Favorite varietals?

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Cheesefood

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I want to try a new honey for my next mead. My current was done with boring old clover. What have you Master-meaders found to make your favorite meads and melomels?
 
My favorites in order:

Blackberry
Orange Blossom
Tupelo (very nice, very pricey)
Buckwheat (mix it with another varietal)
Clover
Wildflower

Both Blackberry and Orangeblossom are great for traditional or melomels. I used the blackberry for a blueberry, a blackberry and a cherry melomel. Note, the blackberry honey doesn't taste like blackberries but the flavor is wonderful.

Orange blossom is great for a traditional in that it seems to preseve some of that citrus flavor/smell.

Tupelo, wonderful flavor (will keep forever) . . . but pretty pricey. Try blending your honeys in different proportions and tasting. I am betting you will find one that really stands out to you.

Good luck.
 
I have some Manzanita melomel working right now. I don't know how it will come out, but the honey was the thickest, stickiest, messiest, best smelling & tasting honey I've ever had! I may go get some more & do a straight mead with it.
 
The batch I have fermenting right now was made with a raspberry-varietal honey. I used it because my wife really likes raspberry, but I have to say it was some of the best honey I've ever tasted. I'm hoping the mead will reflect some of the characteristics of the honey.

Another interesting honey I'm interested in trying is buckwheat. I've read a bit about it; it's very dark and thick like molasses.
 
I really like mead. I think it's phenomenal sparkling.

Can you guys tell me where you buy your honey? I found a place tonight that has echinacea and tropical flower honey. I want to make two more batches soon.
 
Cheesefood said:
Can you guys tell me where you buy your honey?

I have 2 jobs, one is the LHBS, the other is a discount grocery store/freight damaged place. Every so often, the second place has 12 pound (1 gallon) containers, for $14.99, and 30 pound ones for 29.99. It is desert flower (local) honey, and tastes great.

Oh, LHBS also sells honey, but even with my discount, the other store is cheaper. (Yes, I also get a discount there, too.)

steve
 
I really dig two, for particulars:

1) Blueberry (because, my god, it still smells like blueberry, even in the mead!)

2) Buckwheat (because it gives it this really awesome, weird, kind of "hay"-ish, barnyard aroma - and also may, may, may have some apple flavor in it somewhere).
 
I just bought a gallon of blackberry from GloryBee foods for $33 + $11 s/h. So far, the only place I've found selling bulk blueberry sells it for $25 p half-gallon. I'm trying to find a better price.

Anyone want to give me a good recipe for 1 gallon of blackberry?
 
1 gallon (12 pounds) of blackberry honey arrived today from Glory Bee Farms. I'm thinking of buying either some frozen mixed berries or some 100% berry juice for a melomel. I want this to be a sweet mead. What yeast should I use and how much fruit should I use?
 
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