beire de Garde. Just brewed it so don't know how it tastes, but I used 1/2 pound and the aroma was definitely present. Do you know anything about Gambrinus' malting process that produces the honey flavor? Do they add actual honey or is it just the technique?

It's just the best way that they could describe the light caramel flavor of the malt, but it is very honey like in my opinion.

 

[freddyb]

Did your complete order arrive pre-crushed with all of the grains mixed? If this is the case and you have no mill to do it yourself, you might consider having them crush only the base malt and send the specialty grains un-crushed and separated. You can always manually crush them with a rolling pin since the amount is usually small.

Mistakes can happen on both sides, when placing the order and also when it is filled so it is possible that your order was botched.

Why don't you send me a few bottles so I can see for myself?

 

[yellowthere]

Did your complete order arrive pre-crushed with all of the grains mixed? If this is the case and you have no mill to do it yourself, you might consider having them crush only the base malt and send the specialty grains un-crushed and separated. You can always manually crush them with a rolling pin since the amount is usually small.

Mistakes can happen on both sides, when placing the order and also when it is filled so it is possible that your order was botched.

Why don't you send me a few bottles so I can see for myself?

If you are serious, send me a PM. Whisper voice ,by the way this beer sucks. Damn honey bomb.

 

[blackwaterbrewer]

i used 2 pounds of honey malt in a pale ale once. used nottingham yeast, 152F mash and it turned out nice and dry, light honey aroma and flavor. definitely not too sweet. i would tend to doubt that .83 pounds of honey malt is the culprit in your case.

 

[FishinDave07]

Age that sucker!

 

[yellowthere]

Age that sucker!

I will do that.

 

[freddyb]

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