What honey to use?

[Dorkusmalorkus]

For you experienced mead brewers, what type and origin of honey makes the tastiest mead? What would be the recommended choice?

For a first experimental brew, the only thing immediately available is from Burma/Myanmar. Unfortunately there is a very substantial possibility that it may actually be of Chinese origin and Chinese honey has a terrible reputation for quality.

The result may not be very tasty, but if making mead from it works, the process can be repeated with better quality honey.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

I would go with whatever honey you can get your hands on for the first batch.

Orange Blossom is very nice. I also like to use Wildflower honey (a little darker honey) and a little bit of Buckwheat honey (too much can give some bad flavors).

 

[Dorkusmalorkus]

If the first experimental batch turns out something passable, I can easily get raw wildflower/clover honey directly from a trusted beekeeper. It will take quite some time to arrive due to international postage, though.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

I have been making 5 gallon batches with 10-12lbs of wildflower, then a mix of 2-4lbs of clover and 2-2.5lbs of buckwheat resulting in a nice yellow-orangish mead. The clover doesn't give much influence but works as a good filler. Whenever I can get a good deal on Orange Blossom I will get enough for a batch.

Not sure where you are but you may be able to find some local wild honey. I was able to locate some Jungle honey in my place in Subic that was dark like wildflower (Acacia trees and tropical hardwoods prevalent).

Maybe you can get some shipped via sea?

 

[Dorkusmalorkus]

Yes, having the honey shipped is in the works. Either sea or air post, whichever is cheaper to manage.

Also planning to have someone pick it up when they travel to where my supplier lives. Still reading up on luggage regulations to check is customs have restrictions for honey

Luckily the supplier is giving me the honey so cost is not an issue. The honey is a mix of mostly clover and whatever wild flowers grow around the property where the bees are kept and the surrounding woodland. It should makes a very tasty mead.

 

[Pratzie]

tastiest is a bit relative to your palette and previous experience. I know a lot of folks like to stay local as its usually easier to obtain and cheaper. I've used wildflower and orange blossom and thought both turned out well so I can't really say one was better then the other.

Either way I'd def stay away from the Chinese Funny Honey. I've heard horrible things about it.

 

[Dorkusmalorkus]

Local is always best, especially if the beekeeper is giving it away. Impatience got the better of me so for a first experimental batch I used whatever was immediately available at the nearest supermarket. Unfortunately it is of dubious origin. Last time I checked, Myanmar/Burma is not really a big producer of honey and Chinese honey is apparently often laundered by going through a third party country to avoid the made in China label

 

[Dorkusmalorkus]

Found out Costco has a good clover honey. The quality is traceable and the brand is Kirkland. Is anyone familiar with it or clover honey in general? What kind of flavour can be expected from a mead made with it?

 

[dmtaylor]

On your first mead, get what's cheap. The only honey to avoid is buckwheat honey -- tastes like poop. I too like to use Costco honey or something cheap to use as a base, then add a blend of specialty honeys if I see fit, or don't. It's all good. Except for that buckwheat, yuck. It must be an acquired taste that I do not wish to acquire. Kind of like cat pissy hops in IPAs. I have five cats. I know what cat piss smells like, so I don't want to drink it too.

 

[ArmyMike]

I have had very good mead from Gallberry Honey. It is prevalent in the South East portion of the US. I was told by Malcom McConnel (Host and former Irish pub owner in Savannah, GA) that it tasted exactly like the meads from the Motherland (Ireland) which was made by the Monks in the castles there. I gave him a blind taste test and he thought that I had somehow gotten a hold of the mead from his homeland (I wish!). I was not trying to duplicate any particular recepie, in fact, I am quite a jazz style mead and wine maker and beer brewer. Basically, I used 1 gallon of Gallberry honey for a 5 gallon batch and kept it simple and let it ferment and bulk age for up to a year combined. The hardest part was waiting for it to be ready to drink. I have used many other types of honey as well and they have all turned out well. Hope this helps. Cheers! Mike