I'm a beekeeper and have about 5 pounds of honey from a dead out hive last year. We processed it separate and its fairly thick but has a mild fermented smell. I've read online that some people do use this to make their mead, but I am wondering if I should change anything else about the process. Although ts thick it is not as thick as regular honey, so should I compensate by not including as much water? Does it mean I have an abundance of yeast already and should I cut back on the yeast in a recipe? I am inclined not to change anything and just see what happens. But any suggestions or warnings are appreciated. Thanks!
Can I use fermented honey as my honey?
- Thread starter Kelli
- Start date
-
Love Gotmead and want to see it grow? Then consider supporting the site and becoming a Patron! If you're logged in, click on your username to the right of the menu to see how as little as $30/year can get you access to the patron areas and the patron Facebook group and to support Gotmead!
-
We now have a Patron-exclusive Facebook group! Patrons my join at The Gotmead Patron Group. You MUST answer the questions, providing your Patron membership, when you request to join so I can verify your Patron membership. If the questions aren't answered, the request will be turned down.
What caused the deadout? If its been slimed by SHB then NO. Most people making mead want quality mead and wouldnt want to use fermented honey. Although, it could just be considered a wild ferment and you could finish it with the current yeast or add some wine yeast to finish it. My consideration is if you wouldnt eat it dont use it to make mead. WVMJ
I don't have any experience in this particular area, but if the honey has actually fermented there are almost certainly some wild yeasts in there. If you let these go without killing them off they will produce a mead, but what you get would be anyone's guess. Could be the best mead you've ever tasted, or could be something you wouldn't force on your worst enemy. Most likely it would be something in between. Some yeasts might be able to kill the wild yeasts off if introduced in sufficient quantity. If you want something that is closer to what you've made before I'd consider heating the honey enough to kill off most of the wild yeast and then use another yeast with a kill factor, like k1v. The k1v on its own might be enough to do the trick, but you never know what wild yeasts have up their sleeves.
Also, the final flavor will almost certainly be influenced by whatever fermentation has already occurred, so this mead is probably not going to be easily replicable, but what do you have to lose by trying? I'll be curious to hear what decisions you make and how this one comes out. Best of luck with it.
Also, the final flavor will almost certainly be influenced by whatever fermentation has already occurred, so this mead is probably not going to be easily replicable, but what do you have to lose by trying? I'll be curious to hear what decisions you make and how this one comes out. Best of luck with it.
