# Would this work?



## JimmyT (Jan 22, 2016)

Just wondering if this honey would work?


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## DoctorCAD (Jan 22, 2016)

It depends on what you are going to do with it...


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## richmke (Jan 23, 2016)

As long as you don't feed any of your mead to infants under one year of age.


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## JimmyT (Jan 23, 2016)

DoctorCAD said:


> It depends on what you are going to do with it...




For making mead or wine/melomel. I thought there was something with store bought honey. Maybe it's just that fresh/local is better. Or maybe store bought being pasteurized or something.


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## Olbuscap (Jan 23, 2016)

JimmyT, do a search on "Pennsylvania (or Ohio or West Virginia) Honey ......". The producers should be able to give you the real answers. And, they have a choice of various honeys in larger containers should the need be there.


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## DoctorCAD (Jan 23, 2016)

Honey is AFAIK always sold just as it comes from the bees ***. No need to pasteurized or stabilize. It can last forever in its natural state.


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## JimmyT (Jan 23, 2016)

DoctorCAD said:


> Honey is AFAIK always sold just as it comes from the bees ***. No need to pasteurized or stabilize. It can last forever in its natural state.




So is there a difference in quality between store bought and fresh local honey?


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## CGish (Jan 23, 2016)

JimmyT said:


> So is there a difference in quality between store bought and fresh local honey?



Here is my thoughts / understanding / limited experience, for what it is worth.

Depends on the source. Fresh, local honey will give you the best flavors, but store bought works just fine in most recipes. For blends like JOAM, braggots, or the like, store bought is 'good enough'. However, most mead makers say a pure mead will benefit from the flavors added by local and fresh honey - and those same flavor compounds can add some depth to a blend. 

Personally, I would not spend the money for fresh, local honey only to cover it up with malt and hops in a braggot or fruit in a melomel unless I had a specific reason or flavor I wanted to add. 

I have used Walmart and Costco as honey sources to good effect. However, I have not made a pure mead yet - all blends of some sort. Would local be better for these? Probably, but it would also be a lot more money.

Good Luck,
Cody


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## Deezil (Jan 23, 2016)

Local is almost always better.

As others mentioned, store bought honey is fine if you're going to cover it up with another flavor - a melomel, a braggot, a bochet, etc - but if you're making a traditional mead where it's essentially honey and water, you'll want the good stuff.

The biggest thing to watch for, with store bought honey, is to make sure it says something to the effect of "made in the usa"... What you dont want is 'China'; the Chinese are notorious for thinning their honey with corn syrup, or even selling you a batch of flavored corn syrup labelled honey. They also use medications and treatments on the bees themselves, that stick around in the honey - which eventually makes its way into our bodies.

So, knowing a beekeeper if you use a lot of honey, is your best bet..
If you really use a lot of honey, you may wish to introduce yourself to a beekeepers association. 

Long story short, there's massive differences between local and storebought honey - you just have to know what you're looking at/for.

That stuff is just fine though, Jimmy


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## JimmyT (Jan 23, 2016)

My lhbs sources honey from a local bee keeper. They sell the honey for $11 for 2# or $14 for 3#. How does these prices compare to other local prices?


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## JimmyT (Jan 23, 2016)

Deezil said:


> Local is almost always better.
> 
> As others mentioned, store bought honey is fine if you're going to cover it up with another flavor - a melomel, a braggot, a bochet, etc - but if you're making a traditional mead where it's essentially honey and water, you'll want the good stuff.
> 
> ...




That's what I was talking about, thanks deezil. I tried a search but didn't have time to extensively look for the info (just had my newborn baby girl this morning!).


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## barbiek (Jan 23, 2016)

Congrats jimmy on the new baby girl! Wel be expecting pictures!


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## richmke (Jan 23, 2016)

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/11/tests-show-most-store-honey-isnt-honey


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## BernardSmith (Jan 23, 2016)

I try to buy local honey for my meads. I guess I think that buying locally helps keep money in the community and the suppliers know that they have a market (albeit tiny) for their honey. Knowing the suppliers and hopefully cultivating (pun intended) a good relationship means that they can develop an interest to work for locals who want their honey so this becomes a two way street and changes the honey from being a simple commodity to something more meaningful. But truth be told I also buy from my local supermarket and buy on line honey varietals that I cannot get locally..


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## the_rayway (Jan 23, 2016)

One of my favourite pass-times in the spring/summer is visiting local apiaries and tasting their honeys. It's like enjoying the taste of wines from different grapes - but MORE. 

You can enjoy the flavour and think about what will pair well with fruits, spices, etc. Or will it be a stellar mead on its own? I seem to end up with around 100Lbs of honey each year to play with - and they all have their part to play in the variations I like to think of.

Go all natural FTW  Just my .02$


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## Jericurl (Jan 24, 2016)

Congratulations on the baby!!


As far as the honey, I'm sure it would probably work in a pinch...but...

if you are having trouble finding honey where you are, you may want to check your local feed stores.
If I need a quick quart of honey and don't have time to wait on a shipper, that's where I pick mine up.


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