Honey wheat beer first time

[jpseaton]

This is my first stab at a honey wheat and I have a dumb question. If the addition of honey is 100% fermentable. What gives the beer it's signature honey flavor?

 

[BarleyAndVine]

The honey will give some flavor if added in the boil late stage (5-10 min) and could also add honey at the last portion of the fermentation stage. There are some specialty grains that will impart some "honey" flavors also.

 

[mojotele]

Honey isn't really 100% fermentable. Most of the sugars in it are fermentable. However, not all of them are. Also, there are other things in honey - not just sugar. There's various bacterias, yeasts, enzymes, pollens...the list goes on. All of these things combined will add aromas and flavors to your beer provided you don't boil the crap out of the honey.

 

[jpseaton]

The recipe called for adding honey right after steeping the specialty grains. That gives it a 60 minute boil. Could I add more honey After the beer is done fermenting? I have already transferred it to the Keg and I'm ready to force carbonate. It has a good flavor for a wheat beer Just not that honey taste I was expecting.

 

[TopherM]

Kinda like the other guy said, if you use honey, most of it is fermentable, and the majority of the flavor and aroma you get are dependent on the nectar and flora that the honey was made from. To get the best results with real honey, I always add it at flameout, i.e., AFTER the boil.

HOWEVER, if you want a more consistent honey flavor, try honey malt. About 5% of the grist for a subtle flavor, up to 10% of the grist for a very pronounced honey. The honey malt would be a steeping grain if you are doing extract batches.

Good luck!