Gambrinus Honey Malt

[jaquiss2005]

Really keen to have a go at brewing using this honey malt, but live in UK and unable to find over here.

Any suggestions as to how I can get hold of some. Have tried a couple of US suppliers, but won't ship abroad. I am prepared to pay and cover any postage costs

 

[aphid_rancher]

Gambrinus Malting is actually a Canadian company. Perhaps there are friendlier shipping (or exporting) agreements with a Canadian supplier.

 

[BridgewaterBrewer]

My local brew shop has it and quality seems good. How much do you want? I could send it to you.

 

[jaquiss2005]

That would be fantastic - have seen a recipe that calls for 500g if you could get that for me.

Please let me know how much / how I can reimburse you for this

Peter

 

[IslandLizard]

That Honey Malt is one marvelous product and Gambrinus (Canada) is the only one making it. They're onto something and there's no substitute AFAIK. I wonder why it isn't more widely available.

Apart from drying your beer out, "real honey" does pretty much nothing to flavor. This malt does, and I use some honey malt in many ales calling for "honey."

 

[BigEd]

That would be fantastic - have seen a recipe that calls for 500g if you could get that for me.

Please let me know how much / how I can reimburse you for this

Peter

That's a lot of honey malt for a typical homebrew recipe of 5 gal/20L. Unless you have already tasted that recipe and like it 100-125g seems like a more reasonable quantity. A little of this goes a long way and can easily intrude on the other ingredients.

 

[dawgmatic]

That's a lot of honey malt for a typical homebrew recipe of 5 gal/20L. Unless you have already tasted that recipe and like it 100-125g seems like a more reasonable quantity. A little of this goes a long way and can easily intrude on the other ingredients.

There are plenty of recipes here that use 1 lb honey malt. Ive never had a beer cloyingly sweet or honey dominated from using it either. And more often than not the amount I use is 1 lb

 

[BridgewaterBrewer]

I've seen other threads and opinions vary between 4 ounces being plenty and 1 lb not being enough. Could be dependent on freshness or people's taste buds, or recipes, I don't know. I've only tried it so far in an apple cider and I haven't taste it yet.

jaquiss2005, the malt itself is a little less than $2 per lb (454g). It appears that the best shipping option is USPS Priority International Flat Rate box, with a small box being $24 and medium box being $60. I think I can stuff 1 lb in a small box and 2 lb in a medium box but I'd have to check that. There could also be duty and VAT fees in the UK but according to one website, these don't apply to food items of only a few dollar value. If you could confirm that would be great. Not sure the best way for you to pay. Perhaps you can login at the USPS website, https://cns.usps.com/go, create a label (using your credit card) and email it to me. I'll look into it more and get back to you with a personal message or you can message me.

If anyone has better ideas for shipping/payment, let us know.

 

[BridgewaterBrewer]

jaquiss2005, Try this site. The price is good and the shipping to UK is the same that I would pay. This would be the easiest way to go I think.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1lb-Gambrinus-Honey-Malt-Home-Brewing-Beer-2-5L-Lovibond-/140842636254#shId

 

[IslandLizard]

... a small box being $24 and medium box being $60....

If anyone has better ideas for shipping/payment, let us know.

Holy cow! There must be better ways.

Is the OP really sure he can't get it in the UK at all? There must be sources around. Maybe directly from Gambrinus or contact them for a UK vendor?

Country Malt Group (Champlain, NY) has them, but they are strictly wholesale/pallet quantities.

Anecdote:
About 20 years ago in a business class, I argued that shipping was a prime cost, at least to some businesses. The professor didn't buy the argument. I rebutted with "well, wait a few years...".

I think it has arrived.

 

[BridgewaterBrewer]

I contacted my local HBS www.LOVE2BREW.com and they said they'll ship international.
Also http://www.farmhousebrewingsupply.com/ says on their website that they'll ship international.
Both have honey malt.

 

[Jayhem]

Anecdote:
About 20 years ago in a business class, I argued that shipping was a prime cost, at least to some businesses. The professor didn't buy the argument. I rebutted with "well, wait a few years...".

I think it has arrived.

No joke! 20 years ago your were paying how much for diesel and jet fuel?

When shipping costs more than the product you have to start reconsidering your desire for said product.

 

[Pezman1]

That Honey Malt is one marvelous product and Gambrinus (Canada) is the only one making it. They're onto something and there's no substitute AFAIK. I wonder why it isn't more widely available.

Apart from drying your beer out, "real honey" does pretty much nothing to flavor. This malt does, and I use some honey malt in many ales calling for "honey."

Nonsense! Adding honey at flameout absolutely adds flavor and aroma. It is unmistakeable. I use one to two pounds in my honey ales/wheats.

Honey, along with any other simple sugar, has the POTENTIAL to dry out a beer, but most recipes compensate simply by way of malt and yeast choices.

I agree with you on Gambrinus honey malt. It is a wonderful specialty grain in a honey beer that complements and enhances honey flavor and aroma.

I think most negative reviews on honey use comes from people that add the honey at 60 minutes instead of at flameout of later.


At any rate, a honey beer should have HONEY in it! Pez.

 

[BridgewaterBrewer]

I've put 1 to 1.5 lbs of clover honey in 5 gal batches of Brown Ale or Pale Ale at flamout and couldn't really detect it. I'm sure it depends on how good your sense of taste is (and probably the type and quality of the honey), but the majority of posters seem to report a similar phenomenon. So I bought some honey malt...

 

[Pezman1]

I've put 1 to 1.5 lbs of clover honey in 5 gal batches of Brown Ale or Pale Ale at flamout and couldn't really detect it. I'm sure it depends on how good your sense of taste is (and probably the type and quality of the honey), but the majority of posters seem to report a similar phenomenon. So I bought some honey malt...

Don't misunderstand me, honey malt is great. I use it and recommend it.

However, there does seem to be an unfounded ...fear? about using honey. It is the oldest brewing adjunct, and can make tasty beer. I use raw clover or wildflower honey added at flameout.
I agree with you about honey in brown ales - it is harder to detect. It really seems to shine in wheats...at least for me.
Cheers! Pez.

 

[BridgewaterBrewer]

I haven't seen any afraid to use honey, it's just that honey is expensive so why add it if you can't taste it?