Honey Basil cream ale need hop suggestion

[starrfish]

4.25lb american 2row
3lb Vienna malt
1lb flaked corn
2lb honey
1.5 oz basil last 15min

I have on hand to use in this batch
2 ounces of fuggles 4.8%
1 oz of glacier at 7.4%
1oz of 6.1%AA cascade
and a .25 oz columbus at 14% but they are pretty old and been stored in a ziplock in the freezer

looking at a 60 min bittering addition & possibly a small 30min addition. want bail in nose and a bit of flavor, but will need hop bite to balance honey and herb.

suggestions?

 

[aseg]

I used a very lemony US Fuggle in my lemon basil pale and it came out pretty damn good. I think I would like something a little more floral and earthy though next time. perhaps willamette to finish.

 

[devilishprune]

I would advise against boiling the basil. Basil tends to be better when it's uncooked, so I would add some to the fermentor after fermentation is complete.

I've used basil in a blonde ale before and I used .5 oz and it was was just the amount that I was looking for, but I left it in for about a month. If you want to leave it in there less time then I would suggest slightly more basil, but I would taste it after a week to see where you're at.

 

[TomHanx]

i have to say this is the first time i've seen or heard of honey basil ale... i see a few threads for it now that I'm looking around. have you made it before? how did it turn out? any tasting notes?

 

[starrfish]

haven't made it before, but have tried the bison brewing honey basil and liked that.

I have done a honey coriander that is one of my favorites.

 

[ajfranke]

I came across a recipe for a Honey Basil a few months ago. It's still on my "to brew" list, but it looks good.

Cal Poly Brew Crew's Honey Basil
(10 gallon batch)

• 17.5 lb American 2-row
• 1.5 lb Carapils
• 1.0 lb Crystal 20
• 0.5 lb Crystal 40
• 1 oz Carafa III

Mash @ 150F

Boil Schedule:

• 0.6 oz Magnum 13.5% @ 60min
• 2 oz basil leaves @ 15min
• 1 lb honey @ 1min
• 2 oz basil leaves @ 1min

The author recommended pulverizing the basil leaves with a rolling bin, to get better utilization (and attributes that tip to the owner of Bison Brewing).

I'd be more inclined to add the honey in secondary, but not having brewed the beer yet, I don't know what kind of flavor balance is the goal.

 

[aseg]

4 oz is a bunch of basil(even for 10 gallons)! Mine was a simple pale ale. I wouldn't boil it either. I used it as a finishing hop and it came out great. Lingered in the nose and a fresh basil flavor was throughout the taste of the beer. I would suggest using a bit of finishing hops too; they really play well with the basil.