Honey and Homebrewing
A Sweet History
Honey. For tens of thousands of years 'the universal sweetener'
was almost the only available source of sugar in the countries where
it was used. Ancient civilizations looked on the making of honey as
a miracle, and even today, after much scientific research, honey remains
something of a mystery.
Honey is made by honey bees from the nectar that they collect from
flowers. The nectar itself is a sweet liquid produced by flowering
plants to attract insects helpful in pollination. Honey contains much
less moisture than the original nectar. About 80 percent of honey
is sugars, mostly fructose and glucose. Maltose, sucrose and other
complex carbohydrates are present in varying amounts, as are proteins,
amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Although relatively low in nutrients,
honey contains more nutrients than refined sugars. As a rule, darker
honeys contain higher amounts of minerals than lighter honeys.
Historical Use of Honey in Beer
The earliest alcoholic beverages were probably made from diluted
fermented honey. The beer that the early Anglo-Saxons drank was a
brew of water and honeycomb made in a clay pot, to which herbs may
have been added for flavoring.
Around the world, present-day brewers continue to experiment with
beer additives. In Germany, where beer drinking is serious business,
the use of wheat as an adjunct has gradually grown in popularity,
while in England, oatmeal or lactose is generally used to impart body.
In Belgium, brewers have long been known for their use of sugars and
spices in brewing ales.
Many modern brewers have come to value the use of all-natural ingredients
in their beers. One such ingredient is honey, which is used in a variety
of beers from herb and specialty beers to traditional and flavored
mead. The use of honey in beers has become popular with the rise of
micro- and homebrews. In addition, homebrewing has become increasingly
popular with nearly one million Americans making their own beer according
to the American Homebrewers Association.
A honey beer research project, conducted on behalf of the National
Honey Board, determined the potential, usage level and benefits of
using honey in beer produced by microbrewers.
How to Use Honey in the Homebrewing Process
Sterilization is needed to control honey's diastatic enzymes as
well as its yeast and bacterial count. Honey should be added in such
a way so that its diastatic enzymes (alpha-amylase and beta-amylase)
do not degrade the dextrins (non-fermentable carbohydrates) in beer
into simple sugars, thereby destroying the texture and body of the
end product. The yeast and bacteria in honey, which are generally
in stasis due to honey's low water activity, can grow and proliferate
when diluted during beer making. This will adversely affect the microbiological
profile of the end product.
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