Can all types of honey be used to make mead?
What is the difference between raw and wild honey? Is it raw because of honey collected from apiary domesticated bees, and wild when collected from the forests? Can any honey be used to make mead? More specifically, what about wild honey, such as Tualang Honey?
Best Answer
To address your 'headline' question: Yes, any kind of honey can be used to make mead, however the mead may have a significantly different flavor depending on the honey chosen. Orange Blossom honey will create a sweeter mead that is lighter in color (like a lager beer) where buckwheat honey will produce a mead that has more earthy tones (like an amber).
Raw honey is 'straight out of the hive' without any processing and sometimes without even any filtering. "Regular" honey has been pasteurized and always filtered. "Wild" honey doesn't have an "official" meaning, but is probably the same as "raw". It is likely just a marketing/branding label.
note: I did find one reference to 'wild honey' being from bees 'in the wild', I find this unlikely as collecting honey from 'wild' beehives is not very efficient, is destructive to the hive and not at all good for the bees.
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Quick Answer about "Can all types of honey be used to make mead?"
The way it was explained to me, clover is the dominant supermarket honey because, under FDA restrictions, it only needs to contain 25% clover honey. 75% can be mixed from other varieties. All other honeys need to be 90% varietal. So, when you buy clover, you may not always get the same effect.Can you use any honey for mead?
There are several different types of honey that can be used for mead but the most common is a good clover honey. Clover honey gets its name from what the bee's make it out of. You can also acquire a raspberry, orange blossom or other varietal honey. You can use almost any honey in the making of mead.What type of honey do you need for mead?
Good ol wildflower honey is great. Don't fret about yeast. The easiest and best is dry yeast. Get lalvin d47 for a traditional mead or one with only light fruit added like apple or pear.Can you use store bought honey to make mead?
The Manuka honey has been transformed into an after dinner treat that is sure to drench the senses in the sweet softness of honey. The perfect summer drink, this honey mead is partaken as a liqueur - straight or on the rocks and can be served for all occasions.How to make honey mead
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