Where does dark honey come from?

[aberreef]

As per the title really I saw some VERY dark honey at the Royal Welsh Show and just wondering what the bees work to produce it. I read some old posts that suggest it's from honeydew, would this be the only source?

Cheers
Huw

 

[VEG]

horse chestnut gives a dark honey.

 

[REDWOOD]

Don't know what it tastes like but some will pay a fortune for it

 

[mbc]

Hawthorn is also a very dark, thick honey.

 

[Polyanwood]

Honey dew honey is often very dark and very delicious - the best i think

 

[aberreef]

Thanks for the replies. I've not seen any dark stores in any of my hives to date so I presume they either have something they prefer on offer or just don't have the correct forrage. Would be a nice treat if some turns up though

Last seasons early crop was a mid colour and very 'thick' like golden syrup YUM The stuff at the show was almost black

 

[susbees]

Buckwheat can be near-black. Not in Wales though at a guess...

 

[broandy]

Cherry is very dark like black

 

[thedeaddiplomat]

Dark hives?

 

[aberreef]

Buckwheat can be near-black. Not in Wales though at a guess...

I tried growing this on the field last year. It either didnt germinate or the pigs ate it all lol

 

[victor meldrew]

I tried growing this on the field last year. It either didnt germinate or the pigs ate it all lol

Eastern Europeans grow this to excess the flavour is very strong hence the demand from the catering trade ,simply because a little goes a long way in confectionery
VM

 

[craigavonb]

Bees working Bell Heather on the Mourne Mountains in Northern Iireland produce a very dark almost black honey and if conditions are right you can have a fantastic yeild

 

[biglongdarren]

i have a hive at the foot of wee binian in the mournes and it has nearly two super filled,the honey has a fantastic smell and is dark but not as dark as i thought it would be.
Darren

 

[masterBK]

Bell heather honey is a port wine colour not black

 

[biglongdarren]

Bell heather honey is a port wine colour not black

spot on thats what my girls is on then.
Darren

 

[Poly Hive]

The books call it port wine but I have seen it on the show bench at what I would have called a black. If I delve deep enough into my old pics I may even have one of the show.

PH

 

[masterBK]

I have judged dozens of shows and my bees have collected bell heather lots of times over the last 40 years (when they collect it from Erica cinerea before the Ling gets going ). Bell heather honey is not black or even blackish.It is darkish with a definite port wine colour in the jar. In the comb the unsealed cells have a deep reddish appearance. Similar honey also from Erica tetralix.
Ling heather honey which is amber (with air bubbles from the pressing process) at first goes quite dark with time (some on the showbench is decades old!)