Using Honey in Beer Brewing: A Sweet Addition to Your Brew

The art of brewing beer has evolved over millennia, and one ingredient that has stood the test of time is honey. While the use of honey in brewing might seem ancient, its application in modern-day brewing remains as intriguing and beneficial as ever. 

This article delves deep into the world of incorporating honey into your beer brewing process, its effects, and the considerations you need to keep in mind.

Honey and Beer: An Age-Old Affair

Using honey to brew beer is a practice that dates back centuries. The addition of bee honey to one's homebrew not only imparts unique aromas but also enriches the flavor profile of the beer. However, it's crucial to distinguish between beer brewed with honey and mead. 

While mead is a beverage made entirely from honey, adding honey to beer results in a concoction known as a "braggot." Although braggots share some characteristics with mead, their primary distinction lies in the brewing process and the balance of ingredients.

The Role of Honey in Boosting ABV

Another fascinating aspect of adding honey to your beer is its potential to elevate the alcohol content (ABV). As honey ferments, it breaks down into alcohol, thereby increasing the beer's overall ABV. This makes honey a dual-purpose ingredient, enhancing both flavor and potency.

Choosing the Right Honey: Quality Over Exoticism

For beginners, it's tempting to experiment with various types of honey, including wild honey from local suppliers. While wild honey can bring distinct flavors, it also poses risks. Wild honey might introduce unwanted bacteria, which could potentially interfere with the yeast during fermentation. 

Moreover, specific regions, like New Zealand where this author resides, face challenges with honey contaminants such as Tutin, which can be toxic. Therefore, for safety and consistency, it's advisable to use standard, high-quality honey that you'd confidently consume or serve to your family.

Incorporating Honey into the Brewing Process

When it comes to adding honey to your brew, timing is of the essence. Typically, brewers introduce honey after mixing in other essential ingredients like malt extract, hops, and DME. To ensure the smooth incorporation of honey, consider warming it slightly, ensuring it remains below boiling point. This softening technique allows honey to blend seamlessly into the fermenter. 

If you're conducting a boil, adding honey as the wort cools (around 160°F or below) might help preserve its innate flavor.

Determining the Right Quantity of Honey

The amount of honey to use largely depends on personal preference and the desired outcome. Some brewers suggest that honey can constitute anywhere from 2% to 10% of the total wort. Others believe that up to 50% of the fermentable sugars can be derived from honey. 

It's essential to strike a balance, as excessive honey might prolong fermentation and impart a more mead-like taste to the beer.

Selecting the Ideal Honey Variety

Different kinds of honey possess distinct characteristics. While any supermarket variety can suffice, maltier honeys tend to accentuate the honey flavor in the beer. However, if you opt for a honey-rich brew, consider increasing the bittering hops to counterbalance the heightened sweetness. This adjustment can ensure a harmonious flavor profile and prevent an overly dry mouthfeel.

Honey as a Carbonating Agent for secondary fermentation

Yes, you read that right! 

Honey can indeed be employed to carbonate beer during bottle conditioning. However, moderation is key. Overdoing the honey might trigger excessive secondary fermentation, leading to over-carbonated beer, often termed "gusher" beer.

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The Science Behind Beer Enhancers: Elevating Your Homebrew Experience

Beer, with its vast array of styles and flavors, possesses one unifying element: the 'mouth feel' or 'body'.

This sensation, reminiscent of the rich texture of a pint of Guinness, is akin to a creamy yet solid breakfast. Now, imagine a beer that feels watery on the palate; it's a stark contrast, isn't it? 

This is where beer enhancers come into play for kit brewers.

Unlocking the Secret of Great Mouthfeel

Simply brewing malt with sugar can produce a beer, but it often lacks the desired body. A well-bodied beer not only enhances the drinking experience but also provides a richer texture. To achieve this, many brewers employ 'beer enhancers' which, as the name suggests, augment the beer's body and overall mouthfeel.

Beer enhancers comprise basic ingredients, primarily a blend of fermentable and non-fermentable substances. The typical components include dextrose and maltodextrin. While the dextrose serves as a vital food source for yeast during fermentation, maltodextrin remains unfermented. This residual maltodextrin contributes to the beer's body, imparting a fuller mouthfeel. Additionally, it aids in foam formation, ensuring your poured beer retains a good head. The combination of these ingredients is particularly suitable for lighter beers, such as pilsners, draughts, and lagers.

For those looking to brew ales or beers with a richer, maltier flavor, light dry malt extract (DME) is the ingredient of choice. DME, often simply referred to as such, can be incorporated into the enhancer mix. 

Some enhancers even include hops tailored to specific beer styles. Hence, when purchasing online, it's crucial to ensure the enhancer's hops align with your intended beer type.

Diving Deeper into DME and Beer Quality

DME plays a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of beer. It's a concentrated malt extract, and its inclusion in the brewing process imparts a depth of flavor and body to the beer that's hard to achieve with simple sugars alone. Unlike simple sugars, which can sometimes give beer an undesirable citrusy undertone, DME provides a balanced malt profile. 

Furthermore, the consistency of DME ensures a uniform flavor profile, which can be a game-changer in achieving professional-quality homebrews.

Branded Enhancers: A Peek into Coopers

Venturing into the realm of branded beer enhancers, Coopers, an Australian beer-making giant, offers two renowned options: Brew Enhancer 1 and Brew Enhancer 2. While the former is tailored for lagers, the latter complements ales. These enhancers are not only available with Coopers' beer kits but can also be purchased separately. 

Apart from Coopers, other esteemed brands like Muntons, Young's, and Copper Tun have cemented their reputation in the brewing community.

Alternative Enhancers: The Role of Spraymalt

Spraymalt, a specially crafted form of DME, offers an alternative to traditional beer enhancers. The drying process, achieved using a spray drier, ensures a uniform powder in terms of both particle size and flavor. Beers brewed with spraymalt tend to have a less dry finish, enhancing the overall drinking experience.

Crafting Your Own Enhancer: A DIY Approach

For those who prefer a hands-on approach, creating your own beer enhancer is entirely feasible. By mixing dextrose, maltodextrin, and DME in specific ratios suited to the beer style, brewers can achieve their desired beer profile. 

For instance, for light beers, a 60% dextrose, 40% maltodextrin, and 0% DME mix is ideal, while a maltier beer like ale might benefit from a 50% dextrose, 25% maltodextrin, and 25% DME combination.

Incorporating an adjunct like beer enhancer can elevate the alcohol content of the brew, making it an added bonus for those seeking a stronger beer.

Concluding Thoughts: Is Beer Enhancer Worth It?

Yes. 

The cost-effectiveness of beer enhancers often comes into question. While adding an enhancer does increase the per-glass cost, the tangible improvement in taste and body makes it a worthy investment. If an enhancer costing $8 can elevate the quality of 23 liters of beer, that's a mere 35 cents added per liter - a small price for a significant upgrade.

Whether opting for branded enhancers, DIY mixes, or store-bought no-frills options, the goal remains the same: to brew a beer that's flavorful, full-bodied, and utterly delightful. After all, isn't that the essence of brewing?

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