Nope, we did not.
Honey is an alternative sugar source to re-ferment and carbonate our Dansaert beers in bottles and kegs! We usually use a very simple type of sugar (dextrose) to fully condition our beers of the month and experiments. Yeast love it, so they stay alive in the bottle to scavenge oxygen. What’s more, beers conditioned this way generally have a finer, silkier texture of carbonation, superior foam retention, longer shelf life, and better aging ability than beers that are force carbonated.
Why are we experimenting with honey as a sugar source?
Honey comes with aromatic and flavour components that give an extra layer of complexity. Depending on the flora these bees are surrounded by and nectar they are collecting.
We used local honey from our friend Alexandre Lefebvre and his bees at Ukeepers in Ixelles. Alexandre has been working for the development of beekeeping in Brussels that respects bees and the environment since 2016.
Photo by @Ukeepers
This honey brings layers of lime and wildflower notes, both in aroma and taste, that complement the hops in this bitter session IPA.
Come try it out at our Dansaert or Paris Taprooms and get ready for more honey experiments in the future!