Honey Bear Bourbon

Refined and tested recipes for all manner of distilled spirits.

Moderator: Site Moderator

BigJames
Novice
Posts: 51
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2020 3:34 pm
Location: NC,USA

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by BigJames »

Got full conversion on my starches to sugar on my 10 gallon batch of honey bear. I love this fucking recipe, my friends have told me that you can’t buy whiskey that food in the stores. Thank you SCD!
User avatar
ShineonCrazyDiamond
Global moderator
Posts: 3433
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 6:14 pm
Location: Look Up

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by ShineonCrazyDiamond »

Many congrats to you, and you're welcome.
"Come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine!
You reached for the secret too soon, you cried for the moon.
Shine on you crazy diamond."
NormandieStill
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1738
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:17 pm
Location: Northwest France

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by NormandieStill »

Finally ran my first HBB spirit run. Looking at my notes this project has been in the making since April '21!

About 16L in the boiler. Collecting 250ml / jar. Started a little hot, first two jars came off at about 1.5L/hr, but I dialed it back and by the fourth I'd settled into a little under 1L/hr. I took a little taste at the start of jar 6 and the headsyness seemed to lessening somewhat. Did the same at the start of jar 7 and got a massive hit of sweetness and fruit. Went another few jars to be sure I was comfortably into the hearts and cranked up the power a little to get back up to around 1.25L/hr. Didn't touch the dial again until jar 21, when I cranked it up a notch before taking a taste and realising I was well into the tails. No noticeable alcohol, a bitterness and no interesting flavours lurking in the background. A few jars were swapped out a little late meaning that I had taken a little over 5L and my element gets exposed somewhere around 9L so I called it a day and powered down. Going to try blending tomorrow night if I've got time. Really looking forward to this one.
"I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway" - Jimbo

A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
NormandieStill
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1738
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:17 pm
Location: Northwest France

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by NormandieStill »

And there it is. Jar 6 had a bit too much heads to make the cut but jar 7 was a keeper. In the end Jars 7 to 15 were blended to make a white dog (of which I took 250ml and bottled it proofed down to 40%). I then added about 200ml of each jar from 16-19 which added some interesting flavours and a certain amount of funk. This gave me 3.1L at 66% to age on oak.

From my tasting, I could have kept going a little longer to pull dirty tails for the feints jar, but I don't think I missed anything by leaving them in the pot. This was surprisingly clean. It's not a neutral, but the nasty stuff seemed to stay in the early and late jars without contaminating the hearts. The white dog is quite flavourful. There's a certain amount of dark fruit, some sweetness. There was more fruit in the tails in the aging jar, but my wife wouldn't taste the sample blend because of the smell, so I'm hoping that some time on oak will lessen the smell without mangling the fruit.

Thanks for the recipe SOCD. It took a while but I finally got there.
"I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway" - Jimbo

A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
fzbwfk9r
Bootlegger
Posts: 126
Joined: Sat May 30, 2020 4:51 pm
Location: Smack Dab in the Middle of God's country. Saskatchewan!

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by fzbwfk9r »

NormandieStill:
Was that smell throughout ALL the jars?
Or was the smell only in the tails that you added to the hearts body for aging?
Was that smell isolated enough you could have left it out completely?

Sounds like on your run, you took everything that could possibly add positive notes to your mix. So at least you won't be leaving out anything that was hiding!!!

Please update you experience after some oaking. I am very curious about the smell, and how the wood deals with it.

if you haven't thrown the rest out.... perhaps you could air one jar for many days and see if the smell leaves.
or try nuclear aging. Maybe some forced airing could remove it.
NormandieStill
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1738
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:17 pm
Location: Northwest France

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by NormandieStill »

The fruit smell? It started coming in around jar 15 and seemed to intensify through jars 17 and 18 and then fade out again in 19. Over the top of this was a classic tailsy odour, wet card, wet carpet. There was a tiny little bit of it even in jar 15 which made the cut, but not enough to detract from the rest. In retrospect I might have done an even tighter cut for the white dog seeing as I was going to put the rest in to age.

I hesitated on jar 20 as there was some interesting mouthfeel in there, but nothing in either the nose or the palate to justify keeping it. I think I could probably have run on a little longer and gone further into the tails which is why it feels like I kept a lot. I'm not a big drinker so the white dog (and the other small batch spirits I've made so far) should keep me going for long enough for the rest to get some decent time on oak. I'm actually slightly under-oaking it (Based on Badmotivator's barrel surface area calculations - should be at about 270cm² and I'm at 200) because I don't want to overshoot and trample on some of those lighter flavours (I'm still new to this though so may just be talking out of my a...).

I will of course update the thread when I come to taste it.

Edit to add: I'm sipping on a glass of the white dog right now, and I would say that white, and with one day since it was proofed down, it's at least as good as the bottle of Makers Mark I bought as a reference for bourbon. The same level of complexity if not slightly more interesting, and with a similar burn although mine is at 40% and not the 45% of MM. I am now regretting having only pulled off 250ml and not 500ml.
"I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway" - Jimbo

A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
User avatar
Oldvine Zin
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2414
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2015 9:16 pm
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Oldvine Zin »

Sipping a 5 year in barrel HBB and it's drinking well
5yoHBB.jpg
Stay safe
OVZ
User avatar
Deplorable
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3984
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:10 pm
Location: In the East, (IYKYK)

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Deplorable »

Oldvine Zin wrote: Sun Jan 09, 2022 8:28 pm Sipping a 5 year in barrel HBB and it's drinking well5yoHBB.jpg
Stay safe
OVZ
That's impressive to stay out of something for 5 years. :clap:
Hell, I'm proud that some of what I made 14 months ago (before I filled my first barrel) still survives. But once you put in the work to build up some stock, I can see where it won't be long and I'll be in the same boat, sippin well aged spirits.
This recipe is on my to-do list.
Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
User avatar
Oldvine Zin
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2414
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2015 9:16 pm
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Oldvine Zin »

Deplorable wrote: Mon Jan 10, 2022 4:24 pm
Oldvine Zin wrote: Sun Jan 09, 2022 8:28 pm Sipping a 5 year in barrel HBB and it's drinking well5yoHBB.jpg
Stay safe
OVZ
That's impressive to stay out of something for 5 years. :clap:
Hell, I'm proud that some of what I made 14 months ago (before I filled my first barrel) still survives. But once you put in the work to build up some stock, I can see where it won't be long and I'll be in the same boat, sippin well aged spirits.
This recipe is on my to-do list.
So true when you start doing big batch ferments it doesn't take long to fill a 5 gallon barrel after barrel :D I have a few more aging but sad to say I've been lazy in stilling during this pandemic. Need to get the enthusiasm back up to fill a few more :(

Stay safe
OVZ
User avatar
Deplorable
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3984
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:10 pm
Location: In the East, (IYKYK)

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Deplorable »

You're so right OVZ.
I'm exploring options on a mash bill for another barrel fill. This time it'll be a new barrel, not a once used. So it's gotta be the right spirit.
I've got two barrels filled right now. Plus 4 of my 6 gallon jugs. And enough neutral to last me a good long while.
This current mash waiting to squeeze is something I'm chasing flavor on, so if it gives me what I want, I'll fill a new 5 gallon barrel next year with it.
Once those barrels start to mature, there's suddenly more liquor than you can drink.
Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
HItransplant
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2021 2:36 pm

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by HItransplant »

Having a hard time finding this info in the thread, so apologies if this is redundant, but what other yeasts have people tried with this recipe? Im considering some ale yeast, but didn’t want to go too rogue. Thanks for any info!
juana_b
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 577
Joined: Sat May 01, 2021 11:55 am
Location: Hawaii

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by juana_b »

At the top of the page, use google search for "ale yeast" and you'll find enough info to get the wheels turning.
“Awards are merely the badges of mediocrity.”
― Charles Ives
User avatar
TwoSheds
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 569
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:49 pm
Location: New England, USA

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by TwoSheds »

Probably not much help compared to ale yeast, but I have a batch going with FermPro 921 (also their enzymes.)

Results pending, but it took off like a rocket and was already at 1.003 in three days. Still bubbling on day 5, albeit slowly.
HItransplant
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2021 2:36 pm

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by HItransplant »

juana_b wrote: Wed Feb 09, 2022 5:47 pm At the top of the page, use google search for "ale yeast" and you'll find enough info to get the wheels turning.
Awesome! Thank you.
tombombadil
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 540
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2019 2:55 pm

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by tombombadil »

HItransplant wrote: Wed Feb 09, 2022 5:20 pm Having a hard time finding this info in the thread, so apologies if this is redundant, but what other yeasts have people tried with this recipe? Im considering some ale yeast, but didn’t want to go too rogue. Thanks for any info!
I just did one with be256, very Fruity smelling mash, does not seem to have made it in to the barrel though. Maybe it will come back in a year...
HItransplant
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2021 2:36 pm

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by HItransplant »

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I’ll roll the dice with some US05.
User avatar
TwoSheds
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 569
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:49 pm
Location: New England, USA

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by TwoSheds »

So I see in this and in some other recipes (Sundae Chocolate Bourbon for example) that some of the malts are added with the corn to help keep things from becoming a gelatinous mess.

If you were using a high temp alpha-amylase enzyme would you still want to add malts in early? Or would you let the enzyme do its thing then add the malts at their normal gelling temps?

Thanks!

TwoSheds
Corn Cracker
Swill Maker
Posts: 377
Joined: Sun Jun 13, 2021 7:25 am
Location: Southern U.S

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Corn Cracker »

I believe he mentions in a comment post that he would put it in with the rest of the grains, and omit the rolled oats.
"To ease the pressures of this world here's the way i got it figured, the thing to do for me and you is to drink lots of good corn liquor"
Buck Owens
NormandieStill
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1738
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:17 pm
Location: Northwest France

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by NormandieStill »

TwoSheds wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 6:00 am So I see in this and in some other recipes (Sundae Chocolate Bourbon for example) that some of the malts are added with the corn to help keep things from becoming a gelatinous mess.

If you were using a high temp alpha-amylase enzyme would you still want to add malts in early? Or would you let the enzyme do its thing then add the malts at their normal gelling temps?
I just did a variant on this (a sort of halfway house between HBB and the Sundae Chocolate) using Chocolate Malt (barley). I didn't want to add it with the corn for fear of adding bitterness from the husks, so I stuck a small dose of HT AA in when I had broken up the dough balls. The corn thinned instantly and the chocolate malt went in with the rest of the malts.
"I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway" - Jimbo

A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
User avatar
TwoSheds
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 569
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:49 pm
Location: New England, USA

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by TwoSheds »

Thanks Normandie and Corn. I'm having fun venturing into the unknown but doing my best to avoid the stupid mistakes. Appreciate the feedback!
Corn Cracker
Swill Maker
Posts: 377
Joined: Sun Jun 13, 2021 7:25 am
Location: Southern U.S

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Corn Cracker »

TwoSheds wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:35 pm Thanks Normandie and Corn. I'm having fun venturing into the unknown but doing my best to avoid the stupid mistakes. Appreciate the feedback!
It's a fun hobby. Read, get ideas, research and make it, i find it very gratifying
"To ease the pressures of this world here's the way i got it figured, the thing to do for me and you is to drink lots of good corn liquor"
Buck Owens
User avatar
Deplorable
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3984
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:10 pm
Location: In the East, (IYKYK)

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Deplorable »

I just ordered the grains for a couple mashes of this. I like to scale up recipes to fit my fermenter so it's just easier to think in terms of percentages.
A few glasses into day drinkin' on a lazy Sunday afternoon my math for 25 gallons looks like this:

Corn Meal 65% (35#)
Honey malt 5% (2.5#)
White wheat malt 10% (5#)
Red wheat malt 10% (5#)
Pale malt 10% (#5)
Someone sober want to poke holes in that? :lol:
Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
BrewinBrian44
Rumrunner
Posts: 722
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2020 2:11 pm

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by BrewinBrian44 »

Here’s my ratios for 25 gallons of water. It yielded me an SG of 1.063 fairly consistently using the large batch mashing protocol.

25lbs corn meal
2.5lbs honey malt
5 lbs white wheat malt
5 lbs red wheat malt
5 lbs briess pale ale malt

Looks like I’m a lot less on the corn ratio than you are, but this is mainly because I buy 50lb sacks of it and can split it between two batches and not have to store any left overs.
User avatar
Deplorable
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3984
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:10 pm
Location: In the East, (IYKYK)

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Deplorable »

Thanks. I think I was basing off of his cracked corn numbers, not cornmeal. That makes a significant difference in percentages and the statement about
Sometimes I use whole corn milled, and other times I use BRM corn meal, but my efficiency with either is about the same. I'll just do like you did and just multiply the recipe by 5
Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
BrewinBrian44
Rumrunner
Posts: 722
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2020 2:11 pm

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by BrewinBrian44 »

Ah good catch on the corn meal vs cracked corn. I’ve only used fine corn meal for this recipe. Works great for my process!
User avatar
TwoSheds
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 569
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:49 pm
Location: New England, USA

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by TwoSheds »

Hey all, just stripped my first HBB last night and doing the spirit run now. I’m already planning my next run and thought, I don’t see anyone mentioning using backset with this recipe.

Is there a reason? Is it geared to folks who may not have a run in already? Is it just a kinder, gentler recipe that stands better without?

I had a spare 5 gallon bucket lying around so I filled it up for future use anyway, but wondering what @ShineonCrazyDiamond or others think.

Great smells and tastes came off the stripping run. Looking forward to the end product!

Thanks.

TwoSheds
User avatar
Bushman
Admin
Posts: 17988
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 5:29 am
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Bushman »

I did not go back a read the posts but looking at the original recipe I see know reason you could not use back set. I use a backset on my corn/rye bourbon. I follow the steps on 2+ generations of UJ but add extra corn and rye.
User avatar
Deplorable
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3984
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:10 pm
Location: In the East, (IYKYK)

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Deplorable »

I just added in the 15 pounds of malted grains on a 25 gallon mash of this recipe for my first foray into wheated bourbon. I'm down to about 3 fifths of CROW still aging on oak fingers from a year ago, and I'm looking forward to seeing what all the hype is about. It'll be nice to add another flavor to the cupboard with my rye whiskeys, corn whiskey, and single malt.
I have enough small grains to make another batch once the fermenter is emptied.
Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
User avatar
Deplorable
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3984
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:10 pm
Location: In the East, (IYKYK)

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Deplorable »

Well about 28 hours after I doughed in I pitched a healthy starter of US-05. I'm a little disappointed in my efficiency on this mash, as I only got a 1.062 SG. I'm not 100% sure of the accuracy of the hydrometer I used, since my old one finally met its fate. I've only used this one once before. I set aside a small sample of the wort and ordered a refractometer to check against my hydrometer.
My grain ratio was a tad over 2#/Gal since I ran out of space in my fermenter at 21.5 gallons, so I was expecting closer to 1.07 but this will still make plenty of whiskey.
Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
Corn Cracker
Swill Maker
Posts: 377
Joined: Sun Jun 13, 2021 7:25 am
Location: Southern U.S

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Corn Cracker »

Isn't that sg about average for those ratios? That's where I'm always at at 2# per gl.
My hbb was right there as well as the sugar head i did with the spent grains
"To ease the pressures of this world here's the way i got it figured, the thing to do for me and you is to drink lots of good corn liquor"
Buck Owens
Post Reply