What To Do With Dark Honey?

[BeeHog]

I'm a beekeeper and harvested honey last week. Had one super full of honey that was not all capped so it likely has a bit higher moisture content than regular honey but I'm thinking that shouldn't be a problem if I use it for mead. This honey is very dark even though all the other honey was light colored. It finishes with a bit of a molasses taste.

Any suggestions on what type of mead would go well with this honey?

 

[CKuhns]

I did a mead recently (Actually two) With Bakers Honey. Higher than "normal" moisture content and a rich dark molasses flavor on the end.

I adjusted with water to my target OG (Can't remember exactly what it was. guess i am getting old.) used D47 yeast Would suggest Wyeast 1388 or Cote Des Blanc Chmaign yeast and racked from primary to 8 pounds of pureed oranges (no pith) aged for 6 months in primary and nearly a year after bottling and is mazing.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

For my first batch of Mead, I used some local jungle honey. It was very dark but didn't have the hint of molasses that you have. I used Saison Ale yeast and it came out very good. I am also contemplating the best way to utilize some Buckwheat Honey (similar to what you are describing).

 

[coyote68]

as a beekeeper i always end up with several lbs of high moisture honey. marshmellow blue has a great blog with all kinds of info.
his Bochet recipe is very good and i give 1.5 lb bottles to fellow brewers to make a 1 gallon hydromel.
just remember that the honey will crystallize more rapidly. but it still makes great meads.

here's a link to his blog. lots of good info.
http://hivemindmead.blogspot.com/

 

[BeeHog]

Thanks for these suggestions.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

I'm a beekeeper and harvested honey last week. Had one super full of honey that was not all capped so it likely has a bit higher moisture content than regular honey but I'm thinking that shouldn't be a problem if I use it for mead. This honey is very dark even though all the other honey was light colored. It finishes with a bit of a molasses taste.

Any suggestions on what type of mead would go well with this honey?

As long as it's not overpowering, you might try it in a cyser, molasses notes would pair very well with apple. Jut use a standard mead recipe but use apple juice instead of water.
Regards, GF.

 

[BeeHog]

That's a good suggestion, thanks.

 

[WVMJ]

BeeHog, where are you at? Any idea what flowers they were taking the nectar from? Late honey maybe goldenrod in some areas. You can do anything you want with this, the darker honeys work really well with dark berries like black raspberries, blackberries. By themselves they make the best traditional meads since they have so much flavor vs the lighter honeys which are much more delicate. We also have a crabapple/dark honey cyser going right now, the darker honey is holding its own against the crabapples, this is the batch I am waiting to have finished to drink the most! WVMJ

 

[BeeHog]

WVMJ, I live in NW Ark. The honey in this area is considered high quality. I didn't have my honey extractor built until 2 weeks ago so this honey was stored all throughout the year so it came from a variety of plants.......blackberry (all over my property and in the area), clover, dandelion, and any/all blooms that exist in our town (I'm on the edge of town).

I'm liking the suggestion of a cyser and now I wish I had used this dark honey for the blackberry melomel I have in progress (my first attempt) instead of my lighter honey. The lighter honey is buttery on the front end with a little acidity and a hint of molasses on the back end. Very rich color.

 

[WVMJ]

You can save some of the dark stuff to backsweeten your blackberry melomel with WVMJ