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Adding Honey in an IPA

philm63

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Looking at brewing a Rye IPA and the recipe has a touch of honey (7oz for a 5-gal batch). Thinking this is not enough to be for flavor or aroma, it must be in there for a gravity bump and to dry things out a bit.

Assuming this is the case, would I add the honey during the boil as a late addition, or at knockout? Or should I make a pasteurized water/honey solution close to my OG and pitch after fermentation has slowed a bit?

What I'm not sure about is what would be the best time to feed this small amount of honey to my yeast? Seems to me honey is comprised of simple sugars, but as it's such a small amount, would it really matter where in the process I used it?
 
I have used honey in quite a few beers and have made several meads...i guess i would say, it all depends on what you want the honey to do for you.
If the honey exceeds 140F or so, you will lose the delicate volatiles in it...
IF you just want a grav-bump then you can put it during the boil, but yeah, you will definately dry it out (and may taste a little cidery-flavor)
I usually add my honey after flame-out now, if i can time it to not exceed 140F so i can enjoy the character of the honey
 
The only issue with adding honey under 140 degrees is the lack of pasteurization, for that you have to top 176 degrees. However it seems to have worked for you, Brewangel, without any adverse affects, so maybe it doesn't matter...then again, you ARE looking for that delicate flavors in your meads....I don't know that we are necessarily in that same vein with an IPA.
Once you get up into the 12oz or more area, it can however affect your boil, as in crashing it, which then adds time to the boil that you may not intend. So, adding at flame out seems to work best, at least in my limited experience.
One thing I have found is the type of honey you use does affect taste, if you use enough of it. As Maine Homebrewer said.... a pound of clover honey makes it taste like you're munching on a field of clover.... not exactly a taste I would go for, just my opinion. Locust honey adds a background hint of citrus, wildflower adds a slight fruit note. The darker one.... Buckwheat..... will add a strong molasses flavor....not a fan of molasses except in a gingerbread cookie, but that's me.
Now, I get all this from a friend who is a beekeeper, but his knowledge is limited by his local flower availability. He doesn't get some of the more interesting types.... alfalfa, blueberry, avocado. I don't know what flavors those might impart in our brews.
I recently brewed an IPA with 8 oz wildflower honey, and 4 different hops....no worries on the honey overtaking the hops, it really just upped the gravity a bit with no change in flavors, and it's a dam fine brew, if i do say. My son liked it so much I now have an request for about 200 bottles of it for his wedding at the end of August. (yipes).
 
If want you want is honey flavorin the finished beer i would try using some Gambrinus honey malt. I find that it really adds a "true" honey flavor to finished beer. Using actual honey usually tastes like.... well fermented honey lol (not helpfull i know but well it is what it is). I make a a honey blonde that is very "honey" like and i use honey malt and no real honey.
 
smiffbrewing said:
If want you want is honey flavorin the finished beer i would try using some Gambrinus honey malt. I find that it really adds a "true" honey flavor to finished beer. Using actual honey usually tastes like.... well fermented honey lol (not helpfull i know but well it is what it is). I make a a honey blonde that is very "honey" like and i use honey malt and no real honey.

haha....I agree, not sure if I what I have is 'fermented honey' taste or not... ;D
Yeah, I saw that honey malt at the LHBS Friday.... interesting...If I do a honey blonde again, I might try it. I just use different honey for the slight tinges of flavors...citrus, etc..... and to bump the gravity a bit when it doesn't reach what I want in the original take up of the recipe. I'll probably start backing down on using it once I get better with the understanding up raising gravities with the grains. However, I've been told by both my boys not to touch the IPA recipe I made....apparently it's a keeper  ;) I'm good with that. They like it, I like it....rest is of no concern, eh?
 
When I use honey I add it at flameout. The flavor that honey imparts depends on the flowers it comes from. Most commercial honey is made from clover. Did you ever chew on the stem of a clover flower as a kid? Well, I once used two pounds of clover honey in a brew, and a hint of that is the flavor it gave to the beer. Clover stem. Yum....
 
So it's safe to assume, based on these responses, that as it's only 7 oz in a 5-gal batch; I can just toss it in at knockout, right?

@ beernbourbon - where in your IPA did you add your 8 oz of honey?
 
philm63 said:
So it's safe to assume, based on these responses, that as it's only 7 oz in a 5-gal batch; I can just toss it in at knockout, right?

@ beernbourbon - where in your IPA did you add your 8 oz of honey?

Per Maine's directions a couple months back, I add it at flameout. Seems to be working well that way. You get some of the pasteurization, and you aren't losing boil time. I know it's only above 176* for a few minutes, (I get from boil to 75* in less than 10 minutes) but it seems to be ok so far. (knockin' on wood)
 
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