Adding Honey To Keg

[glaab]

Hi all,

I made the below extract and was about to keg it but it's too bitter. It's only 38 IBU in beersmith but seems very bitter. I'v made it twice before at 31 IBU and it seemed not quite bitter enough. In the past I added 300g carapils which may have lowered the perception of bitterness but my mill was out of action this time.

I ;ve never added honey but was thinking of adding maybe 250g honey to the keg to make it seem less bitter. How do you go about it? My fermenter is at 20C so I don't think the honey will dissolve too well and I expect it should be boiled first.
Can I boil it in a litre of the uncarbed beer cool it then add to keg and crash chill? Will the honey stay in suspension? I know there are some articles out there but I'd like to hear from someone who's actually done it. Thanks for any helpful replies.

Cheers

COMMENTS; boiled 250g wheat extract in 2.5l for hops additions 38 IBU in beersmith

 

[redbeard]

Perhaps boil a lite or 2 of water, then add the honey, let cool & then add to keg. Not sure I would boil the uncarbed beer. If its just too bitter, perhaps add some artificial sweetner ? or let keg sit for a month.

cheers

 

[c0z]

I microwaved a plastic jar of honey with the lid partially open in about 10 secs i went very runny, i popped my keg (cold lowly early hopped wheat beer) lid dumped it in, close the keg lid very fast waited a week tasted like i had poured honey into beer. The girls and non beer drinkers loved it.

 

[Steve]

in about 10 secs i went very runny, i popped my keg

:lol:

Seriously though Glaab id keg it and let is settle for a while before tasting and thinking about adding the honey. Tasting it out of the fermenter isnt too accurate.

Cheers
Steve

 

[c0z]

8 of those seconds were spent removing my shoes.

More info:
I had my beer kegged, conditioned and cold before I decided honey would liven it up. it was orignally fermented with honey in it but it finished too dry, still had a honey nose but no sweetness. (KnK side project)

 

[brettprevans]

glabb the perceived bitterness will seem a lot higher at 20C than 8C.

the problem is getting the honey to dissolve into the beer. you could heat it up and then put into keg and dump beer on top of the honey in the keg. of course you dont really want to stir it too much b/c you dont want to aerate it causing oxidisation.

i'd be tmepted to keg it first, cool it down and then wait to see what it tastes like. if its still too bitter after a couple of weeks then maybe play with the honey

 

[Jerry]

Seriously though Glaab id keg it and let is settle for a while before tasting and thinking about adding the honey.

Cheers
Steve

Agree.

Except for the bit about thinking about adding the honey.

I think it will mellow out on its own after a little time.

Scott