Honey Question

[d.j.patterson]

I had to pull out a bottle to see what mine says.

"Product of USA, Argentina, Canada, Brazil and Mexico"

 

[Medsen Fey]

I had to pull out a bottle to see what mine says.

"Product of USA, Argentina, Canada, Brazil and Mexico"

Ya, sure... you betcha.

 

[Fisher kel Tath]

I had to pull out a bottle to see what mine says.

"Product of USA, Argentina, Canada, Brazil and Mexico"

Yea, seems the stuff in the gold label is that, the other supplier had a green label and was product of virginia.

It kinda sucks though, no place around me to get other honey (well i can get clover from a different store) that's not 7 dollars for a 12oz bottle, and I'm not a big fan of paying 50 dollars for 5lbs >.>

 

[mesquite]

Yea, seems the stuff in the gold label is that, the other supplier had a green label and was product of virginia.

It kinda sucks though, no place around me to get other honey (well i can get clover from a different store) that's not 7 dollars for a 12oz bottle, and I'm not a big fan of paying 50 dollars for 5lbs >.>

Try here for honey:

Windmill Hill Farm

(810) 378-5972

1686 Sheridan Line

don@windmillhillfarm.com

Croswell, MI 48422

You are even in the same state.

I can get 60 lbs of his raw wildflower honey shipped to Texas for $146.81.
If you are close enough you might drive there and only pay $109.29

 

[Fisher kel Tath]

7hr round trip, and prolly be cheaper to ship than drive

 

[PitBull]

Yea, seems the stuff in the gold label is that, the other supplier had a green label and was product of virginia.

I try to research my wine making products as best I can. Virginia Brand honey is actually packaged in West Virginia (go figure). I wrote to the company and was very pleased with their quick response to my inquiry. I was planning to buy some of their honey for a melomel or metheglin, but my local Sam’s replaced the Virginia brand with the Baker’s & Chef’s brand (from USA, Argentina, Canada, Brazil and Mexico).

--------
My e-mail inquiry of 5/11/2009:

(My name, address & e-mail supplied here)

Is your unfiltered Virginia Brand Pure Clover Honey pasteurized or unpasteurized?

Thank you.

----------
Their response of 5/11/2009 (Same day!):

Name,

Our honey is not pasteurized. It is heated just a minimal amount in order to facilitate it flowing throw our tubing. We also do filter large partials out, but not the pollens and beneficial qualities.

If I can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact me.

Jeannette Lewis
Customer Service
Vita Specialty Foods
800-974-4778 x146
fax: 304-263-0946
jlewis@vitafoodproducts.com
www.vitafoodproducts.com

------------
Excellent customer service (except for “particles” being misspelled). I would not hesitate to use the Virginia brand and hope it is still available to most of you at your local Sam’s Club.

 

[mfalenski]

Better honey = Better Mead.
With that said there are plenty of times I have used Costco honey for batches that were going to be completely dominated by fruit and other ingredients.

However, the honey in the large chains is almost invariably going to have been heated and filtered so that it is nice and clear for the "discriminating consumer". What's more, if the label doesn't say product of USA, then it is made with imports from who-knows-where. Since China is a big exporter of honey (cut with high fructose corn syrup), unscrupulous producers in other countries may try to slip in Chinese honey to increase their profit margins. If you have faith in the Waltons to make sure your honey is pure, then you are okay.

I've used the Sams honey before - what type does Costco have? I looked online and no honey was listed. I live about 60 minutes from Pittsburgh where they have a few Costcos, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, etc. Never checked them out, but have wanted to.

 

[Midnight Sun]

Costco in Alaska has Silver Bow clover honey. Label says US Grade A, Product of USA and Canada. It has a stronger flavor and odor than the local fireweed honey. Fireweed is very mild, just for comparison.

Since I am new to brewing (my 4th batch just finished fermenting), Costco is where I get my honey from. It is about $12.50 for 6 lb, half of what the cheapest honey available from the LHBS. Doubtless the LHBS honey is better, but since I am just starting out it is hard to resist the price from Costco.

There is one local beekeeper that I am aware of. I have not had a chance to approach him, but I plan on talking to him during the local fair in a few weeks. His operation is about 20 minutes from where I live, so hopefully I can build a good relationship.

 

[fathand]

Fisker,

Keep looking for the local stuff. There has to be something near you.

I am on the east side of Michigan and even though I am only about an hour from Croswell I was able to find honey right in my backyard. Shoot the guy I found actually has a few hives right in Detroit. Nothing better than urban honey. Found him on the web through the local bee keeper association website. Said nothing on his site about bulk honey but when I contacted him I was able to get 60 lbs.

 

[jkane]

I mentioned in an earlier post in this thread ... CostCo in Wisconsin (Grafton) was SueBee up until this month. I don't remember the name of what I saw on the shelf, but it was made in the US. They are $10 for 5 lb bottles. The price may have gone up to $11 with the change. I was not looking that closely as I have enough stored right now.

I just started 15 gallons of mead with 30 lbs of the CostCo SueBee honey and another 15 lbs of some local basswood that was right off the comb a few weeks ago ($1.75 a lb, so I couldn't pass it up!) I plan to blend this with some fruit juices next year when it's done and cleared. I am calling it cheap mead for now.

 

[christianace]

Has anyone used Fireweed honey or meadowfoam??
I have a sister in Washington, I live in AZ and was going to have her bring some when she comes down. If you have made it did you flavor it at all or leave it plain. Both have some flavors that I would like to check out. Please let me know

Josh

 

[wayneb]

I have used both, and I would recommend based on my experience that you make a traditional from meadowfoam, which will leave you with an incredibly light and smooth mead with a hint of a flavor that suggests cotton candy. With the fireweed, although it will make a nice "neutral" traditional mead, I think it is better as a base honey for light fruit melomels, where its slight caramel aftertaste goes really well with peaches or apricots in a mel. I'm sure there will be other opinions, but this is how I would use each of these honeys in my meads from hereon out.

 

[christianace]

I have used both, and I would recommend based on my experience that you make a traditional from meadowfoam, which will leave you with an incredibly light and smooth mead with a hint of a flavor that suggests cotton candy. With the fireweed, although it will make a nice "neutral" traditional mead, I think it is better as a base honey for light fruit melomels, where its slight caramel aftertaste goes really well with peaches or apricots in a mel. I'm sure there will be other opinions, but this is how I would use each of these honeys in my meads from hereon out.

Much appreciated!
I will try to get my hands on some meadowfoam! I like the possibility

The Fireweed I was curious as to what you could do with it.. I was thinking because they say it tastes a little buttery that maybe some kinda nut flavor but I dont know how to impart that.. Can you use nuts? I was also thinking maybe some LIGHTLY toasted oak could make it ok. I am trying to currently stay away from fruits, mainly just because I am not looking for that just yet..

 

[11x]

If you live in the north and don't ship your bees to places where they can find flowers in the winter ... and ... you take their honey they stored up ... you MUST feed them something! It is pretty normal around here to feed them sugar (any kind) at the end of the season so they can replenish their stores and have food for themselves during the winter. I know a keeper who puts out stale halloween candy for the bees to lick on late in the fall.

Does that honey end up sold later? I can't say. But I doubt much of it makes it into what they may sell the next year. Not saying none do it. Just saying there is a good reason for feeding bees sugar instead of only flower nectar!

i am going to chime in here from a beekeepers point of view. it is not a MUST that you feed sugar. only greedy beekeepers take all the honey from the hive just to try to suplement thier winter stores with sugar water or hfcs. these greedy beekeepers are the same ones poisining our honey with chemicals to keep the bees alive. so i guess inless thay are your bees and you extract the honey than you never truly know what you are getting. i am one of the few beekeepers in my area that wont use any type of chemicals what so ever or heat my honey at all. i dont get as much honey as some of the bigger guy but my honey beats thiers at every tasting contest. with honey it is true that less is more. the less we do to it the better it is

 

[skunkboy]

Try here for honey:

Windmill Hill Farm

(810) 378-5972

1686 Sheridan Line

don@windmillhillfarm.com

Croswell, MI 48422

You are even in the same state.

I can get 60 lbs of his raw wildflower honey shipped to Texas for $146.81.
If you are close enough you might drive there and only pay $109.29

Yeah, they have some pretty decent honey...