First honey tastes funny

[twb]

I have some hives in an outyard that is a peach/cherry orchard with lots of dandelions in the spring.  This week I pulled a few frames of honey that were on starter strips so I could crush and strain them.  The cappings were a bit dark so I am wondering if it could have been dandelion honey that they gathered and capped a few weeks ago.  It is not very good, almost medicinal.  Any ideas?  Lots of white clover on the orchard floor now so I'm hoping the honey improves.

[Cindi]

Twb.  Interesting.  I know certain honeys do have medicinal flavours.  This is what I would do, take it for what it is worth.  I would try to save those frames of honey, if you can ascertain which frames have that flavour you don't like and wait for other frames of honey and try to mix a little of the medicinal tasting honey with it, to dilute the flavour.  That might work, it might not, but I think that it would and that would be my method.  Good luck, have that most wonderful and beautiful day, love our life.  Cindi

[twb]

Hmmm, mix the "bad" with the good.  Could be a good idea.  A little at a time.  "Season to taste" we'll say.  I am just very curious what it is from and I was hoping someone who has tasted dandelion honey would see this and respond.  It is sweet at first, then that unusual "weedy" taste hits you later. 

[johnnybigfish]

 Hey Twb, Thats really someting about the taste!
 I just extracted about 60 lbs of honey a few hours ago. Mesquite, wildflower and sugar syrup(Not as much syrup as last year tho)..Anyways after licking honey drippings for about 2 hours I noticed a mediciny taste too! I even mentioned to Paul if he noticed the taste ( At first I thought it tasted like "Off"). He didnt notice it though but he was dippin' and didnt eat as much as me. Boy, I hope it wasnt full of bug spray! :-P
I suppose i'll eat it anyways. After all, I did eat enuff honey today

 to get me full!
Also, I also mentioned to paul about "How much of this bucket can you drink at one time?"...You know, just tip it back and go for it?!
 How much can you guys drink(honey) :-D before it all comes back up?....(Oh boy,....My belly is starting to bounce just thinking about it...It does that when I laugh nowadays!!) I think I can drink 2 lbs, maybe 3!
Gaaaaaaggghhhhhh!!!!!!

your friend,
john

[madscientist]

Last month I pulled my first taste from my strongest hive.  This is my first year with bees.  The honey was different from what you'd buy in the store, with stronger floral flavors and a distinct aftertaste of what I would describe as lemon and metal, although I guess you might call it slightly medicinal. 
I had several relatives taste it who all said that it was "very good", but I don't know how many were just being nice. 
At the same time, this is the first time that I've tasted sole-souce honey.  So I wonder if this just happens to be the wildflower honey flavor for my area, as compared to the flavor of the blended honeys that you might buy in the store. 
My honey is certainly good enough for personal consuption.  I just wonder if I'll be able to sell it to others.

[JP]

A lot of fresh honey will have a nice sweet flavor with an almost burning after taste to the throat, I have seen this again and again. I don't mind it much myself.

Now if its real bitter to start with, might be good to just feed that back to the bees.


...JP

[madscientist]

JP, are you suggesting that after a couple months in the pantry that the honey will have mellowed?  If so, is it better to age honey before you try to sell it?

[JP]

JP, are you suggesting that after a couple months in the pantry that the honey will have mellowed?  If so, is it better to age honey before you try to sell it?

You have to sell it when you have it, I wouldn't worry unless its very bitter.


...JP

[annette]

A lot of fresh honey will have a nice sweet flavor with an almost burning after taste to the throat, I have seen this again and again. I don't mind it much myself.

Now if its real bitter to start with, might be good to just feed that back to the bees.


...JP

Yeah, I remember that burning after taste to the throat on my honey, but it tasted so great.

[qa33010]

    So far every year (this being the third) the honey has tasted different.  Last fall with two different hives, right next to each other and the honey pulled the same time, made two different types of honey.  Two distinct tastes and shades.  I think I have the same thing this year also. 

     My family was just amazed that honey has different flavors and not the same you get in the store. 

[SgtMaj]

Twb.  Interesting.  I know certain honeys do have medicinal flavours.  This is what I would do, take it for what it is worth.  I would try to save those frames of honey, if you can ascertain which frames have that flavour you don't like and wait for other frames of honey and try to mix a little of the medicinal tasting honey with it, to dilute the flavour.  That might work, it might not, but I think that it would and that would be my method.  Good luck, have that most wonderful and beautiful day, love our life.  Cindi

Or, Twb could freeze them and give them back to the bees for the winter.  Since you have to leave them something to overwinter with anyway, might as well be that, right?

[twb]

I have only 2 quarts of the "funny" honey so I plan to use it for my kid bee talks as a taste test.  Those who feel brave can compare what I believe to be dandelion honey to our deliciously sweet summer wildflower honey.  Also, I have read that some strong flavored honeys will mellow with time so it will be interesting to see if it changes with age.  It has been interesting how some people taste it and say, "it is not as good as your other honey but it is not so bad" and others can not stand the taste.  One person :-Xeven said, "Yuk, the bees really messed up on this one". :)

[JP]

I have only 2 quarts of the "funny" honey so I plan to use it for my kid bee talks as a taste test.  Those who feel brave can compare what I believe to be dandelion honey to our deliciously sweet summer wildflower honey.  Also, I have read that some strong flavored honeys will mellow with time so it will be interesting to see if it changes with age.  It has been interesting how some people taste it and say, "it is not as good as your other honey but it is not so bad" and others can not stand the taste.  One person :-Xeven said, "Yuk, the bees really messed up on this one". :)

Never tried it myself but buckwheat honey is very dark some say the taste is aweful, to each his own, I guess.


...JP

[asprince]

It's all GOOD!

[DrKurtG]

The other thing to try is to taste your honey on a cracker or something similar. I have found that just dipping into the jar and taking a taste is a different experience than having it on a cracker or a piece of toast. Try it. Sometimes, most times, the cracker or toast mellows the flavor of the honey. I assume that most of my customers are not eating the honey right out of the container.

We just harvested three frames of the darkest honey that I've ever seen. It has a really deep floral flavor to it with a sweet, very pleasant after-taste.

[SgtMaj]

Speaking of adding flavors to honey... I just had a big plate of my favorite beef spare ribs BBQ'd and covered with a thick coating of 1/2 honey, 1/2 KC masterpiece honey BBQ sauce...  mmmmm.

[Moonshae]

I'll bet a nice fermentation will knock out the off flavor...make some mead!