Adjunct
Honey
A highly fermentable sugar contributing floral aroma — though most of that aroma is lost during fermentation.
Honey is almost entirely fermentable, so most of it disappears. What is left is aroma and a dry finish rather than sweetness, which surprises brewers using it for the first time — a honey beer tastes drier than the same beer without it, not sweeter.
When it is added decides how much survives. Added to the boil, the volatile aroma goes with the steam and little is left; added after fermentation, more of the character remains but the sugar ferments out anyway unless the beer is pasteurised or filtered.
What it is for
Sugar. Ferments away almost entirely, so it raises strength and dries the finish rather than sweetening it.
- Adds fermentable sugar and floral aroma
Whether it ferments
| Fermentable | Yes — it carries sugar the yeast will take, so it raises the final strength and dries the finish rather than sweetening it. Added after primary fermentation it will restart one, which is a packaging hazard as well as a recipe problem. |
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Honey ferments almost completely, so it raises alcohol and dries the beer rather than sweetening it. Adding it late preserves more aroma.
What it contributes
The contribution of the ingredient, not the profile of a finished beer. How much of it reaches the glass depends on quantity, timing and what else is in the recipe.