Ham Glaze Beer

[chessking]

We made a ham for the holidays and it came with a sugar spice packet for glazing. We don't like glazed ham and as SWMBO was about to toss it, I suddenly thought "I could ferment that". So I have a 8 oz packet with the ingredients listed as: Brown Sugar, sugar, spices, and honey powder (Maltodextrin, honey).

Now I was thinking of a simple bock recipe for the base beer and add the sugar/spice packet as a late addition to the boil.

Question:
1) Has anyone tried using this glaze packet for brewing?

2) Should I up the IBU's to balance the maltodextrin sweetness?

3) What the heck is Honey powder?

 

[TheZel66]

spices will probably boil off. you'll probably need to boil for 15 minutes to kill any bacteria. I really don't know if this is worth the try. but good luck nonetheless.

 

[LarryBrewer]

You could also add to the secondary, and do a few flavor tests first.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

It may contain a preservative like potasssium sorbate. If it does, don't use it as it could affect your fermentation. I'm not sure boiling it would help.
You could always add it post ferment if you plan on kegging it.
I may just pass on it, it's only 8 ounces.
JMO
Brian

 

[chessking]

With nothing better to do a few weeks ago, I decided to make this beer. I used my "Moose Drool" clone recipe as a base and added the glaze pack as a late addition. The initial wort tasted fine, (sweet, of course) and the spices were background notes at best. After fermentation, and going into the keg, I couldn't even pick out any spice. It is my hope, that some carbonation and aging will bring out more. Perhaps next time I will accumulate two or more packs before trying this again, or maybe use a more simple recipe, like a Blonde or an Amber, with less to interfere with the spice. One thing I can say is that this will be a fine American Brown beer regardless of the addition.

http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/r ... laze-brown

 

[W1IA]

We made a ham for the holidays and it came with a sugar spice packet for glazing. We don't like glazed ham and as SWMBO was about to toss it, I suddenly thought "I could ferment that". So I have a 8 oz packet with the ingredients listed as: Brown Sugar, sugar, spices, and honey powder (Maltodextrin, honey).

Now I was thinking of a simple bock recipe for the base beer and add the sugar/spice packet as a late addition to the boil.

Question:
1) Has anyone tried using this glaze packet for brewing?

2) Should I up the IBU's to balance the maltodextrin sweetness?

3) What the heck is Honey powder?

Be carefull ..I hope there's no preservatives in it that could kill a yeast culture?

 

[Nosybear]

Chess, I'm thinking since it's packaged, it's probably close to sterile. Next time try sanitizing the package and adding it two or three days into fermentation. That should keep any of the spices from boiling off. When I do spiced beers, I generally make spice tea and add it until I think the spices are right to avoid boiling off or over-spicing (alternately, make a tincture of cheap vodka and spice).

 

[EvanAltman36]

Wouldn't it be just as easy to make your own spice/sugar mix and just use that? Then you'd know exactly what's in it and could have better control over the flavors. Just put the brown sugar, sugar, desired spices, and honey in a pot on the stove, add some water, and voila. It's sterile and you avoid the possibility of the additives and preservatives that might otherwise impact your beer. You want to remove as many variables as possible, you know?

I'm looking at adding some cinnamon and cloves to a Christmas beer later in the year and I'm wondering how best to accomplish that myself; perhaps the spice tea is the way to go.

 

[chessking]

What is with you guys? Back in December I had an Idea of how I could use an unwanted package of fermentables. It was going into the trash before I rescued it with the plan to brew it up. My contemplation of what the result would be led me to reach out to fellow home brewers with three questions:

1) Has anyone tried using this glaze packet for brewing?

Apparently no one had

2) Should I up the IBU's to balance the maltodextrin sweetness?

No response.

3) What the heck is Honey powder?

No response.

What I did get is warnings of how it probably won't work. Even Larry who is usually optimistic to a fault, advised cautionary taste tests. Beware of preservatives. Not worth the try. Just pass on it. Add it to the secondary.

So with no help from you guys, I brewed it up anyway, and waited until it was fermented out to report the results. It fermented beautifully, with the only flaw, for lack of a better word, being that the spice part of the addition was subtle at best or imperceptible at worst. In the end, I have a fantastic American Brown Ale that will be consumed and enjoyed, I can assure you.

After reporting my findings I received another warning of how it will kill the yeast (1.008 FG by the way), a lengthy over-engineered process essay from Nosey on how I messed up and how I should have done it (Still love you Steve), and a response on how it would be easier to formulate my own spice regiment. What could be easier than opening a packet and dumping it in?
I know how to make a spice beer. If all I wanted was to make a spice beer I would have done that and left you guys out of the equation. What I didn't know is what this procedure would render.
The whole purpose of this endeavor was to see what effect, if any, that the addition of one "Ham Glaze Spice Packet" would have in a fermented beverage.

Result: Little to none.

I had planned to send each and every one of you a six pack, but now upon reflection, as the "Little Red Hen" of Ham Glaze Beer, I will keep it all to myself.

Don't you feel foolish now?

 

[LarryBrewer]

Hah - I had a whole tasting party lined up with Little Red Hen as the center piece. It was the mystery ingredient category. I'll guess I'll have to cancel the whole thing, and brew it myself now...

We were just keeping this on the down low so the Reinheitsgebot police don't bust you.

 

[Krimbos]

Ordered Chinese last night. Wife was about to toss packets of orange duck sauce when I got this idea.....