BREWING WITH

By Keith Seiz

T
housands of years ago, honey was a common source of fermentable sugars for the
production of alcohol. Today, brewers have expanded the ingredient’s use beyond
fermentation to add flavor and aromatic complexity to food and beverages. We’re
even seeing brewers using it in barrel-aging programs and for bottle conditioning.
Honey’s popularity in brewing mirrors its increased usage throughout the food and bev-
erage industry, but for different reasons. Chefs and large-scale food and beverage makers
appreciate that it’s a 100 percent natural sweetener made in a beehive, not processed in
a manufacturing facility.
But honey’s real value in brewing derives from its functionality and flavor. Honey gives
brewers a unique and often hyper-local story to tell about their beer, a story of terroir,
floral source, and even the importance of honey bees to our entire food system.
Photos © courtesy of

30 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

PPhotos
Pho
Ph syy of
courtesy
tos © cou

Ho
Hom
HomebrewersAssociation.org
ebr
b ew
ewersA
ewe rs ssociatio
ion.o
on.org
rg Zym
Zymurgy
y ur
ym urgyy | NOV
urg NOVEMB
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
EMBER/DEC
CEMB
EMBER
ER 201
2
20199| 3
31
 For professional brewers, using honey

Klosterman
has never been more popular, as evi-
denced by the popularity of the National
Honey Board’s Honey Beer Competition.
The 2019 competition featured 290
entries compared to 169 the previous year. Honey Wheat Lager
The two most interesting aspects of this
year’s entries were the diversity of beer Best of Show: Bronze, 2019 Honey Beer Competition
styles represented, from IPAs to sours, and
the point in the brewing process at which Recipe courtesy Fretboard Brewing Co., Cincinnati, Ohio
the star ingredient was added, whether at
flameout, high kräusen, or in barrels to Jim Klosterman is “Lead Guitar” at Fretboard Brewing Co. His last name is attached to this beer thanks to
spur secondary fermentations. Fretboard’s collaboration with Klosterman Baking Co., a Cincinnati bakery that supplies bread and buns
The timing of this addition plays an across the United States. Fretboard collaborates on two styles with Klosterman, a Rye Lager with caraway
important role for flavor and aromatics seed and the Honey Wheat Lager below.
in finished beer, but it’s also important to
understand the chemical composition of Batch volume: 5.75 US gal. (21.8 L) YEAST
honey and how its various carbohydrates, Original gravity: 1.050 (12.4°P) White Labs WLP830 German Lager
acids, enzymes, and other compounds can Final gravity: 1.009 (2.3°P)
affect the brewing process. Efficiency: 75% BREWING NOTES
Color: 7 SRM Mash grains for 35 minutes at 151°F (66.1°C), or
ONE INGREDIENT, Bitterness: 10 IBU until starch conversion is complete. Sparge at
181 COMPONENTS Alcohol: 5.2% by volume 170°F (76.7°C). Collect 7.5 gal. (28.4 L) of wort in
Bees, specifically the European honey bee the kettle and boil for 90 minutes, adding honey
(Apis mellifera), gather nectar and process MALTS after knockout. Ferment at 55°F (12.8°C).
it into a versatile food with some unique 5.5 lb. (2.49 kg) Pilsner malt
properties. Honey is made when bees 1.75 lb. (794 g) white wheat malt EXTRACT VERSION
gather nectar and other plant products and 1.25 lb. (567 g) honey malt Replace grains with 4.5 lb. (2.04 kg) Pilsner liquid
then modify, concentrate, and store them in malt extract and 2 lb. (907 g) wheat liquid malt
the comb. Kept in its pure, undiluted form HOPS extract. Dissolve the extracts in warm reverse
in hexagonal wax chambers by the bees, it 0.25 oz. (7 g) Nugget, 13% a.a. @ 60 min osmosis water, top up to desired volume, and
can last almost indefinitely. 0.75 oz. (21 g) Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, 4.5% a.a. proceed with the boil as above.
Over 180 different components have @ 5 min
been identified in honey, including mul-
tiple carbohydrate and acid types, water, ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS
minerals, bacteria, and yeast. Bees gather 2 lb. (907 g) clover honey, steeped after boil
nectar and other essences from thousands
of different flowering trees, shrubs, herbs,
and other plants, resulting in a nearly
infinite combination of ingredients. Along
with what the bees themselves contribute
as they process plant components into
honey, the resulting product can add com-
plexity to mead, beer, and other foods.
About 82 percent of honey is made up
of carbohydrates, with water accounting
for roughly 17 percent, although climate
can affect this (those living in dry climates
might find their honey has less moisture).
Fructose and glucose are the two main
carbohydrates, at levels of about 46 percent
and 38 percent, respectively.
More complex sugars are also present,
such as sucrose, maltose, and maltotriose,
Photos courtesy of the National Honey Board.

but 90 to 98 percent of those sugars are

fermentable. Carbohydrates give honey
its trademark sweetness, but aliphatic and
aromatic acids determine aroma and tart-
ness. This combination of carbohydrates
and acids forms a unique flavor profile
that, if added at the correct time in the
brewing process, can come through in the
finished beer. Keith Seiz, National Honey Board.

32 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 Although most
brewers use honey
either at the end of
boil or right after
peak fermentation,
a growing number of
brewers use it in
bottle conditioning
and to spur a second-
ary fermentation in a
barrel or foeder.

The remaining fraction includes other

compounds: enzymes, polyphenols, vita-
mins, minerals, antioxidants, bacteria, and
yeasts. However, because these are present
at such low levels, they don’t usually play a
role in brewing. That said, if you do noth-
ing more than dilute honey, these naturally
occurring yeasts and bacteria will begin to
ferment it. Such no-heat, no-pitch mead
can be delicious, but it may not have the
stability of single-strain-pitched, pasteur-
ized-honey mead.
There is always the remote possibility
that the native microorganisms in raw,
unpasteurized honey can have an adverse
effect. Normally, honey’s acidity keeps them
dormant, but when diluted by wort, beer,
or water, they can become active.
Brewers concerned about this have two
options. First, they can add the honey at
the very end of the boil. The wort’s heat
will denature any enzymes and microor-
ganisms while still retaining most flavors
and aromatics. They can also heat it direct-
ly. Research by the National Honey Board
concluded that diluting honey with water
on a 1:1 basis and heating it for 20 minutes
at 185°F (85°C) was effective and preserved
the most honey character.

HONEY AND FERMENTATION

Because of its high fermentability, honey
will function like any other sugar when
used as part of a beer recipe. You can
expect a boost in alcohol and a lighter,

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | 33

 Chomolungma
Best of Show: Gold, 2019 Honey Beer Competition
tion

Recipe courtesy Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery, Athens, Ohio

In May 2007, Art Oestrike’s brother Brian Oestrike summited Mount Everest to raise money for the
Valhalla
LUNGevity Foundation, a lung cancer-focused nonprofit. Art and Brian’s mother, Jackie, had passed Recipe courtesy Greg Foley, Crestone Brewing
away from lung cancer on June 14, 2006. As Newcastle Brown Ale was a favorite of Jackie’s (who Co., Crestone, Colo.
was born in England), then-brewer Brad Clark created the recipe for Chomolungma as an American
interpretation of the British classic. The beer was named for the word Tibetans use for Mount Everest, This mead-beer hybrid is the strongest
which means “Goddess Mother of the Earth.” When it came time to choose the core lineup of beers to beverage produced at Crestone Brewing
be released in cans from our production brewery in 2012–2013, this meant-to-be-one-off beer had Co. Dosed with local honey throughout the
become the third-best seller at our brewpub. It was first packaged in cans in May 2013 and has been brewing and fermenting process, it’s got
a favorite of customers and staff alike ever since. great floral honey character, a dry finish,
and a delicious, boozy character. Deceptively
Batch volume: 5 US gal. (18.9 L) Color: 25 SRM drinkable—be careful.with this one!
Original gravity: 1.060 (14.7°P) Bitterness: 25 IBU
Final gravity: 1.013 (3.3°P) Alcohol: 6.5% by volume Batch volume: 5 US gal. (18.9 L)
Original gravity: 1.112 (26.4°P)
MALTS Final gravity: 1.003 (0.8°P)
4.6 lb. (2.09 kg) Briess Brewer’s Malt 0.4 lb. (181 g) Dingeman’s Chocolate Malt Color: 7 SRM
1.4 lb. (635 g) Briess Munich Malt 0.4 lb. (181 g) Dingeman’s Aromatic Malt Bitterness: 35 IBU
0.75 lb. (340 g) Briess Caramel 60 Malt 0.4 lb. (181 g) Briess Special Roast Malt Alcohol: 15% by volume
0.5 lb. (227 g) Briess White Wheat Malt
MALTS
HOPS 8 lb. (3.63 kg) Pilsner malt
0.2 oz. (6 g) Northern Brewer, 0.2 oz. (6 g) Northern Brewer, 1.25 lb. (567 g) Weyermann Munich II malt
8.5% a.a. @ 75 min 8.5% a.a. @ 45 min 8 oz. (227 g) Weyermann Carahell malt
0.2 oz. (6 g) Northern Brewer, 0.7 oz. (20 g) Willamette, 6 oz. (170 g) aromatic malt
8.5% a.a. @ 60 min 5.5% a.a. @ 15 min
HOPS
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS 0.75 oz. (21 g) Magnum, 12% a.a. @ 60 min
2.5 lb. (1.13 kg) local, minimally processed honey @ 30 min

WATER
Ca 48 ppm, Mg 12 ppm, SO4 30 ppm, Na 80 ppm, Cl 46 ppm

YEAST
Your preferred English ale strain residual sweetness. Compared to traditional
European lager or British pale ale worts,
BREWING NOTES with a greater proportion of maltose and
Mash at 152°F (66.7°C) for 30 minutes, aiming for a mash pH of 5.2. Sparge at 165°F (73.9°C) and then other complex sugars, worts containing
boil for 75 minutes. The wort pH should be 5.0 at knockout. Ferment at 65°F (18.3°C). honey have significantly more simple sug-
ars. Yeasts will consume these simple sug-
EXTRACT VERSION ars first, and if enough are present, some
Replace Briess Brewer’s Malt, Briess Munich Malt, and Briess White Wheat Malt with 3.5 lb. (1.59 kg) pale strains can exhaust themselves, slowing or
liquid malt extract and 1 lb. (454 g) Munich liquid malt extract. Steep the remaining malts in 160°F (71.1°C) halting fermentation.
reverse osmosis water for 30 minutes. Remove grains, dissolve the extracts in the resulting wort, top up to Without sweetness added to the final
desired volume, and proceed with the boil as above. flavor profile, why would a brewer be inter-
ested in using honey on the hot side? One
reason is that it has the ability to bump
up the ABV of a beer without increasing
crisper beer. What you shouldn’t expect gravity points in 1.050 wort) will ferment sweetness. The National Honey Board has
is a sweet beer, unless it is used after peak out almost completely, leaving no residual tracked an increasing number of brewers
fermentation, or used in quantities that sweetness, but instead a complex flavor using it to convert IPAs into DIPAs. It is
overwhelm your yeast’s ability to ferment that is often described as grassy or earthy. often smoother than other sugars and has
it. With most yeast strains, honey used Used at rates higher than 12 percent, the ability to mellow the bitter edges of
on the hot side at a rate of less than 12 honey does have the potential to delay hops, allowing more fruity and floral char-
percent of original extract (e.g. less than 6 fermentation times and may contribute acteristics to come through.

34 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS
7.5 lb. (3.40 kg) honey, split into three
2.5-lb. (1.13-kg) additions

YEAST
Fermentis SafAle S-04 or Wyeast 3787
Trappist High Gravity

BREWING NOTES
Mash grains at 149°F (65°C) for one hour.
Lauter, sparge, collect wort, and boil 90
minutes, adding the single hop addition an
hour before knockout. Cool wort to 180°F
(82.2°C), add the first honey addition, and
whirlpool 10 minutes.

After whirlpool, cool wort to 65°F (18.3°C). The

specific gravity at this point should be around
1.070 (17.1°P). Add a large pitch of healthy yeast
(use multiple packs, multiple starters, or the
slurry from another lower-gravity batch) and
oxygenate thoroughly.

On day 5 of fermentation, or when it shows

signs of slowing, add the second addition of
honey. Add the third addition on day 6 or 7,
or when fermentation once again shows
signs of slowing.

When specific gravity reaches approximately

1.002–1.003, keg or bottle.

EXTRACT VERSION
Replace grains with 7 lb. (3.18 kg) Pilsner
liquid malt extract and 1 lb. (454 g) Munich
liquid malt extract. Dissolve the extracts in
warm reverse osmosis water, top up to desired
volume, and proceed with the boil as above.

Hot-side use prior to fermentation pro-

vides complexity. On the cold side, honey
imparts more flavor and aromatics. The
National Honey Board recommends add-
ing it just after peak fermentation to allow
some of the sugars to be digested while still
promoting flavor.
Undiluted honey on the bottom of
the fermentation vessel will eventually
disperse and be consumed by yeast. This
may be a useful tactic for high-gravi-
ty homebrewers or meadmakers who
want to avoid shocking yeast with the
high osmotic pressure that can result
from dissolving honey all at once, but it
does delay fermentation time. In lower
amounts where this is not a concern,
ensure complete incorporation in wort
by gently warming honey in a hot-water
bath or blending it with equal parts water
before incorporation.

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | 35

 COMMON StoneShip
HONEY Braggot
VARIETALS Best of Show: Silver, 2019 Honey Beer Competition

ALFALFA HONEY Recipe courtesy Four Fathers Brewing Co., Valparaiso, Ind.
Alfalfa is a legume with blue flowers.
It blooms throughout the summer and This beer-mead hybrid combines the wort from a fairly typical brew session with a honey must that
is ranked as the most important honey
has been caramelized using hot rocks. For more information on working with hot rocks, including safety
plant in Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, and
most of the western states. Alfalfa honey guidelines, see “Fahrenheit 951” in the Jul/Aug 2019 issue of Zymurgy.
is white or extra-light amber in color
with hints of dried grass and subtle bak- Batch size: 5 US gal. (18.9 L) BREWING NOTES
ing spice notes. Original gravity: 1.109 (25.7°P) Mash grains for 60 minutes 156°F (69°C), mash
Suggested Use: This versatile honey Final gravity: 1.024 (6.1°P) out at 168°F (76°C), vorlauf, and run off to kettle.
can be used on the hot and cold sides Color: 35 SRM Lauter, sparge, and collect approximately 4.5 gal.
to impart complex, grassy undertones. Bitterness: 22 IBU (17 L) of wort. Boil 90 minutes. Add lactose and
Alcohol: 11% by volume buckwheat honey at flameout.
BUCKWHEAT HONEY
Buckwheat is usually planted in the
MALTS In a separate vessel, scorch wildflower honey with
spring and grows best in cool, moist cli-
4 lb. (1.81 kg) 2-row malt super-heated basalt rocks (heat basalt rocks on
mates. The buckwheat plant prefers light,
well-drained soils, although it can thrive 4 lb. (1.81 kg) dark Munich malt an open flame and then drop into honey to allow
in highly acidic, low-fertility soils as well. 1 lb. (454 g) honey malt scorching and caramelization). Add enough clean
It blooms quite early and it yields a dark 12 oz. (340 g) rye malt hot water to honey to bring the mixture up to
brown honey with a robust flavor profile 8 oz. (227 g) chocolate malt about 1.7 gal. (6.4 L).
that has barnyard, earth, tobacco, and 8 oz. (227 g) smoked malt
dark cherry notes. 6 oz. (170 g) Baird Light Carastan Malt Cool the wort and scorched honey must to 64°F
Suggested Use: This strong-fla- 6 oz. (170 g) flaked oats (17°C) and blend for fermentation. Pitch yeast and
vored honey is perfect for hot-side 4 oz. (113 g) Briess Blackprinz Malt ferment at 64°F (17°C).
additions to impart a complex flavor 3 oz. (85 g) acidulated malt
profile to the finished beer.
After fermentation, rack to secondary and add
ORANGE BLOSSOM HOPS black walnut pieces and vanilla beans. Age for
Orange blossom honey is often a combi- 0.5 oz. (14 g) CTZ, 12.4% a.a. @ 60 min several weeks or until flavors develop to your
nation of citrus floral sources. Orange is a liking, and then bottle or keg.
leading honey source in southern Florida, ADDITIONAL ITEMS
Texas, Arizona, and California. Orange rice hulls as needed for lautering
trees bloom in March and April and pro- 8 oz. (227 g) lactose
duce an amber honey with a distinctive 1.25 lb. (567 g) buckwheat honey @ knockout
flavor and the aroma of citrus. 4.5 lb. (2.04 kg) wildflower honey
Suggested Use: This all-around basalt rocks as needed to scorch wildflower honey
honey provides complexity to beer 6 oz. (170 g) black walnut pieces, secondary
whether used on the hot or cold
6 vanilla beans, split, secondary
side. On the hot side, add at the end
of boil to preserve orange blossom’s
citrus notes. YEAST
Omega Yeast Labs OYL-004 West Coast Ale
TUPELO
Tupelo honey is produced in the southeast-
ern United States. Tupelo trees have clus-
ters of greenish flowers that later develop
into soft, berrylike fruits. In southern
Georgia and northwestern Florida, tupelo As with hot-side additions, using honey bottle conditioning and to spur a second-
is a leading honey plant that produces on the cold side increases the degree of ary fermentation in a barrel or foeder.
tons of white or extra-light amber honey
fermentation, yields more alcohol by vol- Brewers should explore bottle condi-
in April and May. The honey has a delicate,
floral flavor and a strong aroma. ume, and lends a drier, lighter body to the tioning with honey when they want the
Suggested Use: The delicate flavors finished beer. The advantage of cold-side priming sugar to play a role. If all you
of this honey are best used on the cold additions is that more flavor and aromatics want is carbonation, plain dextrose will
side, after peak fermentation or as a will be preserved in the final product. suffice, but honey, particularly monoflo-
barrel addition. Although most brewers use honey either ral varieties, can provide strong aromatic
at the end of boil or right after peak fer- acids and complex flavor when used as a
mentation, a growing number use it in priming agent.

36 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 Monofloral
varietals, such as
orange blossom,
buckwheat, and
watermelon, give
brewers the ability
to impart specific
flavor profiles to
their beers.

MORE THAN
300 HONEY VARIETALS
Monofloral varietals, such as orange blos-
som, buckwheat, and watermelon, give
brewers the ability to impart specific flavor
profiles to their beers. These result when
bees predominantly visit one type of plant,
and the nectar they pull from the flowers
imparts a recognizable color, flavor, and
aroma to the honey.
In the United States, there are more
than 300 honey varietals, and worldwide,
there are more than 3,000. In general, the
darker the color of honey, the more robust
the flavor profile, whereas lighter-colored
honeys usually have more delicate and
nuanced flavors.
When choosing a honey for brewing,
the National Honey Board recommends
one with a stronger flavor if used on
the hot side. Those stronger flavors will
better survive fermentation and provide
depth of flavor. More delicate honeys
can be used on the cold side or in bottle
conditioning to add subtle aromas and
nuanced flavors.
Honey’s versatility gives brewers ample
room for experimentation, whether they
want to add a hint of sweetness or com-
plexity to almost any style of beer.

Keith Seiz has spent the last nine

years traveling the country talking to
brewers, distillers, bakers, and food
manufacturers about honey. In his
role with the National Honey Board,
he oversees all beer efforts, including
research, events, and competition.

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | 37