What's your favorite honey for mead?

[Maylar]

I think that'd be at the very bottom of my list to pursue. So many honeys to try first.. Tupelo (YUM), Medowfoam, Heather...

 

[Miraculix]

I think that'd be at the very bottom of my list to pursue. So many honeys to try first.. Tupelo (YUM), Medowfoam, Heather...

Heather is the most interesting one I ever tried. I had Scottish heather honey and it tastes really really distinctive. I think it probably would be best only used as a part of the honey, otherwise it might be too intense.... But maybe that's what would make it especially interesting?

 

[Maylar]

Heather is the most interesting one I ever tried. I had Scottish heather honey and it tastes really really distinctive. I think it probably would be best only used as a part of the honey, otherwise it might be too intense.... But maybe that's what would make it especially interesting?

The same might be said of Tupelo. And they're both rather expensive. I've read that heather honey is on the list of "the top 1000 things you must eat before you die".

 

[Miraculix]

The same might be said of Tupelo. And they're both rather expensive. I've read that heather honey is on the list of "the top 1000 things you must eat before you die".

I don't even know what tulepo is.... Now you sparked my interest!

 

[Soulshine2]

Not only that, but California and Florida orange blossom honeys are different too. Californian oranges tend to be smaller and sweeter, and the orange groves are more isolated which means the bees don't wander into other fields as much as they do in Florida. I have a 12 lb gallon of California orange blossom honey that I'm trying to figure out what kind of mead to make from... when I stop eating it on toasted English muffins. Yum.

12 lbs of cali orange blossom honey...I know that wasnt cheap. whatever you put that in is going to be great.

 

[Soulshine2]

I don't even know what tulepo is.... Now you sparked my interest!

Ahhhh, Tupelo honey , the stuff they sing about .

https://www.slowfoodusa.org/ark-item/tupelo-honey

 

[Soulshine2]

As a Certified Master Beekeeper, I can attest to this.



HFCS if you're lucky. Sugar water if you aren't. But the adulteration isn't the bigger issue to me. It's the latent minerals and chemicals that exist in the honey that comes from these regions.



Not tried. Did. And are still doing.

Look up the statistics on Vietnam imported honey. Once the Chinese anti-dumping laws were passed in the US, Vietnam's honey exportation grew something like 1,000x, way more than the country could ever produce. Where do you think that's actually coming from? Same holds true with Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, even some South American countries. The USDA caught some people, and they went to jail over it. But it's still rampant in the industry.



Basically. Go to a local, smaller farmer's market. Find the beekeeper and talk to them. Ask them where their hives are, and if they resell anyone else's honey. Some do, but not all. I don't, for example. I produce my own honey, and when I sell out I sell out. Most consumers don't understand, and ask for honey in February. I tell them I sold out last October, and it was harvested last June. They seem confused, as the super market has honey year round, why can't I just go back to my hives and get more? The disconnect between farmers and consumers is shocking.

If you can't find a beekeeper at the local farmer's market, contact the local beekeeper's association. Most counties, or regions of counties, have one. Talk to them about where their honey comes from. They can usually tell you the trees and the sources, and it all varies based on year and location. One year's honey will taste entirely different than another year's honey. Large producers blend honey to get consistent flavors. But to me the joy is getting that variety every year.



There is no such thing as killer bee honey. It all depends on the nectar source, not the bees that make it (provided they are all apis mellifera).

my ex-brother in law was a beekeeper for a little while. Had some nice accounts at local bakeries and also sold at a few local grocery stores. He did well , but the decline hit him hard and he sold out to another beekeeper friend of his. He couldnt keep hobbies as hobbies, they ended up as failed businesses all the time. The man just couldnt do something for enjoyment, he had to ruin it every time.
My young cousin and her husband got into a hobby sized set of hives in a small town in upstate NY not long ago. I dont think they've had enough time to do an extraction as of yet. Neat hobby.

 

[NeverDie]

How much pesticide finds its way into honey? I'm kinda wondering whether I might be consuming a lot of DDT (or, alternately, name your poison) if I buy foreign honey. A lot of persistent pesticides that were banned in the US are still used in other countries.

 

[Miraculix]

How much pesticide finds its way into honey? I'm kinda wondering whether I might be consuming a lot of DDT (or, alternately, name your poison) if I buy foreign honey. A lot of persistent pesticides that were banned in the US are still used in other countries.

That is a fair point to consider. Also, what the Chinese cut their honey with might not be always.... Well, desirable to ingest.

 

[bob1852]

How much pesticide finds its way into honey? I'm kinda wondering whether I might be consuming a lot of DDT (or, alternately, name your poison) if I buy foreign honey. A lot of persistent pesticides that were banned in the US are still used in other countries.

And, a lot of pesticides that are banned in the rest of the world are still used in the US!

(Partially the reason why most sources of certified Organic honey aren't from the US)

 

[specialkayme]

How much pesticide finds its way into honey?

Significantly more finds it's way into the beeswax. It's fat soluble, so absorbs most chemicals. It's often referred to as the "kidneys" of the hive. Next is the pollen. Third is the nectar. While I can't say the nectar is pesticide free, it's not too common to have high quantities of pesticides in the nectar. At least in comparison. That doesn't count for beekeeper applied varroicides though.

(Partially the reason why most sources of certified Organic honey aren't from the US)

Domestic US honey can't be certified Organic. It isn't possible.

In order to be certified Organic, a USDA agency has to certify that your product complied with USDA Organic procedures. The USDA has refused to establish a standard for organic honey production. Thus, no US beekeeper can become certified organic, even if they practice all organic methods.

So how is it that you can buy organic honey from the grocery store? The USDA has an agreement with a few other countries that if the host country certifies a crop as organic, and the USDA believes the host country's certifications are up to standard (mind you not necessarily equal to USDA standards), the USDA will allow the company to affix the USDA Certified Organic label. The most prominant region that does this is Brazil in the honey industry.

Which is kinda BS when you think about it. The USDA won't allow a US beekeeper to sell certified organic honey, because they don't know what standard to apply to honey to call it organic. But the USDA will freely give out their logo and allow another country to say what is certified organic honey, and allow it to be sold to US consumers. But again, the USDA won't allow the standard that the host country used to be the standard that is applied to US beekeepers. A real double standard.

There are a few USDA certifying agencies out there that if you pay their certifying fees, they'll still give their approval to a US beekeeper. But they're saying you hit a standard that they know doesn't exist, provided the fees are paid, so you know how valuable that is. Beekeepers instead can go down the "Certified Naturally Grown" route, but it's fraught with it's own issues.

 

[ljewels4u]

Don't get me wrong, it sounds like I'm complaining but I'm not. Just commenting. If one person doesn't get or appreciate what's involved, that's cool. No worries. Walmart's down the street. If that makes you happy, I'm happy too. It doesn't bother me in the least. Why? Because I have a waiting list of people that do know, that do care, that do appreciate what's involved. They actually complain that I can't make enough. Which is kinda funny when you think about it.

I looked into beekeeping - I understand how much money / ie investment it is to get into the hobby and the required reinvestment in new bees etc etc- not that wine making is a cheap one but - I think the results are more consistent or likely than farming and I have a baby farm or other wise known as a really big garden which is a lot of work. For honey or most things we all have our values or things that are important factors than others - for me if I want honey for allergies or other health benefits then I will buy local honey and pay $7 to $10 per lb, but for mead or wines I guess - even if I made the honey did the bee keeping there is no way I'd waste my awesome hard work local honey on a wine lol (I know some of you are shuddering NOT WASTE lol but just imo) - I'd sell it before I did that for $10 per lb and buy the cheaper commercial stuff that I hope to get for $2-3/lb to put in my fermenting bucket maybe - I'd back sweeten with my liquid gold, just for pride of ownership, but I don't think I would use 10-15lb in a primary fermentation - but there is just one more crazy different opinion for you thank you for your work keeping bees - we all need them. My good friend just increased his hives from 12 to 24 I think - cuz even he was like no I can't use my honey to make a mead right now I don't have enough ( had he had his blueberry melomel recipe all ready lol and his bees made 200 lbs last year Cheers all.

 

[Branman1986]

Not to necro this thread, but I just finished making my first round of meads. So far I've taken wildflower, Tupelo and Sourwood through primary with D47 and stole a taste of each before racking into secondary.

Trying to taste through the crazy alcohol up front, the wildflower was amazing, but the Tupelo was next level good. I can't wait to try it down the road, but I may make a BOMM with it to try it sooner. The floral qualities of both make for very complex flavors.

The Sourwood was a disappointment - that butter, cream and spice was not super tasty when the sugar is gone. A bit like hot tea without any sugar. It's my absolute favorite honey, but unless there's a better yeast to use with it or something, I may not waste anymore of the good stuff and just eat it and sell it . Maybe backsweetening it will help it?

 

[Blacksmith1]

It might help, but this is why we do gallon batches as tests. Less waste if you can't stand how it comes out.