Adding Honey

[Leon103]

I am planning a honey porter and was wondering for any advice from those that have added honey before. Plan was to melt in some wort and then add to last 5 minutes. Does this sound right. How much would it effect the ABV calculation?

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I can’t advise how much to add for flavour because I haven’t flavoured a porter with honey but your approach is good.

Honey has about the same extract potential as crystal malt (1.035) so a kilo added to a 23 litre batch will add about 12 points almost all of which (11 points) is fermentable and will turn to alcohol.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Yes I have used that method before.

I would also advocate using decent honey, i've used honey twice and the more expensive one was much better.

 

[samale]

Will honey leave much flavour after it ferments out. Could you add some to the keg

 

[MrRook]

Add the honey after the boil is done. Boiling drives away honey flavor.

 

[Leon103]

I can’t advise how much to add for flavour because I haven’t flavoured a porter with honey but your approach is good.

Honey has about the same extract potential as crystal malt (1.035) so a kilo added to a 23 litre batch will add about 12 points almost all of which (11 points) is fermentable and will turn to alcohol.

Thanks, I will include some crystal malt on the recipe to know the ABV

Yes I have used that method before.

I would also advocate using decent honey, i've used honey twice and the more expensive one was much better.

I am using honey from a local producer.

Will honey leave much flavour after it ferments out. Could you add some to the keg

It seems little from the below comment
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Add the honey after the boil is done. Boiling drives away honey flavor.

Thanks. I only said 5 minutes because it is in the GH book but will change that.

 

[samale]

https://learn.kegerator.com/how-to-brew-beer-with-honey/

 

[Leon103]

https://learn.kegerator.com/how-to-brew-beer-with-honey/

Great article. I am inclined to go down the route of putting in the fermenter at high krausen.

 

[samale]

Great article. I am inclined to go down the route of putting in the fermenter at high krausen.

Thats what I would go for, I will be watching with interest. Good luck

 

[The Baron]

Put it in the FV late on as it will get most of the honey flavour driven off with any heat/boil.
Also if you are not brewing it like now order some Gambrinus Honey malt but do not add too much as it can be quite strong maybe 200/300g in a standard brew with the honey

 

[Leon103]

Put it in the FV late on as it will get most of the honey flavour driven off with any heat/boil.
Also if you are not brewing it like now order some Gambrinus Honey malt but do not add too much as it can be quite strong maybe 200/300g in a standard brew with the honey

I usually order with GEB who have no honey malt listed. I notice HBC do the above malt, will have to see if I can get everything I need from there.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

If it was me I would take 500ml off my sparge water and put the honey and water in secondary so you keep the fresh flavour of the honey. Warm it to 65C on the stove first obvs.

I have a beer coming up that i'm planning on doing this to.

The honey malt as someone else mentioned is so good in a vienna lager too. TMM told me they can't get it anymore and i'm really sad about it, as it's one of my favourites. I've found it elsewhere but it's quite old by the looks of it and it's crushed as well. No good for me.

 

[Agentgonzo]

Honey has about the same extract potential as crystal malt (1.035)

Really? Honey is almost pure sugar. I would have guessed it would be much higher, weight for weight.

Yep - just checked it. Well I never! Sucrose is ~ 1.046.

You learn something new every day!

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Really? Honey is almost pure sugar. I would have guessed it would be much higher, weight for weight.

Yep - just checked it. Well I never! Sucrose is ~ 1.046.

You learn something new every day!

You’re welcome!

 

[Donegal john]

I know @Leon103 said he was using local pure honey but just as a side note it was on the news today that something like 75% of supermarket honey isn’t pure honey but mostly sugar solution being passed off as honey. God knows what else is in it

 

[Agentgonzo]

I know @Leon103 said he was using local pure honey but just as a side note it was on the news today that something like 75% of supermarket honey isn’t pure honey but mostly sugar solution being passed off as honey. God knows what else is in it

Probably not a lot. Sugar is cheaper than most things!

 

[Donegal john]

Probably not a lot. Sugar is cheaper than most things!

the only “cheap” item now days is the air we breathe.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I know @Leon103 said he was using local pure honey but just as a side note it was on the news today that something like 75% of supermarket honey isn’t pure honey but mostly sugar solution being passed off as honey. God knows what else is in it

I don't expect there's enough bees to make the honey.

 

[Leon103]

I know @Leon103 said he was using local pure honey but just as a side note it was on the news today that something like 75% of supermarket honey isn’t pure honey but mostly sugar solution being passed off as honey. God knows what else is in it

Not good.

 

[samale]

How much honey do you plan to use. I get local honey of a boy in work who keeps bee's. 5 pounds a jar which I think is very reasonable. Hopefully his price is the same this year