1lb of buckwheat honey - what to do with it?

[Maeloch]

While rummaging around on eBay for honey, I found some Polish buckwheat honey and ordered it out of curiosity. After googling a bit about buckwheat honey I understand it comes in at least two types. I'm not sure what type this is, it's not dark, but definately - to my taste - very barnyardy. It doesn't taste *too strong*, but the smell is best described as medieval, a wet sheep, etc. Here it is:

I just wondered what to do with the stuff? I understand reading around it's best either blended, or aged a *long* time. But it has such a funky smell, I can't think what I'd want to blend it with. It's an accident waiting to happen sat there - it'll end up in something before too long! - but I'm really not sure. Any suggestions as to what would best compliment it?

 

[Riverat]

It's a good blending honey for a bit of complexity, sounds around a proper amount to add to the honey bill of a five gal batch. I've tried it in a pyment at about that ratio and was pleased.

 

[Maeloch]

It's a good blending honey for a bit of complexity, sounds around a proper amount to add to the honey bill of a five gal batch. I've tried it in a pyment at about that ratio and was pleased.

Thanks! Pyment is something I could try with it - it would work as the grapes tend to overpower the honey anyhow?

But I am having trouble seeing how it would work up front in anything.

 

[Shelley]

There's always cooking or making candy, like this one:

http://candy.about.com/od/sugarcandy/r/honeycomb.htm

If you've ever had "Crunchies" made in the UK, this candy is almost exactly the same.

(There's no way I can make a connection with this to mead; it's just that you've got a small volume that has a strong flavor, so I thought of this as a really good use.)

 

[Medsen Fey]

Braggot.
Buckwheat can add some malty character along with honey aromas that can really make a nice braggot.


Sent from my THINGAMAJIG with WHATCHAMACALLIT

 

[fatbloke]

Well it sounds like it varies i.e. both the honey and individual tastes.

I've got a bucket of that honey, but mine smells fine just that it has a little bit less sweetness than other honey and it has malt like notes....

I like it.....

 

[Maeloch]

Braggot.
Buckwheat can add some malty character along with honey aromas that can really make a nice braggot.

I think I'll need to sort out some more house space before taking on 'beer' (only a matter of time) but I appriciate the suggestion and will put this on the list.

 

[Maeloch]

Well it sounds like it varies i.e. both the honey and individual tastes.

I've got a bucket of that honey, but mine smells fine just that it has a little bit less sweetness than other honey and it has malt like notes....

I like it.....

It's not that I dislike it, just can't see how it would work. Suppose I just stick a good dollop in a test gallon and see whatsup. I think you mentioned in another post about banana and malt flavours working well - that was one option I was considering with this stuff.

 

[Vance G]

I doubt that you would get much of anything out of it without using the whole pound. I ration out my small supply of buckwheat honey for my pancakes.

 

[fatbloke]

I doubt that you would get much of anything out of it without using the whole pound. I ration out my small supply of buckwheat honey for my pancakes.

I was thinking something similar.

Maybe a traditional, one thats mostly something else but use this partly in the main brew but reserve 3 or 4 ounces for back sweetening, so the flavour is at the forefront......

 

[Chevette Girl]

I remember my mom getting buckwheat honey for pancakes and I didn't think much of it, but I have in the past added a pound or two to a traditional made with clover honey or goldenrod honey and it left a nice colour and no weird tastes.

 

[drako824]

Joe's Grape Mead / Pyment uses a little bit of buckwheat honey, but mostly clover. Otherwise I use buckwheat for cyser in the fall.

 

[Maeloch]

Joe's Grape Mead / Pyment uses a little bit of buckwheat honey, but mostly clover. Otherwise I use buckwheat for cyser in the fall.

It's a good call as I've just started a red and white version of that with some generic supermarket juice - I'd at least have a control.

Pancake mentions got me thinking regarding non-mead stuff to do with it: guilty pleasure of mine is whiskey in milk, sometimes sweetened with a dab of honey. I reckon the buckwheat might work in there.

 

[Maeloch]

Um, in the end I got sick of looking at it everytime I went the cupboard (or it looking at me). I had about another 3lb of mixed honey and half a pound of white concentrate so threw it all in a bucket with some nutrient, tannin, white wine yeast, etc and I guess that's a pyment! (Or could it be called a traditional with so little concentrate?)

I held back a pound honey to stepfeed it in a few days. I think this will be my first batch where I stagger the nutrient additions, do some regular aeration, and treat it a bit more seriously...also closest to a traditional. It does smell a lot better blended with the other honey. Hopefully it will all turn out fine, happy days!

 

[GntlKnigt1]

Alas, I was going to suggest either put it on pancakes, or in your pressure cooker at 15 pounds for 90 minutes to carmalize it, and then use it to backsweeten stuff.

Sounds like you have a good solution though. With all the ideas... LOL, are you still glad that you asked?

 

[Maeloch]

Alas, I was going to suggest either put it on pancakes, or in your pressure cooker at 15 pounds for 90 minutes to carmalize it, and then use it to backsweeten stuff.

Sounds like you have a good solution though. With all the ideas... LOL, are you still glad that you asked?

Ah no, thanks, was good to get some ideas! - even if I don't get round to trying everything immediately. Time will tell if mine was a good solution. Just seemed fortuitous as it used up what I had in the house and wanted 1 last batch going before Christmas (when some JAO variants should be done).

It's in a fairly cold cupboard, but churning away at quite a clip. Opened it up this morning for stirring and it was frothed up and folded over like pile of whipped cream. Glad it's not in a DJ yet or there'd be a mess. Nearly frothed out the 3gal bucket after stirring as it was.