Something betwixt barley wine & bochet?

[dnr]

I am looking into making something that resembles a barley wine, but using methods from a bochet mead to beef it up.

I am hoping to impart a little, char or smoke, either vanilla or almond extract, candied orange peel, and then...I'm not sure. I don't want to go into coffee or chocolate territory unless it happens naturally.

What hops would be recommended? Any other adjuncts?
I'm doing research into this, but most of the people I'm seeing making the bochets have a lot of stalled fermentations. I guess caramelizing the honey makes it less fermentable.

I'm going to research how to get charred wood into fermenter, too.

I appreciate the help.

 

[videojunkie1208]

Sounds like an interesting experiment. I think I would shoot for toffee on the carmelized honey, as opposed to dark roasted. Balance it with lighter barley?

Unless you're going for the dark side, and then you could use a dark roasted grain, and go for those chocolate/ coffee notes. Add some cacao nibs, and call it a sith bochet?

 

[AkTom]

Don’t forget the nutrients.

 

[videojunkie1208]

What about going for a bourbon/ scotch feel, with the burnt honey? Add something 'peat-y', maybe some rubbed sage, or use something like this in the mix: Simpsons English Peated Malt

 

[videojunkie1208]

As far as stalled fermentation goes, I think a bochet is the only time I would recommend heating the honey and water.

You're basically making a caramel, and then trying to get it into a format that yeast will consume. So once you get your honey carmelized to the degree you desire, I would immediately add boiling water to it, so that you don't get candy. Or, if you're making a wort (barleywine), add the carmelized honey a few minutes before the end of the boil, giving it time to dissolve.