I know a pound of sugar can add 1% ABV, so I want to try the same idea for my next batch, but with honey. What would you recommend for this type of idea?
It doesn’t have to taste like honey, like the White House whatever, but I’m asking if there are certain recipes that take honey better than others.
Ideas?
If you are using honey in beer, you will get very little out of it that is different than just using sugar. Of course, the water in the honey means you need to add 1.33 lbs to get the same gravity boost as you would from 1 lb of sugar, but that is the main difference. Honey can give a bit more mouth feel to a beer, but that is a subtle effect. The beer would need to be pretty light otherwise to notice it.
As for flavor contribution, don’t expect anything from honey. Almost all the flavor and aroma will be blown out along with the CO2 by the yeast.
[quote=“rebuiltcellars”]If you are using honey in beer, you will get very little out of it that is different than just using sugar. Of course, the water in the honey means you need to add 1.33 lbs to get the same gravity boost as you would from 1 lb of sugar, but that is the main difference. Honey can give a bit more mouth feel to a beer, but that is a subtle effect. The beer would need to be pretty light otherwise to notice it.
As for flavor contribution, don’t expect anything from honey. Almost all the flavor and aroma will be blown out along with the CO2 by the yeast.[/quote]
I’m not sure I agree with this. I used Meadowfoam honey in my biere de mars (brewed, you guessed it: last march) and it still has a really prominent aroma of vanilla, which is characteristic of Meadowfoam. I had similar results with Wildflower (though it was in a braggot) and have heard of similar results with orange blossom. Now Smucker’s brand corn-syrup-marketed-as-honey: I can see how this would add virtually nothing.
I think the key is to add it after fermentation has started and some of the more complex sugars are out of the yeast’s way, dissolved in water. You also may want to consider mashing a few degrees higher as honey or any simple sugar addition will add to the dryness/thin mouthfeel of a beer.
Interesting. I definitely will be using REAL honey, which is why I’m asking.
I’m not trying to make a honey-flavored beer, but if there was any slight flavor changes from it, then I wouldn’t be too upset. I was thinking a brown ale of sorts.
If it doesn’t matter, then cool!
