Honey Bear Bourbon

Refined and tested recipes for all manner of distilled spirits.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
User avatar
ShineonCrazyDiamond
Global moderator
Posts: 3433
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 6:14 pm
Location: Look Up

Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by ShineonCrazyDiamond »

Honey Bear Bourbon

7lbs cracked corn ( or 5 lbs corn meal!)*
.5lb Honey malt
1 lb white wheat malt
1 lb red wheat malt
1lb pale malt
Handful of oyster shells

*optional- substitute 1 lb of rolled oats for 1 lb of corn/meal if you prefer, for more mouth feel.

Put the corn, honey malt, and oats if using, into a 6 gallon bucket. Fill bucket up with boiling water. Wrap in blankets, stirring as frequent as you like. Mine takes about 3 or 4 hours this way to naturally hit mashing temp, so I stir 2 or 3 times during this time.

The honey malt helps the corn keep thin while gelling (except corn meal. Ain't nothing thinning that out. You are literally creating polenta), and adds a front end honey flavour. It's awesome.

Anyways, when the mix hits around 153, add your two wheat malts and pale malt. Wrap up again, for a couple hours. When done, chill the wort, add oyster shells (ph autopilot), and pitch yeast. Done.

I always strip and spirit, but the single foot head to hearts transition will have you lapping it off the spout! :thumbup:

-SCD
"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."
User avatar
Jimbo
retired
Posts: 8423
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2012 1:19 pm
Location: Down the road a piece.

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Jimbo »

Nice recipe. :thumbup:
In theory there's no difference between theory and practice. But in practice there is.
My Bourbon and Single Malt recipes. Apple Stuff and Electric Conversion
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 »

Jimbo wrote:Nice recipe. :thumbup:
Thanks. It of course has alot of your recipes and processes in it. And some NCHoochs. And some other legends. It's hard to really come up with explosive new protocols, without reinventing the wheel.

But I've been playing around lately with a bunch of different specialty malts, and want to post some good ones I've done lately. Plus, it will help me document for my own reference :thumbup: .

Still, I always try to find ways to contribute, and if they are done right, they are going to have a lot of aspects of tried and true recipes.

I'm hoping that I can help others with how to use specialty grains. There wasn't a lot to tell me how to use them, and what they would do for your mash. So I'm trying some stuff.

Thanks for all your help in getting me to all grain 8) .
"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."
User avatar
MichiganCornhusker
retired
Posts: 4527
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:24 am

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

ShineonCrazyDiamond wrote: I'm hoping that I can help others with how to use specialty grains. There wasn't a lot to tell me how to use them, and what they would do for your mash.
I would look forward to any results you have with specialty grains.
My experience is that as little as 5% specialty can make a difference.
I think you'll enjoy your experiments, thanks for sharing.
Last edited by MichiganCornhusker on Sat Dec 05, 2015 1:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me...
greggn
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1379
Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2014 11:59 am
Location: East Coast

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by greggn »

> .5lb Honey malt

Are you using the Gambrinus Honey Malt or another ?
________________

I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
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 »

greggn wrote:> .5lb Honey malt

Are you using the Gambrinus Honey Malt or another ?
That's the one!

Yeah, in this recipe, it is 4.8%. Close enough :thumbup: .
"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."
woodshed
Master of Distillation
Posts: 2970
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2013 5:21 pm
Location: Pagosa Springs,CO

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by woodshed »

The recipe looks great.
Corn meal does not equate to polenta. Hi temp enzymes will take care of any corn.
The only reasons I do not mill to a corn meal size is my false bottom does not like it. And I do no need that fine of a grain bed to achieve maximum extraction.
User avatar
MichiganCornhusker
retired
Posts: 4527
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:24 am

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

Bump.
I got to try this whiskey and it was a real standout for me this weekend at TruckinButch's.
This earned SCD my vote for "Stiller Who's Come Furthest Fastest". I remember ShineOn's first UJ's at Jed's less than 2 years ago, and here he has created a top notch whiskey.
I'll be trying this recipe myself as soon as I get a chance.
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me...
DSM Loki
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 477
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2015 12:09 am

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by DSM Loki »

I too got to try this and must say I am thoroughly impressed. The flavors are balanced and smooth, I hope to try it again sometime.
User avatar
Shiny Coke
Swill Maker
Posts: 210
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2015 5:42 pm
Location: Over the hills and far away

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Shiny Coke »

This looks real interesting. :thumbup: Been toying with the idea of using Red wheat malt in my whisky as per Jimbo's praises but haven't found a local source for it yet. Curious about what type of yeast you used and if you oak'd this?
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 »

MCH, loki, you are to kind. I was surprised any one liked this so much, because I came to the meet thinking my S3 bourbon was better than the Honey Bear. Thank you for your words.
Shiny Coke wrote:This looks real interesting. :thumbup: Been toying with the idea of using Red wheat malt in my whisky as per Jimbo's praises but haven't found a local source for it yet. Curious about what type of yeast you used and if you oak'd this?
I used good old bakers. I did oak, up until 2 weeks before the meet. 350 degrees for 2 hours, then froze them. Took them out of the freezer, then immediately put a light char on them.

Truth is, I use this triple malt combo for all my Bourbons. I just change out the specialty malt to get something different. And adjust the char to compliment the flavors. For instance, my S3: Smokey Toasty has the same malt based, just swapped out the Honey malt for 1 smoked and one toasted malt. And a good heavy char. My Sundae Bourbon just has one caramel malt, one chocolate malt, same base. That is going to be a great winter fireside bourbon.

Sky's the limit! Good luck!
"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."
User avatar
MichiganCornhusker
retired
Posts: 4527
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:24 am

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

I don't do too much with wheat and I think that's what I liked so much about it.
I've been doing a lot of toasted/roasted stuff lately and it was nice to enjoy a nice smooth grain whiskey. And I think that honey malt brought more to the final blend than I would have thought.
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me...
User avatar
Shiny Coke
Swill Maker
Posts: 210
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2015 5:42 pm
Location: Over the hills and far away

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Shiny Coke »

Shiny Coke wrote: I did oak, up until 2 weeks before the meet. 350 degrees for 2 hours, then froze them. Took them out of the freezer, then immediately put a light char on them.
Never heard of toasting and freezing before. Treading lightly not to take the thread off topic, what is the reasoning behind freezing them before charring?
User avatar
MichiganCornhusker
retired
Posts: 4527
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:24 am

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

I've never heard of freezing before, but I do know that it makes a big difference if you char right after toasting, or wait for the sticks to cool down first.
Charring right after toasting will char much deeper into the oak, so I would guess that freezing would keep more toast character and keep the char from penetrating even as far as when burned at room temp.
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me...
User avatar
Shiny Coke
Swill Maker
Posts: 210
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2015 5:42 pm
Location: Over the hills and far away

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Shiny Coke »

I toast and let them cool down to room temp before charring myself as I've heard the same about charring after toasting creates a char too deep into the wood. The idea of a lesser char due to frozen wood sounds like a good reason if it works. Hmmm Dunno.
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 »

Shiny Coke wrote:I toast and let them cool down to room temp before charring myself as I've heard the same about charring after toasting creates a char too deep into the wood. The idea of a lesser char due to frozen wood sounds like a good reason if it works. Hmmm Dunno.

That is precisely why I do it. :shh:

:D

I used to toast all my wood at 420, and an alligator char. Incredible caramel flavor, but it sometimes could seem to char the wood to deep. Stuck it in the freezer to keep the core colder as to not char so deep. It works for me, although I have never done a controlled side by side with the wood then cut to look inside. May be a good experiment for someone.
"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."
User avatar
MichiganCornhusker
retired
Posts: 4527
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:24 am

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

Picked up my malts today, cooking my corn tonight. Will let you know how it turns out. :thumbup:
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me...
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 »

MichiganCornhusker wrote:Picked up my malts today, cooking my corn tonight. Will let you know how it turns out. :thumbup:
Badass! :thumbup: It's exciting. Never had someone replicate one of my recipes before :lol: .

So one thing I would say, but you are probably good enough to know this already. I would mash a little lower at 150 or 148. In my recent beer brewing adventures, I have realized there is probably no benefit in higher temps for whiskey, and only more alcohol to gain.

Although, I wonder if unfermented sugars come through... :think:

Haha. Good luck! :clap:
"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."
User avatar
MichiganCornhusker
retired
Posts: 4527
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:24 am

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

ShineonCrazyDiamond wrote:I would mash a little lower at 150 or 148.
I bet your temps dropped to near 150F anyway when you added your malt grains.

I have followed your recipe to the letter.
And I will say that it took a great deal of self control to not boost the honey malt just a bit, and then add the oats on top of it all, only because I'm the kind of guy that always thinks more is better.
But I liked this whiskey the way you did it, so I'm going to do the same.

I am tweaking the protocol just a bit. I'm using SebStar high-temp liquid enzymes for the corn cook just because it makes corn life so much more pleasant.

Other than that, it will by all Honey Bear. I'll be mashing with the malts only, no liquid enzymes.
Though, honestly, the main reason I'm not going to toss a little SebAmyl in there with the mash is simply that I ran out on my last rice batch and I don't have any right now.

I hope I remember to do the freezer oak, that is an interesting theory you got going there.
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me...
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 »

MichiganCornhusker wrote:
ShineonCrazyDiamond wrote:I would mash a little lower at 150 or 148.
I bet your temps dropped to near 150F anyway when you added your malt grains.

I have followed your recipe to the letter.
And I will say that it took a great deal of self control to not boost the honey malt just a bit, and then add the oats on top of it all, only because I'm the kind of guy that always thinks more is better.
But I liked this whiskey the way you did it, so I'm going to do the same.

I am tweaking the protocol just a bit. I'm using SebStar high-temp liquid enzymes for the corn cook just because it makes corn life so much more pleasant.

Other than that, it will by all Honey Bear. I'll be mashing with the malts only, no liquid enzymes.
Though, honestly, the main reason I'm not going to toss a little SebAmyl in there with the mash is simply that I ran out on my last rice batch and I don't have any right now.

I hope I remember to do the freezer oak, that is an interesting theory you got going there.
Well, the next time I do it I am probably going to see what a lb does. The batch you had did not have oats.

And I'm proud of your self control :)
"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."
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 »

Here's an Easter egg. A nice crisp summer wheat beer that compliments it well. If your a wheat fan. It's nice for craft guys and BMC drinkers.

My Honey Orange Wheat
img20160809_201915.png
I may be sipping on both, now, lol.
"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."
User avatar
MichiganCornhusker
retired
Posts: 4527
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:24 am

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

ShineonCrazyDiamond wrote:...add your two wheat malts and pale malt. Wrap up again, for a couple hours. When done, chill the wort, add oyster shells (ph autopilot), and pitch yeast.
Did you ferment on grain, or off?
Ground up my malts and the honey malt was a real surprise. I've never used it before and it smells/tastes great.
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me...
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 »

MichiganCornhusker wrote:
ShineonCrazyDiamond wrote:...add your two wheat malts and pale malt. Wrap up again, for a couple hours. When done, chill the wort, add oyster shells (ph autopilot), and pitch yeast.
Did you ferment on grain, or off?
Ground up my malts and the honey malt was a real surprise. I've never used it before and it smells/tastes great.
On grain, of course! :thumbup:
"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."
User avatar
MichiganCornhusker
retired
Posts: 4527
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:24 am

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

ShineonCrazyDiamond wrote:On grain, of course! :thumbup:
Heck yeah. Will be mashing today.

Actually, I'm taking this opportunity to do a little experimenting with my corn grind.
I've got 6 buckets, each with a finer grind of corn.
I started with whole kernels, lightly cracked, and worked my way down to almost flour over the 6 buckets.

I've got a couple bottles of my S3:15 left over, these will be my S3:16 bottles. :thumbup:
Last edited by MichiganCornhusker on Thu Aug 11, 2016 4:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me...
User avatar
Shiny Coke
Swill Maker
Posts: 210
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2015 5:42 pm
Location: Over the hills and far away

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by Shiny Coke »

Oh man your guys enthusiasm is contagious! I'm sitting here at work reading this and getting giddy as a school girl wanting to join in and start mashing now! I'm very curious about the grind results MC, including at what point is straining a complete PITA. Got it all except the red wheat and the cracked corn (been using flaked maize) to get away from the cooking process. May just go all white wheat and see.
User avatar
MichiganCornhusker
retired
Posts: 4527
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:24 am

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

Wound up at about 2#/gallon, OG 1.060.
The grind did make a difference, even with the liquid enzymes, the finer the grind the better the conversion. Not a big surprise. I will continue grinding to meal.
Pitched US-05, bubbling away this morning.
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me...
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 »

MichiganCornhusker wrote:Wound up at about 2#/gallon, OG 1.060.
The grind did make a difference, even with the liquid enzymes, the finer the grind the better the conversion. Not a big surprise. I will continue grinding to meal.
Pitched US-05, bubbling away this morning.
See, we never have to question grind again. Lol. Thanks MCH!

I didn't seem to log my sg the first time, but did it a few times, thought I was closer to 1.07. How much corn? Is that an average of all the buckets? What was the variations?
"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."
User avatar
MichiganCornhusker
retired
Posts: 4527
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:24 am

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

ShineonCrazyDiamond wrote:How much corn? Is that an average of all the buckets? What was the variations?
Sorry, didn't mean to wander off topic with my totally irrelevant experimenting....

I started with whole kernels,

Bucket 1: first crack: 1.074
Bucket 2: second crack: 1.075
Bucket 3: starting to get some meal: 1.080
Bucket 4: mostly meal, some pieces: 1.082
Bucket 5: all fine meal: 1.084
Bucket 6 had leftover grains, so it had a higher grain/water ratio: 1.095

Grains in buckets 1-5 were all about 3#/gal, 8.25# corn, 3.5# malts. Not sure about bucket 6.

Mixed it all together with ice to cool to 75F.
I usually grind to meal and usually hit 1.065.
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me...
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 »

MichiganCornhusker wrote:
ShineonCrazyDiamond wrote:How much corn? Is that an average of all the buckets? What was the variations?
Sorry, didn't mean to wander off topic with my totally irrelevant experimenting....

I started with whole kernels,

Bucket 1: first crack: 1.074
Bucket 2: second crack: 1.075
Bucket 3: starting to get some meal: 1.080
Bucket 4: mostly meal, some pieces: 1.082
Bucket 5: all fine meal: 1.084
Bucket 6 had leftover grains, so it had a higher grain/water ratio: 1.095

Grains in buckets 1-5 were all about 3#/gal, 8.25# corn, 3.5# malts. Not sure about bucket 6.

Mixed it all together with ice to cool to 75F.
I usually grind to meal and usually hit 1.065.
Do I am assuming that you added water after the reading. Otherwise you couldn't get 1.065 with your lowest bucket being 1.074.

But 10 points from crack to meal. Sweet :thumbup:
"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."
User avatar
MichiganCornhusker
retired
Posts: 4527
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:24 am

Re: Honey Bear Bourbon

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

ShineonCrazyDiamond wrote:Do I am assuming that you added water after the reading.
Yep, I usually add 9-12 gallons of water in the form of ice for cooling.
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me...
Post Reply