Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
and its predominant floral source. Some common words used to describe these aromas
are
flowery, fruity, spicy, putrid, resinous,
and
burned
. The overall odor intensity can
be rated on a scale of one to nine; one is low intensity, and nine is high intensity. Water
is the best palate cleanser between tasting different honeys.
Many factors will affect the way you perceive a honey—or any food for that mat-
ter—and therefore the degree to which you will appreciate that honey. These factors
include temperature of the room, time of day, degree of lighting, utensils, expectations,
personal health, and even air currents. Many flavors cannot be correctly accessed when
the honeys are too cold or hot.
T
EXTURE
, V
ISCOSITY, AND
B
ODY OF
H
ONEY
The feel of a honey in your mouth can be described as its
texture
or
viscosity
. Words
fordescribinghoneytextureare
smooth, slippery, gritty, velvety, creamy, buttery, thick,
thin, watery, drippy, grainy
and
granular,
and
runny
.Thebodyofhoneycanrangefrom
watery thin
to
light,
from
thick
or
heavy
to even
oily
. These words express the sense of
the honey's feel and weight on your tongue.
Temperature and moisture content are important factors that can change all of these
qualities dramatically. Heat tends to make honey pour more quickly, giving it a thinner
texture, and cooler temperatures can make honey stiff. Keeping honey at room temper-
ature prior to tasting is the best way to appreciate and savor its flavor.
Too much moisture in a jar of honey can cause early fermentation. There are a few
ways to judge the amount of moisture in a jar of honey. The first is to observe how
quickly a bubble of air rises to the bottom of the jar as you turn it upside down. If the
air bubble floats up very quickly, this could mean a watered-down honey. The second
method is a scientific approach using a tool called a refractometer. This handheld tool
looks like a miniature telescope. Place a dab of honey on its lens, and you can accur-
ately measure moisture content. Anacceptable level ofmoisture in honey is 18percent.
H
OW TO
T
ASTE
H
ONEY
Honey is said to have “good flavor” when the floral source is clearly recognizable, and
the honey is free from fermentation, bitterness, or burned flavors. Tasting is very dif-
ferent from merely swallowing, and tasting honey is an exercise in comparing and con-
trasting flavors, textures, aromas, and color. Our taste buds can distinguish between the
following five flavor sensations: sweet, sour/tart, salty, bitter, and
umami
, which is that
sense of savoriness. The taste buds for each flavor are located at different areas on the
tongue; for this reason, it is recommended that you move the honey around your mouth
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