Wildflower honey

has anyone used wildflower honey for a plain basic mead? also - is 12 lbs enough honey for 5 gallon batch? I have read many differing things.

Any comments please? I realize that it will not be as elegant as an Orange Blossom Honey mead but that was what i had in the house and figured I’d make a start of all of this mead adventure.

I have never used 100% wildflower but I bet it would turn out excellent! 12 lbs in 5 gallons seems the right amount. You’ll get roughly 10-11% ABV at that amount. Go for it!

Thanks Dave! I started it yesterday afternoon. I do plan on adding yeast nutrient again today, tomorrow and the next. I figure it can’t be that bad. Maybe a bit stronger tasting.

What kind of wildflower honey? I bought some from the bulk section of Winco Foods that is light colored and light tasting. A couple of months ago I bought some “mountain” wildflower honey that was dark and tasted a bit like molasses.

bought the big bottle from norther brewer. it was darker and stronger tasting.

I buy local honey. It’s a mix of alfalfa, corn, soybeans, sunflower, and what ever else the bees get into. It makes a fine drink.

I’ve asked if they would hold out a couple gallons of the honey from the sunflower fields, but they would not. :cry:

My next batch will be orange blossom.

All of my success has been with local wildflower honey thus far. By its nature, wild flower honey varies greatly in its characteristics. That being said, you can definitely find some good wildflower honeys; it helps to know what qualities you’re looking for in a honey before you choose one.

Over the years I’ve made batches with wildflower honey (in between batches with my regular preferred tupelo, orange blossom, and clover honeys).

Every batch of wildflower has been different, with unique flavors. Overall, I’ve found that the wildflower batches were better after a few years of aging but aside from that, they have always been interesting owing to the typically stronger flavors present in the wildflower honey.

yes - it is strong and not the elegance you get from orange blossom.

The only thing I’ve been told to be watchful for is buckwheat. Apparently buckwheat makes for nasty mead. Not that I’ve tried it, but I’m not ready to risk it yet. So I’ve been avoiding any honey that specifically states buckwheat as one of its sources of nectar.

The buckwheat mead that I make is amazingly good. It is complex, very smooth, great mouth-feel, and sort of like bourbon. I hope you get to sample some good buckwheat mead some day.

Several years ago I bought a small bottle of buckwheat honey to try it and to me it tasted a bit like malt extract. I thought it would work in beer, but I don’t think I’d use it in a mead, at least not all by itself.

well an update… tasted a bottle today and much smoother and nice and carbonated much like a nice champagne so time did make a difference and I must say that after more time it should be nice.
:smiley: