Honey is the most important component in your mead. All your flavor additions could be put into any other beverage, but the honey is what makes it mead.
A traditional mead doesn’t have to mean it’s boring just because there’s nothing else added to it. Honey can be made from the nectar of a variety of different flowers. Not all flowers impart the same flavors to their honey. Depending on the source, honey of different types can have vastly different flavors to them. For example, orange blossom honey carries that familiar citrusy, fresh flavor with it, while basswood honey has a woody flavor to it. These flavors are even carried over into the meads you make with them. Accentuating these flavors, either alone or mingled with flavor additions, is one of the keys to making a great mead.
Jump to the list of honey types.
Color
While flavor is generally the most important component that meadmakers are looking for when crafting upon their recipes, color can be another property that is oft sought after. The U.S. Department of Agriculture classifies honey into seven color categories. From lightest to darkest:
- water white
- extra white
- white
- extra light amber
- light amber
- dark amber
The color of honey is determined by the minerals and other small compounds that are mixed in with the sugar. These will vary in type and amount depending upon the source of the nectar used to make it. The darker the honey, the more of these compounds are contained within. The darkest honeys often contain more beneficial compounds, and some even have medicinal applications. Honey can become darker over time, and is most often related to the temperature the honey is stored at. The higher temperatures result in a faster change in color.
Lighter colored honey is generally milder in flavor, while dark honeys can be quite strong. There are some exceptions to this, however. Basswood, for example, is quite light in color but has a strong flavor. On the other end of the spectrum, tulip honey is very dark but mild.
The exhaustive list of the honey varietals for use in your meads
| Varietal | Flavor | Color |
|---|---|---|
| Acacia (Black locust tree) | Mild, slightly tangy, floral, doesn’t crystallize | Water white to pale amber |
| Alfalfa (generally blended) | Nearly flavorless to milky, some has spicy notes | White |
| Apple Blossom | A hint of apple in the aroma | Light to medium amber |
| Aster | Flavor depends on region and species of aster; crystallizes quickly | White to light amber |
| Avocado | Fairly strong, buttery flavor | Dark amber |
| Basswood | Strong, zesty (becomes minty when mixed with a mild honey) | Dark amber |
| Beechwood (Honeydew Honey) | Exotic. Aromatic, woody, malty, tangy | Dark amber |
| Blackberry | Delicate and sweet with a hint of fruit | Very light amber |
| Black Button Sage | Slightly herbaceous, slow to crystallize | Medium amber |
| Black Locust | Fruity, rare (the trees blossom only every few years) | Pale to dark amber |
| Black Mangrove | Thin bodied. Swampy aroma, with a mild, sweet, but brackish flavor. | Pale to dark amber |
| Blueberry | Fruity, blueberry aftertaste | Medium amber |
| Blue Curls | Minty, fruity flavor. Granulates quickly and smoothly | Extra light yellow-amber to milky white |
| Blue Gum (Eucalyptus) | Cool, minty undertones reminiscent of blue bubble gum. | Amber |
| Boneset | Rank in aroma, but a mellow, herbal, sagelike flavor. Think, heavy, molasseslike texture. | Very dark reddish amber |
| Borage | Herbal and floral bouquet with hints of cucumber and orange pekoe tea. Sugary aftertaste. Delicate and silky textures. Slow to crystallize | Medium to dark amber, with a gray tinge |
| Buckwheat | Pungent and slightly earthy with notes of burnt molasses, cherry, tobacco, and plum. Malty. | Dark purple turning to deep wine red to black; opaque |
| Canola | Delicate, low acid, crystallizes easily | Light amber to white |
| Carob Seed | Bittersweet honey flavor woven with strains of caramel and subtle chocolate. | Dark autumn honey |
| Cat’s Claw | Rich aroma. Sweet, mild, and buttery flavor with a hint of iron. Heavy body. Granulates smoothly and with a waxy grain. | Water white to medium amber |
| Chamiso (Rabbit Brush) | Bittery overtones | Medium amber with reddish tinge |
| Chestnut | Strong, nutty, spicy, a bitter aftertaste (perfect with gorgonzola and parmesan) | Extremely dark amber, with a hue similar to chocolate. Sometimes reddish |
| Clover | Tangy and delicate; most labeled “clover” are actually blended; crystallizes easily | Water white to amber |
| Cranberry | Mild fruity flavor with tart aftertaste | Medium amber |
| Dandelion | Strong flavor with blended tangy notes | Dark Amber |
| Eucalyptus —Yellow Box, Blue Gum, Red River Gum (U.S. & Australia) | Mildly sweet, fruity aftertaste; some have a slight menthol flavor | Dark |
| Fireweed | Mild, smooth,delicate, buttery | Light to medium amber |
| Gallberry | Tart wildflower flavor | Dark amber |
| Goldenrod | Robust flavor of wildflower and beeswax | Light amber |
| Heather (Scotland) | Slightly bitter with an aftertaste of burnt caramel | Dark amber |
| Horsemint | Highly aromatic, spicy, and minty in flavor. Hints of lemon and oregano | Clear water white to amber |
| Huajillo | Extremely delicate and distinctive taste that is described as very light, smooth, and tangy. | Mild, light colored |
| Huckleberry | Full-bodied | Dark amber |
| Iron Bark (Eucalyptus) | Nutty aroma, soft mellow. Slight toffee flavor | Amber |
| Kamahi (New Zealand) | Full-bodied, complex | Light amber |
| Kiawe(Hawaii) | Rich tropical fruit and menthol flavors. | Pearly water white with waxy, golden overtones |
| Knapweed | Bitter, tangy, and astringent flavors | Light to medium amber |
| Knotweed | Rich, heavy and robust. A fruitier version of buckwheat honey without the malty flavors | Very dark amber with reddish tones |
| Kudzu | A rare honey with a strong flavor | Bluish to very dark purple |
| Jarrah (Eucalyptus Marginata) | Nutty, malt flavor | Dark Amber |
| Lavender | Lavender floral | Medium amber |
| Leatherwood(Tasmania) | Strong and spicy | Dark amber |
| Linden | Spicy with a woody scent | Pale amber |
| Lehua | Buttery with lily-like overtones | Crystallizes quickly and is made into a light golden cremed honey |
| Lemon | Strongly scented, citrusy, bright, tart, sour, aromatic. | Bright amber yellow |
| Purple Loosestrife | Rich, strong and unappealing | Extremely dark purple |
| Macadamia | Exotic, rich, not too sweet, nutty with tangy, musky floral undertones. | Medium amber to dark, deep amber |
| Manuka | Slight medicinal taste | Dark cream to tan or dark brown |
| Mesquite | Sweet, yet warm, smoky, woody, citrus flavors. | Medium amber with a brown tint |
| Milkweed | Very heavy in body, fruity, quincelike, slight spicy tang. | Water white with a light yellow tinge. |
| Mint/Spearmint | N/A | N/A |
| Neem | Bitter, with dark toffee, gingerbread taste | Dark |
| Nodding Thistle (New Zealand) | Delicate floral | Light amber |
| Orange Blossom | Hints of citrus-orange and orange blossom | Light amber to dark amber |
| Pine Honey (Turkey) | Molasses | Dark amber |
| Prickly Pear | Heavily bodied. | Medium to dark amber with bright red tint |
| Pohutukawa(New Zealand) | Distinct butterscotch flavor | Pale – the whitest honey in world |
| Poplar (Tulip Poplar) | Strong | Medium amber |
| Pumpkin blossom | Light with a hint of pumpkin flavor | Medium amber |
| Purple Sage | Mild flavor, slow to crystallize | Water white |
| Rainforest | Fresh, floral aroma. Taste varies depending on region | Light |
| Rata (New Zealand) | Mild, rich, almost salty | White |
| Raspberry | Will have a mild hint of raspberries; crystallizes as soon as it leaves the comb so is always sold in cremed form | Light amber |
| Red Gum (Eucalyptus) | Bold taste much like buckwheat | Dark |
| Rewarewa (New Zealand) | Rich, malty | Burnished amber |
| Rhododendron | Medium sweetness, light aroma, and subtle flavors | Light to medium amber |
| Rosemary | Fragrant and herbaceous; great with cheese | Pale amber |
| Safflower | Milky flavor | Amber to dark amber with a slight greenish cast |
| Sage | Herbal notes | Medium amber |
| Sainfoin | Sweet, fragrant, and floral with a spicy, delicate flavor. | Pale yellow |
| Saw Palmetto | Citrusy and herbal with woody overtones | Medium amber |
| Sidr | Applely, rich and buttery. | Very dark amber |
| Silkweed | Strong scent and flavor, spicy condiment honey | Dark amber |
| Snowberry | Butterscotch | N/A |
| Sourwood | Spicy ginger | Medium amber |
| Star Thistle | Wet grassy, musky, spicy, anise and cinnamon aroma | Extra light amber |
| Sunflower | Distinctive floral aroma, heraceous with citrus notes; crystallizes easily | Light to medium amber |
| Tahonal | Deep and tropical | Extra light amber to dark amber |
| Tamarisk (Salt Cedar) | Heavy body, with flavors of molasses and chocolate | Dark amber |
| Tawari | Creamy Butterscotch | Light amber |
| Thyme | Herbal notes | Burnt grass |
| Tulip Poplar | Rich, pleasant, sweet, flowery and smoky. | Dark amber |
| Tupelo | Medium, complex, very sweet; slow to crystallize | Golden amber with a slight greenish cast |
| Ulmo (Chile) | Anise and violet | N/A |
| Viper’s Bugloss (Borage) (New Zealand) | Delicate flavor, floral bouquet | Light amber |
| Wenchi (Ethiopia) | Intense flavor with a floral fragrance with notes of caramel and balsamic | Yellow-amber with a reddish tinge |
| White Sage | Clover-like flavor, elegant floral aftertaste | Translucent yellow |
| Wildflower | Floral overtones | Amber to Dark amber |
| Wilelaiki (Hawaii) | Spicy with floral, smoky, peppery flavors. | Light to medium amber with a greenish tint |
| Yellow box (Eucalyptus) | Fairly sweet, smooth and buttery. | Light Amber |
| Zambezi (Zambia) | Rich, smoky, spicy, and woodsy flavor | Dark amber |