Honey - Alcohol Bite

[LorenzoJ]

In recent months I've done a couple of batches from published recipes with honey as an ingredient. One was a Brown Ale and one was a Weizen. Different yeasts were used. The Brown finished @ 4.7% abv and the Honey Wheat @ 6.3% abv. Both had a distinctly similar sharp "note" to the taste that I'm not sure I would call pleasent, not necessarily bad, just unexpected. Going for more bottle aging to see what happens.

Any thoughts on the inclusion of honey in a brew.

Added ? 12/09 Would I have the same conciderations with Maple Syrup? and thanks for the responses already received

[b3s]

honey ferments pretty dry, so you can get a more alcohol bite to it. if you want more of the sweetness of the honey profile, try adding the honey after the boil is done and let it sit for 10 minutes before you chill it...or, from designing great beers, heat honey water to 170F for 20 minutes or so and add to your secondary. of course, your wort volume will be different and figuring out gravity will be difficult.

[paul84043]

I know the aftertaste you're talking about. I have made a few honey beers, one was an Orange blossom honey wheat, the other, I can't recall....
But both had that bite, or sharp aftertaste to them. I thought it was almost a chemical taste, but you could definitely tell it was the honey.
It was really a mood thing wether or not we liked it, it's a relatively strong taste, plus it seemed to give me heartburn really bad if I drank it on an empty stomach.
The only thing I could think to do has already been mentioned, find some way to keep the honey from being fully broken down. I was thinking about using a yeast with a lesser attenuation.

[b3s]

well, when you boil honey, you destroy the honey flavor profile. the thing is, even with the flavor profile, it's gonna ferment drier. let it sit longer and add something like carapils for mouth feel.

[S.F.B.]

Add honey at the end of the boil to retain the sweet character. The one I have done turned out really good with no off flavor like you are describing.

[hemogoblin]

I just finished a honey porter which is delicious, but definitely has the honey tang to it. And I used only 8 oz. in a five gallon batch! I might just prime with honey next time and leave it out of the boil.

The porter's quite awesome tho - maris otter malt is enough to balance the "tang."

[LorenzoJ]

Update.......... Couple more weeks of bottle conditioning seems to have taken the edge off the sharp taste of my Honey - Brown Ale. I'll check the Honey - Wheat in another week or two.