Brewing Today - Ronnie Wrigglers Honey Beer
Brewing Today - Ronnie Wrigglers Honey Beer
Doing a brew today which will remain un-tapped until I can wet our new borns head (mid October)
4000gm Pale Malt (MO)
100gm Crystal Malt
25gm Northdown [6.50%] (90 min) 19.0 IBU
43gm Styrian Goldings [3.00%] (90 min) 13.6 IBU
25gm Styrian Goldings [3.00%] (10 min) Hops 2.7 IBU
550gm Honey (at boiler switch-off)
100gm Honey (Used for priming in keg)
Whirlfloc (10 mins)
Safale s-04 (DaaB's Flying Starter)
25L
35 EBU
Target OG 1045
Spoke to the head brewer at my local MB yesterday and he said that in their experience when making honey beers they have had the best results when they add 2/3rds at the end of the boil and the remaining third after fermentation to prime so i'm giving that a go.
4000gm Pale Malt (MO)
100gm Crystal Malt
25gm Northdown [6.50%] (90 min) 19.0 IBU
43gm Styrian Goldings [3.00%] (90 min) 13.6 IBU
25gm Styrian Goldings [3.00%] (10 min) Hops 2.7 IBU
550gm Honey (at boiler switch-off)
100gm Honey (Used for priming in keg)
Whirlfloc (10 mins)
Safale s-04 (DaaB's Flying Starter)
25L
35 EBU
Target OG 1045
Spoke to the head brewer at my local MB yesterday and he said that in their experience when making honey beers they have had the best results when they add 2/3rds at the end of the boil and the remaining third after fermentation to prime so i'm giving that a go.
Last edited by Wez on Sun Jul 01, 2007 4:23 pm, edited 2 times in total.
I totally agree with how you're adding the honey. However:-
(1) I'd be inclined not to boil it at all as there's absolutely no other reason to boil other it than sanitation. Add it at switch off and it'll still be hot enough to sanitise it anyway.
(2) 250G for priming is too much. 90g would be plenty for carbonation and flavour, particularly as you're adding a load at boil end. 250g would overprime the barrel by miles, plus the beer would be way out of balance -all honey and nothing else. (I've done honey beer before - so I'm not just making assumptions here
) If you're using a plastic keg, they're more awkward for carbonation control than a cornie, so you either keep cracking opening the cap, or end up with over gassy beer and glasses of foam.
I've got good honey beers by just using honey to prime at a rate of 90-100g for 23L
(1) I'd be inclined not to boil it at all as there's absolutely no other reason to boil other it than sanitation. Add it at switch off and it'll still be hot enough to sanitise it anyway.
(2) 250G for priming is too much. 90g would be plenty for carbonation and flavour, particularly as you're adding a load at boil end. 250g would overprime the barrel by miles, plus the beer would be way out of balance -all honey and nothing else. (I've done honey beer before - so I'm not just making assumptions here

I've got good honey beers by just using honey to prime at a rate of 90-100g for 23L
Cheers SteveD, if I go for 100g to prime would you increase the amount added at switch off to 650g or leave it as it is 500g?SteveD wrote:I totally agree with how you're adding the honey. However:-
(1) I'd be inclined not to boil it at all as there's absolutely no other reason to boil other it than sanitation. Add it at switch off and it'll still be hot enough to sanitise it anyway.
(2) 250G for priming is too much. 90g would be plenty for carbonation and flavour, particularly as you're adding a load at boil end. 250g would overprime the barrel by miles, plus the beer would be way out of balance -all honey and nothing else. (I've done honey beer before - so I'm not just making assumptions here) If you're using a plastic keg, they're more awkward for carbonation control than a cornie, so you either keep cracking opening the cap, or end up with over gassy beer and glasses of foam.
I've got good honey beers by just using honey to prime at a rate of 90-100g for 23L
Could do. Depends on how much honey flavour you want. There will be a fair bit with that recipe. If not, just up your grain bill a bit to compensate. Like for like will be near enough, I'd guess (for pale malt)Wez wrote:Cheers SteveD, if I go for 100g to prime would you increase the amount added at switch off to 650g or leave it as it is 500g?SteveD wrote:I totally agree with how you're adding the honey. However:-
(1) I'd be inclined not to boil it at all as there's absolutely no other reason to boil other it than sanitation. Add it at switch off and it'll still be hot enough to sanitise it anyway.
(2) 250G for priming is too much. 90g would be plenty for carbonation and flavour, particularly as you're adding a load at boil end. 250g would overprime the barrel by miles, plus the beer would be way out of balance -all honey and nothing else. (I've done honey beer before - so I'm not just making assumptions here) If you're using a plastic keg, they're more awkward for carbonation control than a cornie, so you either keep cracking opening the cap, or end up with over gassy beer and glasses of foam.
I've got good honey beers by just using honey to prime at a rate of 90-100g for 23L
Do you think it'll come through too much? I want it to be obvious that it's a honey beer but i don't want it to taste like drinking honey straight from the jar?SteveD wrote:It'll come through like a phalanx of SpartansWez wrote:Mash already done...
I'm going to go with 550g at switch off and prime with 100g. I want the honey to come through quite a bit.
Cheers for the feedback.Keep the ferment temp under control - a racing ferment will also carry off volatiles.
No not quite as extreme as that, but it will definitely be there. Use a fairly neutral honey don't use Eucalyptus! You'll be pouring it down the sink!Wez wrote:Do you think it'll come through too much? I want it to be obvious that it's a honey beer but i don't want it to taste like drinking honey straight from the jar?SteveD wrote:It'll come through like a phalanx of SpartansWez wrote:Mash already done...
I'm going to go with 550g at switch off and prime with 100g. I want the honey to come through quite a bit.
Cheers for the feedback.Keep the ferment temp under control - a racing ferment will also carry off volatiles.
I'd use the 550g post boil. Then, when you're ready to keg it, taste it. You'll be able to judge then wether to prime with honey, and how much, or not. If you've already got the flavour you want, prime with sugar instead.