Winter Honey Bitter

[livewire]

Hi folks
With the dark night drawing in I thought it was about time to do a winter warmer.
So hear is my take on a Winter Honey Bitter.
1 x Coppers English Bitter kit.
500 g Light spray malt.
500 g Crushed crystal malt, steeped for 30 mins at 66C
500 g of honey
12 g East Kent Golding hop pellets
I used Gervin GV12 English Ale yeast in place of the one provided with the kit.
I had an Original gravity reading of 1.042 and I am looking forward to how this one turns out.

I will keep you all posted

 

[Slid]

Very interesting brew there. 500g Crystal malt might make this a bit sweeter and less alcoholic than intended as the sugars in a cooked malt tend to be non-fermentable,

Since you want a Xmas brew, I suggest adding 500g table sugar when the initial ferment is over.

I do have to qualify this suggestion by pointing out that I am a bit of a pleb on homebrewing.

 

[MyQul]

Although 500g is quite a bit of crystal (you might want to lessen that a bit to 300g-400g) the EKG will balance it out somewhat.

All in all looks a great receipe. I love a good slug crystal in my bitters, and the floral EKG will compliment honey nicely

 

[MyQul]

Since you want a Xmas brew, I suggest adding 500g table sugar when the initial ferment is over.

This is new to me. I take it the 500g of table sugar creates some sort of a secondary ferment? What would this do? Does it then up the ABV% like it would by just adding it in with the first lot of fermentables (but also thin out the mouth feel as adding sugar will do)?

 

[Slid]

This is new to me. I take it the 500g of table sugar creates some sort of a secondary ferment? What would this do? Does it then up the ABV% like it would by just adding it in with the first lot of fermentables (but also thin out the mouth feel as adding sugar will do)?

Yes indeed, putting it in at first is just as good, but too late if it's already going. Adding sugar and end point ABV only "thins out" the beer if it is used to replace malt sugars.

Good luck with this interesting looking brew :hat:

 

[livewire]

Hi Folks
I have been reading your replies with interest and any advise you have is welcomed
After all this is my first attempt at any kind of mash brewing so I will keep you posted as to how it turns out, there is of course a fine balance between taste and final %ABV.
I hope to add some pictures once the fermentation has completed.