Honey
In brewing when you think of Honey you think of Mead. The classic honey wine, drink of the druids and Vikings, mead is the heavy hitter of honey drinks. Along with variants like pyment (grape mead), cyser (apple mead) and metheglin (spiced mead), mead seems to corner the market on honey fermentation.
Mead is not the only use of honey, Honey is a versatile, highly-fermentable substance that provides a rich array of aromas and flavors that add complexity and character various beer styles.
Styles such as specialty and holiday beers, nut brown or pumpkin ales, cream stouts, porters, light lagers, pale ales and witbiers, not to mention Belgian ales, are just a few of the beer styles that can benefit from the addition of honey.
Honey is versatile and can be used at various stages in the brewing process.
Honey can be added to the boil in order to increase the final alcohol content, and to add a light honey flavor, or even to lighten the body of a beer when used as a replacement for a malt extract.
When added at the end of primary fermentation honey again can increase the alcohol content. It also can add a more intense honey flavor and aroma.
Also honey can also be used to bottle condition and carbonate beers.