Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
as you taste it. Tasting more than one honey at a time provides a context in which to
comparetastingnotes.Arangeofhoneysshouldbetastedinthesamefashionaswines,
beginning with the lightest in color, moving on to medium ambers, and then finishing
with the darkest. Light-colored honeys typically have a mild flavor, while dark-colored
honeys are usually stronger in flavor. Tasting has many levels: the first impression, the
actual taste, and the finish. Take a sip of water in between each sample to clear your
palate.Anicepieceofcrustybreadandavarietyofcheesescancomplementthetasting
experience.
A honey tasting ideally should be held during the honey harvest season in late sum-
mer or early autumn, since this is when most beekeepers have taken the fresh honey
shallow supers off their hives. If you travel and purchase honey from local beekeepers,
they are usually happy to give you a sampling of their treasure.
When tasting honeys, the terms on the next page will come in handy as you discuss
and describe the experience. Begin by drizzling a sample of honey onto your tongue,
and let it melt for a few seconds. Spread it around your mouth while thinking about its
body and bouquet. Is it woody, floral, full, light, crisp, buttery, well balanced, overly
acidic? Does it have a long finish or an abrupt end? Do you like it or hate it? Each per-
son has his or her own individual taste and predisposition to flavors. Remember, there
is no right or wrong, and you should never eat something you dislike. Although most
people enjoy something sweet, I have found that certain individuals genuinely dislike
honey.
THE RED BEE LANGUAGE OF HONEY
Here is a vocabulary list of analogies I use to describe the many tastes of honeys:
VEGETATIVE
: hay, straw, wheat, green tea, fresh-cut grass, green bananas
HERBAL
: camphor, menthol, peppermint, rosemary, eucalyptus
CARAMELIZED
: molasses, caramel, burnt, toffee, brown sugar, maple
BUTTERY
: melted butter, smooth, butterscotch, silky, froth, rich
BITTER
: tart, tangy, crisp, natural flavors of some nectars
FRUITY
: bright, citrusy, berries, tropical, dried fruits
Citrus:
orange, lemon, tangerine
Berry:
blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, black currant
Tree fruit:
cherry, plum, apple, peach
Tropical fruit:
mango, pineapple, apricot
Dried fruit:
prune, fig, raisin
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