Give Your Homebrew Beer a Touch of Sweetness With Honey

Tired of brewing the same generic beer time after after time? While you could always experiment with different sugar-yeast ratios and fermentation techniques, the safest and most effective way to alter the flavor of your homebrew beer is by incorporating new ingredients into the mix. Honey is an ingredient that’s commonly used to improve the flavor of hombrew beer. It’s simple, compliments the natural hop flavors of the beer well, and easy to use. For some tips on how to add honey to homebrew beer, keep reading.

You might be surprised to learn that honey is actually the main ingredient in a traditional beer brew known as mead. People have enjoyed mead for hundreds of years, and even today it remains a popular choice of brew throughout the world. You don’t have to necessarily use honey as your main ingredient, but you can give your homebrew beer a kick of sweetness with mother nature’s all-natural source of sugar.

I know what some of you are probably thinking: what’s so special about honey? Why can’t I use granulated sugar instead? Granulated sugar will only take your brew so far before it turns into a disaster. It’s not uncommon for first-time brewers to add an excessive amount of sugar in hopes of achieving a higher alcohol per volume (APV). Unfortunately, the extra sugar only negates the hop flavors to create an unusually sweet brew that will turn most people’s taste buds in a bad way.

Honey, on the other hand, is an all-natural sweetener that’s less intense than granulated sugar. It’s still considered fermentable, but it contains a unique blend of organic compounds and chemicals to achieve a delightful flavor and aroma. Adding just a small amount of honey to your brew can significantly improve its desirable qualities.

Here are some tips on how to use honey in your homebrew beer:

• Stick with 100%, all-natural honey with no artificial flavors.
• Mix your honey with water to dilute its thick consistency.
• Beer with honey takes a couple weeks longer to fully ferment, so be patient!
• Follow the less is more approach to determine the right amount of honey for your brew.
• Honey is a natural preservative that deters the growth of mold and bacteria, which is another reason why so many brewers add it to their beer.

Are you a fan of honey-infused homebrew beer? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!