Help with honey

[hoppybrewster]

An I use store-bought honey?

 

[hoppybrewster]

An I use store-bought honey?

Can I use store bought honey?

 

[lowtones84]

You can, but anything more local that you know is actual honey is always better. Some store bought honey has a bunch of undesirable stuff in it. What are you using it for? If you're putting it in beer, be advised that even if you add it at flameout, fermentation will take nearly all of the honey and flavor aroma away. Some people will say all, but with good honey I've certainly noticed a hint of it.

 

[hoppybrewster]

You can, but anything more local that you know is actual honey is always better. Some store bought honey has a bunch of undesirable stuff in it. What are you using it for? If you're putting it in beer, be advised that even if you add it at flameout, fermentation will take nearly all of the honey and flavor aroma away. Some people will say all, but with good honey I've certainly noticed a hint of it.

There's couple of local guys around here that have excellent honey, tastes way different from the store. I'm working up a beer recipe now and wanted to use a local honey. Should it just replace the same amount of malt?

 

[lowtones84]

What do you mean by replace the same amount of malt? I wouldn't use more than around a pound or so in a 5 gallon batch, and you can either replace some of the malt with it or just add it on. If you really want a strong honey flavor, honey malt can be good. Some people will also just warm the honey a bit and add it to the fermenting vessel to keep some of the aromatics. You might want to do a search on the forum. I have some experience with honey, but not only in a few recipes.

 

[jzech79]

I've made 2 batches with honey. The first batch I added it at 30min into the boil. Really had no honey flavor. The last batch I added it at the end of the boil right after flame out. I've noticed the flavor a little bit more. Both time I've used 6lbs of extract and 2lbs of store bought clover honey. I think they both have tasted good but I'm also not the most persnickety beer drinker either.

 

[solo103]

I use 2 lb of honey in a Belgian wit beer that I do. I add it at the beginning of boil. Local honey usually wild flower. I can taste it in the end product for sure. It's not over powering though but I can taste it. If you want a more pronounced flavor ten you can add it to secondary fermentation. I don't like a over powering honey taste so I add it in the boil

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

if you want honey flavor, use honey malt. actually honey will just serve to dry out a beer and raise the ABV a bit. you won't get any real honey flavor from adding it to the boil or to hot wort at flameout. adding it to the fermented toward the end of fermentation may help a bit, but the honey will still ferment out.

 

[hoppybrewster]

I use 2 lb of honey in a Belgian wit beer that I do. I add it at the beginning of boil. Local honey usually wild flower. I can taste it in the end product for sure. It's not over powering though but I can taste it. If you want a more pronounced flavor ten you can add it to secondary fermentation. I don't like a over powering honey taste so I add it in the boil

Should I add more yeast than the usual one packet ?

 

[solo103]

What type of yeast are you using. I used white labs Belgian wit and one tab of white labs servomyces (yeast nutrient) for five gallons. I'm about to order a stir plate so I can start making starters but . My o.g. was like 1.068 and with just the yeast and nutrient it should get down to f.g. 1.020 wich would be like around 6.5% . If your starting gravity is any higher I would make a starter.

 

[sweetcell]

I'm about to order a stir plate so I can start making starters

just an FYI: you don't need a stir plate to make starters. they certainly help, but shaking up the starter by hand as often as you can also works. even just shaking it up once when you first add the yeast can get ok results.

bottom line: don't wait on a stir plate to start making starters. there are plenty of benefits to be had with manual aeration.

 

[solo103]

Yeah that's how I airate my wert when I pitch my yeast. I shake the hell out if the carboy for a couple minutes and it works just fine my fermentation starts rather quickly. Im not brewing for another week and I'm ordering the plate tomorrow so it will be here by then or I would do it manually.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

just an FYI: you don't need a stir plate to make starters. they certainly help, but shaking up the starter by hand as often as you can also works. even just shaking it up once when you first add the yeast can get ok results.

bottom line: don't wait on a stir plate to start making starters. there are plenty of benefits to be had with manual aeration.

very true. i don't have a stir plate and i make a starter any time i use liquid. i just do the intermittent shake, you can even set the MrMalty calc to this setting and make your starters accordingly.

last night i made a starter with Kolsch yeast, decided to try using my airstone in it for a few mins before pitch. the thing kicked off very fast and is really starting to clear up after only 24 hours. good layer of yeast on the bottom too.

 

[Pezman1]

if you want honey flavor, use honey malt. actually honey will just serve to dry out a beer and raise the ABV a bit. you won't get any real honey flavor from adding it to the boil or to hot wort at flameout. adding it to the fermented toward the end of fermentation may help a bit, but the honey will still ferment out.

I disagree with this. I made two beers last year using honey. One used a pound of honey at flameout, the other two pounds at flameout. One also included honey malt, of which I am a fan in honey influenced beers. Both had a very noticeable honey flavour and aroma.

Both recipes were designed with the honey as part of the fermentables, so they didn't raise the ABV, as the honey was included as part of the OG to begin with.

I DO agree that adding the honey at the beginning of the boil only adds sugar, not flavor. Or, at least it did in the beer I made this way.

EDIT, just saw your last post, I don't use a stir plate either....

Pez.

 

[starrfish]

Grocery store honey won't add much honey flavor, I've found that local honeys from farmers market or local bee keeper will add much more flavor. I usually use about 2-2.5 lbs to 5 gallon.

I do boil the honey in the last 10min just for peace of mind.

 

[wfahey]

I've brewed several batches using 1.5lbs of Fowler's honey and each time I've put it in at the beginning of the boil. I notice it in the finished beer and everyone that has tried it has loved it. This is one of the house beers that I've been told NOT to run out of.

 

[hoppybrewster]

Grocery store honey won't add much honey flavor, I've found that local honeys from farmers market or local bee keeper will add much more flavor. I usually use about 2-2.5 lbs to 5 gallon.

I do boil the honey in the last 10min just for peace of mind.

Do you know if honey malt is pricey?

 

[xdfireguy]

I just paid just under $2/lb

 

[hoppybrewster]

I just paid just under $2/lb

Honey or honey malt ?

 

[xdfireguy]

Sorry honey malt. Example: http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_21_71_112&products_id=109

 

[hoppybrewster]

Sorry honey malt. Example: http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_21_71_112&products_id=109

Great, thanks for the help!

 

[starrfish]

I get mine here but I like I can get weights under a pound... usually go 1/2 lb or less with local honey.

http://www.ebrew.com/malts_specialty/honey_malt_canadian.htm

 

[starrfish]

I do like what honey malt does when I'm not using honey. like in my double diamond "extinct" brewery clone. They probably used an Invert sugar upon further research but had good luck subbing honey malt.

 

[xdfireguy]

Yeah, I should have noted that most decent LHBS carry it, a little goes a long way. I just picked AHB because they are my go-to for online orders, easy to show here on the forum. If you do order from them they sell in 1oz increments (just order 0 lbs and use the fractional amount).