Sweetness of honey

[Monbees]

Do different honeys vary in sweetness? (My grandson, who does NOT have a sweet tooth but loves honey, said that this latest batch of summer honey is very sweet. I had a taste and think I agree with him.)

 

[ericbeaumont]

Pear nectar is supposed to be low in sugar, so no reason why others shouldn't be high.

My belief is that honey with flavour tastes less sweet and honey without tastes sweeter, because there's no flavour to mask the sweet.

Tried my Mum on borage (zero flavour) one year and she said That's sugar, not honey; take it away! I did as I was told and replaced it with her usual dark honey.

 

[JamezF]

I wasn't aware that it varied that much, but the balance of fructose and glucose may well. I guess it's possible that (for some people?) one might taste sweeter than the other. Smell also contributes greatly to our sense of taste, so perhaps that could be another reason? (Note that you don't just smell what you inhale. Aromas given off as the honey is warmed in the mouth can also travel up the throat as well.)

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Do different honeys vary in sweetness?

yes

 

[JamezF]

Pear nectar is supposed to be low in sugar, so no reason why others shouldn't be high.

But the nectars will all be reduced to somewhere around 20% water by volume to form honey, surely? So unless there's a fair amount of "stuff" that's not sugar or water in the nectar, it will all be roughly 80% sugar in the end? If there's more water in pear nectar, the bees will just get less honey per unit volume of nectar?

James

 

[ericbeaumont]

That makes sense, James, which may be why they prefer dandelion if it's in the same orchard. Heard that farmer will mow dandelion to give bees no choice.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Do different honeys vary in sweetness? (My grandson, who does NOT have a sweet tooth but loves honey, said that this latest batch of summer honey is very sweet. I had a taste and think I agree with him.)

They do indeed. Darker honeys with more body taste better to my mind.
OSR is good for nothing but seeding soft set...yuk!

 

[Erichalfbee]

That makes sense, James, which may be why they prefer dandelion if it's in the same orchard. Heard that farmer will mow dandelion to give bees no choice.

I have two buckets of dandelion this year. The first time ever. I'm selling it as mono floral honey. It's not to everybody's taste but it's an "interesting" honey
I've soft set some and it really is bright yellow

 

[Redcap]

I was amazed just how widely honey can vary in colour and taste, never more so than on a trip to the UAE. I was drawn to an artisan honey counter in a large supermarket in one of the malls, and was wowed by the sheer variety on offer (including provenance and descriptions etc). Some very strong (amazing) flavours, I think one even had a liquorice note to it ! It was an impressive range of colour, taste and consistency. Some very dark honeys too (my preference) from the quite bitter to the very sweet. A massive range to taste...but too many to try them all!

 

[blackcloud]

I'm on doctors orders so have had to cut all added sugar.
Any honey has now become obscenely sweet to my palette.
I can however tell the difference in flavours.
Pasteurized and soft set varieties don't have the same sparkle as my liquid produce.
One of my regulars claims to be able to taste the flowers in it...