Spring time brew: Golden Flower (Elderflower & Honey Pale Ale)

[BrannBrew]

I know its not exactly Spring but might be when its all conditioned (sometime end of March/April)

I've been really interested in doing this 'experimental' beer but before I ordered all the ingredients I wondered if it all makes sense and would work without being either too OTT or not enough flavour. I know this forum is full of seasoned home brewers which I was hoping to sap some of their knowledge.

The recipe is as follows (using brewers friend):
Title: Golden Flower

Brew Method: Extract
Style Name: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 15 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 6 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.104
Efficiency: 35% (steeping grains only)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.042
Final Gravity: 1.010
ABV (standard): 4.09%
IBU (tinseth): 27.46
SRM (morey): 8.1

FERMENTABLES:
1 kg - Dry Malt Extract - Light (35.2%)
340 g - Honey (12%)

STEEPING GRAINS:
1 kg - United Kingdom - Crystal 15L (35.2%)
500 g - United Kingdom - Golden Promise (17.6%)

HOPS:
20 g - First Gold, Type: Pellet, AA: 7.5, Use: Boil for 40 min, IBU: 13.73
20 g - First Gold, Type: Pellet, AA: 7.5, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 9.47
15 g - First Gold, Type: Pellet, AA: 7.5, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 4.25
10 g - First Gold, Type: Pellet, AA: 7.5, Use: Boil for 0 min

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
50 g - elderflower, Time: 0 min, Type: Herb, Use: Boil

YEAST:
Fermentis / Safale - English Ale Yeast S-04
Optimum Temp: 12.22 - 25 C
Fermentation Temp: 22 C

I would add the Elderflowers at at flame out (whirlpool before then cooling), the honey I would add to the bucket with some water before straining the wort on top and topping up to 15L.

 

[BrannBrew]

Now that my hobgoblin clone is all bottled (15 500mls 1 660ml bottle and a 330ml tester bottle) I've got all the gear setup to brew my Elderflower Honey Pale Ale.
Since the above original post I've made some alterations to the recipe which now follows:
Boil Time: 40 min
Batch Size: 12 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 8 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.019
Efficiency: 40% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.037
Final Gravity: 1.007
ABV (standard): 3.9%
IBU (tinseth): 42.25
SRM (morey): 6.48

FERMENTABLES:
500 g - Dry Malt Extract - Light - (late addition) (24.3%)
340 g - Honey - (late addition) (16.5%)
500 g - Belgian - Wheat (24.3%)
70 g - United Kingdom - Crystal 70L (3.4%)
150 g - United Kingdom - Crystal 15L (7.3%)
500 g - United Kingdom - Golden Promise (24.3%)

HOPS:
15 g - First Gold, Type: Pellet, AA: 7.5, Use: Boil for 40 min, IBU: 27.65
10 g - First Gold, Type: Pellet, AA: 7.5, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 10.42
10 g - First Gold, Type: Pellet, AA: 7.5, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 4.19
10 g - First Gold, Type: Pellet, AA: 7.5, Use: Boil for 0 min


OTHER INGREDIENTS:
50 g - elderflower, Time: 5 min, Type: Herb, Use: Boil

YEAST:
Fermentis / Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05

PRIMING:
Method: Sugar
Amount: 60g

Will be brewing this tomorrow (Friday) and pretty excited as this has gone through a lot of changes. I've tried to make it as much as a partial mash as I could as after trying the bottling dregs of my hobgoblin clone last night I certainly understand now the plus' of using grains. It certainly added more depth in flavour and smell.

Does this look good to everyone?

 

[ShakesBeer]

Hi there,

I'm rather a novice to home brew and don't have much equipment (I've made a few kits in the past), but love the sound of this recipe as I love elderflower, and also made some honey beer years ago with spray malt.

How did the recipe turn out, and could you give a simplified version of the recipe (I.e. Step by step instructions for a muppet like me!)?

Thanks - sorry to ask what is probably a silly question, but keen to learn and to try this recipe while there are fresh elder flowers on the trees!
Shakesbeer

 

[BrannBrew]

At the time it was the best tasting beer I've done. The taste of elderflowers were prominent however the last few bottles lost some of the flavour after about 2 and 1/2 months. I usually brew 1 month drink the next month. Rinse and repeat, but I did a double brew of 2 different ones so had more beers to go through and left the bottles inadvertently in a warmer than idea storage temp.

Anyway I digress elderflower taste was there but not too OOT then had some dry honey flavour. Another beer I'd happy to rebrew.

As simply as I can remember off hand.

I steeped the grains (added and stirred them to the brew bag in the stock pot) in 10l water when it hit 70c then left with the lid on for an hour.

Took the grains out and placed in another pot to collect any drips and heated the main pot up to boiling while heating I added the DME and stirred to dissolve.

Added the hops at the times above so with 40mins left, 20mins left etc.
Added the Elderflowers with 5 mins left.

I emptied the pot of honey directly into the fermenter and added some of my top off water to mix it up abit.

Once the brew pot was chilled enough I strained it into the fermenter bucket ontop of the honey water and then topped off with the rest of my topoff water to reach 12L

Hope this helps.