Coopers Honey Lager

[IanC15]

Hey All,

 

Im planning my next recipe and wanted to see if anyone has tried something similiar, i planned on the following for my next beer.

 

1 Can Coopers Lager

2kg of local honey,

21 Litres.

 

Im looking for a real honey flavour out of this beer hence the exceptional amount of honey.

 

Let me know what you think or if you have tried something similiar.

[Scottie]

G'day Ian & welcome to the forum

That is a fair wack of honey. I have only made one honey beer, and a fair bit f that went down the drain, so perhaps I'm not the best person to comment. However I because no one else has I thought I would.

This will be a high %ABV beer with very little body but it will have some honey flavour. The side effect of honey beer, they say, is a wicked headache. It's theory that will certainly be tested with 2kg.

How may brews have you done and have you brewed this one from the How to Brew section?

At most I would go the Coopers can, 500g of Light Dry Malt and 500g of Honey. The OS lager contains Ale yeast so I'd look to brew it at 20'C.

Good Luck

[Beeblebrox]

G'day Ian, I see what you're trying to do, but you won't make a good beer that way.

By all means make a lager, or whatever style, and certainly you can add some honey for flavour, but 2kg without any other sugars (other than those in the kit) will not be good.

I currently have a Coopers Australian Pale Ale with about 300 - 400g honey, along with the recommended 1kg of BE2 - made up to 25 litres, and having done a reading and taste test yesterday, (day 6) I can say that this is more than enough if you want honey flavour.

 

The trick is to ferment it cool - about 18 - 20c, so that you don't have the aroma leak out with the co2 as you're fermenting.

This will also avoid esters which will overpower the other flavours, including the honey, which will ferment out at higher temps.

 

You need to have some other sugars to make sure your brew is not overpoweringly honey flavoured, or thin and overdone.

 

I'd recommend you dial it right back, go with 1kg BE1 or BE2, (or the brewing sugars of your choice) and just 300 - 400 g honey; you'll still get a strong honey profile, but unlike what you're suggesting you'll get a beer that will actually turn out good.

 

Remember, one of the keys to a good beer is balance.

With that in mind, I'd also recommend you dry hop to have a well rounded flavour. I'm using about 20g of Hallertau dry hops, which is just enough, though a little more would have been better.

 

Good luck mate.

 

 

[Nick]

G,day Ian, i am guessing that if you stick with that recipe, it will go down the drain like Scottie's. My efforts with honey have been OK, but even with only 300g, the honey profile was a little too much. This hobby is all about experimentation, there are only a handful of base ingredients, but 1000's of beer styles, so brew whatever suits your taste. If you do use honey, regardless of quantity, use a mild honey such as yellow box.

[Hairy]

Hey All,

 

Im planning my next recipe and wanted to see if anyone has tried something similiar, i planned on the following for my next beer.

 

1 Can Coopers Lager

2kg of local honey,

21 Litres.

 

Im looking for a real honey flavour out of this beer hence the exceptional amount of honey.

 

Let me know what you think or if you have tried something similiar.

I think it depends on what you are after. I am guessing that most people tipped theirs out because it didn't taste exactly like beer.

 

But you are actually makng a Braggot rather than a 'normal' beer. It is like a mix of beer and mead. So if that is what you are after then go for it.

 

Below is a link to the style guidelines for a Braggot:

 

BJCP - Braggot

 

I have had a mead tasting night with dry, sweet, strong and lighter meads. They were all quite nice but definitely not like a beer and I doubt I could drink a lot of it.

[Beeblebrox]

Of course you're right Hairy!

It won't be a good beer, because it won't be a beer, it will of course be a Braggot.

So Ian, if you're after something different but not beer go for it, but if you're looking for honey flavoured beer, then dial it back.

It's really a matter of personal taste and preference, but having a look at Hairy's link is a good idea if you want to persist in that amount of honey in your brew, or just look at what other options are out there.

[IanC15]

Thanks for all the comments lads, some good insight and ideas..

 

This is going to be my 7th brew, i have made a coopers wheat with 500g of DME and 500g of honey, however i couldnt taste any honey whatsoever.

 

I do love some real honey flavoured beers like Ciechan(polish beer) its like drinking a pint of honey, not something id drink ten pints of but it really is a great beer for one or two..

 

maybe its not beer anymore maybe its braggot but im really looking for a super honey flavour..

[JohnE9]

Hey Ian

 

I would suggest you just brew the Coopers lager and then when about to drink it stir in a couple of tablespoons of honey. Loads of honey flavor then.

 

Honey is fully fermentable and whatever honey characteristics remain after this would be neglible.

 

 

[Beeblebrox]

Fair enough, but don't underestimate the impact of temp control.

My batch is brewing at 16-18c, and has a pronounced honey flavour, whereas I've previously done a batch with more honey fermented in the low to mid 20c, and ended up with a strong fusel alcohol flavour, which I strongly suspect was the honey fermenting out; honey is more fermentable than many other sugars, so you want to keep that under control if you want flavour rather than just high octane brewing. Remember if you keep it brewing cool and steady, rather than hot and fast, you'll have a cleaner and more balanced beer (or Braggot/Mead for that matter) than if you just let it turn into rocket fuel.

Take care though, getting too deep into the details about brewing with honey has brought some members undone as it has caused some arguments resulting in banishment [innocent]

As always, keep PB2's triangle in mind and you shouldn't go too far wrong.

[Dancer]

If you want to get a real honey aroma and background taste I would reccommend using "Leatherwood Honey" I got my hands on this recipe and it lives up to its name

 

Trappist Abby Honey Ale

 

Artisan Recipe – Chimay Blue Style also this rich fruity Trappist Ale. This is the first strongest and most complex Ale from the Abbey de Notre-Dame.

 

1.7kg Belgian Ale

1 kg Dark Liquid Malt

1kg Powered Brew Enhancer

500gsm Dextrose

500gsm Lavender Honey

1 Bag Hallertau (Finishing Hops)

1 Bag Goldings (Finishing Hops)

T-58 Safbrew Yeast

 

Brew Log

 

OG 1064 FG 1012 alc/vol 6.83%

 

[Beerlust]

Hey Dancer.

 

Santa is gonna be really ticked off when he finds out you're missing! Especially at this time of year!

 

....& hanging out on a brewing forum fermenting high ABV Trappist Monk beers to boot!

 

I don't think Santa uses a whip on his reindeer. Ohh well there's always a first.

 

I hope the beer is worth it! BTW the name "150 lashes" is already taken.

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.

[Suicid]

How may brews have you done and have you brewed this one from the How to Brew section?

 

Hi folks,

 

By some reason I seem can not reach the brewer's guild how to section using link Scottie posted here.

Can please some1 guide me how to get in?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

[Hairy]

How may brews have you done and have you brewed this one from the How to Brew section?

 

Hi folks' date='

 

By some reason I seem can not reach the brewer's guild how to section using link Scottie posted here.

Can please some1 guide me how to get in?

 

Thanks in advance!

[/quote']

I think Scottie was trying to link this one:

 

Strawberry Blonde

 

To find the recipes, go back to Coopers.com.au which is linked at the top of the page. Then scroll down until you find the DIY wall picture. Click on that and it will take you to a page with various links to DIY.

[Suicid]

Thanks, Hairy! It works :)

[mrchino73]

On 11/28/2013 at 4:01 AM, Beeblebrox said:

G'day Ian, I see what you're trying to do, but you won't make a good beer that way.

By all means make a lager, or whatever style, and certainly you can add some honey for flavour, but 2kg without any other sugars (other than those in the kit) will not be good.

I currently have a Coopers Australian Pale Ale with about 300 - 400g honey, along with the recommended 1kg of BE2 - made up to 25 litres, and having done a reading and taste test yesterday, (day 6) I can say that this is more than enough if you want honey flavour.

 

The trick is to ferment it cool - about 18 - 20c, so that you don't have the aroma leak out with the co2 as you're fermenting.

This will also avoid esters which will overpower the other flavours, including the honey, which will ferment out at higher temps.

 

You need to have some other sugars to make sure your brew is not overpoweringly honey flavoured, or thin and overdone.

 

I'd recommend you dial it right back, go with 1kg BE1 or BE2, (or the brewing sugars of your choice) and just 300 - 400 g honey; you'll still get a strong honey profile, but unlike what you're suggesting you'll get a beer that will actually turn out good.

 

Remember, one of the keys to a good beer is balance.

With that in mind, I'd also recommend you dry hop to have a well rounded flavour. I'm using about 20g of Hallertau dry hops, which is just enough, though a little more would have been better.

 

Good luck mate.

 

 

Hi, I am learning a lot with every comment and suggestions posted inside the forums, I have a question to ask you: when is it that you add the honey? After adding the 20ltrs of water or after the fermentation and before the bottling? Does the honey have to be liquid?

Thank you a lot!

[Shamus O'Sean]

48 minutes ago, mrchino73 said:

Hi, I am learning a lot with every comment and suggestions posted inside the forums, I have a question to ask you: when is it that you add the honey? After adding the 20ltrs of water or after the fermentation and before the bottling? Does the honey have to be liquid?

Thank you a lot!

You add the honey before adding the 20 litres of water.  You could use some hot water to help dissolve the honey.  As long as the total water added equals the recipe, it should work out okay.

Most honey is liquid, as far as I know.

[mrchino73]

Thanx a lot for your advice.Rhe best honey I tried and it's the best one that I buy, it's very thick and solid,that's why I am asking. If I should put it in hit water in order to be "melted" and use it that way?

[Shamus O'Sean]

8 hours ago, mrchino73 said:

Thanx a lot for your advice.Rhe best honey I tried and it's the best one that I buy, it's very thick and solid,that's why I am asking. If I should put it in hit water in order to be "melted" and use it that way?

Using a bit of hot or even boiling water to melt the honey is a good idea.

[Glazertmonster]

By sheer chance, I did something like this last night. Was doing a cheap keg filler with the summer in mind. I had an OS lager and a BE3. I also had a kg of bush honey that had gone to crystal, so I chucked that in too. Got it all dissolved and it came out with an OG of 1052 at 21l. It's fermenting at a steady 18 in the fridge with US-05.

God knows what it'll be like.  I might try dry hopping with Azacca if I can get it. 

A few years back I did the a Mexican Cerveza with a Kg of LDM, Lime Juice and zest with 500g honey and 300g dex. Kit yeast only.

It was bloody good. Potent stuff though.

 

[AllanY]

I used to make Honey beer frequently. I'd just make the can and brew enhancer as usual with a small jar of honey added.  You can start with a 250g jar and vary according to taste as you experiment 

[Pale Man]

I'll be brewing this Honey Wheat at some stage. The Toffee Malt gives honey tones aswell. Hop with Mittlefrue. Lallemand Munich yeast.

 

 

[jamiek86]

@Pale Man interesting recepie I only tried making a mead once and stuffed it with too much nutrients and not sanitized a stiring spoon to de gas properly. I have 1.3 kg of gifted honey I have thought of using in a beer.

@Glazertmonster how did yours turn out?

@AllanY does it ferment out dry or sweet?