Author Topic: Bad honey (Read 2917 times)

Rabbitdog · « **on:** May 23, 2005, 01:27:53 pm »

This has been a very unique spring in my part of VA. The bloom period for everything seems to have been up to 50% longer than usual. Black locust bloomed heavier and longer than even the oldest of the old timers can remember. I normally get very excited about early spring honey and it usually is very light colored and sweet with very little acid aftertaste. However, this weekend I pulled two supers of capped honey for extraction and got a shock. The honey was very dark. It tasted fair but had a noticeable bitter aftertaste. It's not fit for human consumption as far as I'm concerned. Maybe it can go back to the bees. How???
I am wondering if anyone else has pulled honey yet and experienced similar problems. Any idea what would be the cause of the bitterness?

Michael Bush · « **Reply #1 on:** May 23, 2005, 02:31:40 pm »

You can give it back to the bees if you like. Buckwheat honey is that dark and tastes a bit like molasses. Around here the bitter honey is usually not honey but honeydew collected off of aphids.

Miss Chick-a-BEE · « **Reply #2 on:** May 23, 2005, 02:40:32 pm »

Could it be honey from the fall? I forgot the name of the stuff usually harvested by the bees - sourwood?

Anyway.... it's darker, and stronger. My husband hated it, and said he could smell it in the house for days giving him a stomach ache.

Beh

SherryL · « **Reply #3 on:** May 23, 2005, 08:25:09 pm »

As for feeding it back to them.....

Just like you would sugar water, but water a little it down so they can take it.

jathomas · « **Reply #4 on:** May 25, 2005, 11:43:15 am »

You weren't medicating any of your hives recently, were you?

lively Bee's · « **Reply #5 on:** May 26, 2005, 12:01:31 am »

sourwood honey is sweet with no biter after taste