Malts and body

Brouwerij Nuenhem

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I mainly make dark beers (Russian Imperial Stout). My blonde beers don't have enough body. I now want to make a light beer but wholeheartedly. I want to use honey, but that works right on my side.

I'll use oatmeal and some high corn temperature to reach my goal but wonder if that's enough.

Anyone experience with viking carabody malt? Other tips that keep the color light but body high? It should certainly not be sweet (the taste threshold is quite low for me).
 
I would think that the honey would have the opposite effect of what you are going for, I would think that it would thin the beer out.
 
I mainly make dark beers (Russian Imperial Stout). My blonde beers don't have enough body. I now want to make a light beer but wholeheartedly. I want to use honey, but that works right on my side.

I'll use oatmeal and some high corn temperature to reach my goal but wonder if that's enough.

Anyone experience with viking carabody malt? Other tips that keep the color light but body high? It should certainly not be sweet (the taste threshold is quite low for me).
Some confusing jargon you dont want sweetness but want body sometimes the two just go hand in hand.
Mash high for starters.
Don't add any simple sugars to the beer.
Use a dextrin malt like carapils or prob that Viking malt you suggested.
Some wheat malt oats unmalted barley low colour crystal.
 
Some confusing jargon you dont want sweetness but want body sometimes the two just go hand in hand.
In my opinion, sweet and body don't always have to go hand in hand. After all, "thick" beer doesn't have to be sweet.

Don't add any simple sugars to the beer.
I have been instructed by a local beekeeper to make a beer with his honey (but have been playing around with a recipe for hours).

Use a dextrin malt like carapils or prob that Viking malt you suggested.
Some wheat malt oats unmalted barley low colour crystal.
I know. Also think I'm going to do that. I can also add maltodextrin for the mouthfeel but I prefer to use malts ...
 
I have been instructed by a local beekeeper to make a beer with his honey (but have been playing around with a recipe for hours).


I know. Also think I'm going to do that. I can also add maltodextrin for the mouthfeel but I prefer to use malts ...

That's the thing about honey- it's a simple sugar and ferments completely. It thins the body and gives the beer a dry finish.
Definitely some dextrine malt (carapils or carafoam). Flaked barley would give you tons of body, but also a haze.
 
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Also, if your thick body is from dextrines, and we're discussing adding them, you are "sweetening" the beer. There will be no residual sugar, but the amylase enzymes in your saliva break the dextrines and glucans down to sugar, resulting in a sweet taste. You have to offset this with hop bitterness. As mentioned above, if you're both trying to add body and adding honey, you're working against yourself. The honey is an expensive way to thin beer and add alcohol, generally speaking. IF the honey is strongly flavored AND you brew a beer light enough in flavor to let the honey flavor come through, you might notice something other than thinning and alcohol. Not to dissuade you from trying what you have in mind but realize that by adding dextrines and honey, you're working against yourself.
 
The simplest way to get the beer you say you want is to use all Pilsner or Pale Ale malt and add 10% Flaked Barley and use a low mash temperature.
It's a little backwards to add ingredients that will lighten the body (corn, honey) and try to mash at a higher temp to retain body from the main mash.
 
adding flaked oats will add a lot of body to your 'pale' beer.
my last pale that I made is based with pilsner (I prefer pilsner malt in my beers), but contained 5% flaked oats as well as 16% malted wheat (for head formation/retention) as well as I used 11% honey with step mash starting at 132F then 148F... and ended with a 7 SRM beer with a lot of body.
although the fermentables and adjuncts may work against each other some, it is able to be done.... however, it may be perceived as sweet to your palate with the oats. If you use a yeast that attenuates well (consumes high amounts of maltose and maltotriose), you should be able to avoid the sweet taste.
 

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