Sherri's Helpful Hints

Honey Flavors and Characteristics

Acacia - Pale yellow with a delicate taste from China and California.

Alfalfa - Popular in Utah, Nevada and other Rocky Mountain states; mild, near-white, good body, good for table honey, often diluted with other honeys.

Alsike Clover - Often used for surplus honey in northern states; mild, light-colored, often mixed with honey from white clover.

Basswood or Linden - Extra-white, with a slight bite when pure, often mixed with clover honey.

Black Locust - Extra-white, high quality honey.

Black Mangrove - A Florida favorite, light with a thin body, slightly brackish taste.

Black Sage or Ball Sage - Best honey plant in California; distinctive flavor.

Blackberry - Reddish-brown or near-white in color; a bit more flavorful than clover honey.

Buckbush - Called Coralberry in the eastern U.S.; light-amber color with good flavor.

Buckwheat - Purple to black in color; pronounced flavor; prized by food manufacturers.

Catsclaw - Popular in the southwest U.S.; white in color.

Clover, Sweet Clover - yields massive amounts of nectar popular with beekeepers as a source; white in color and mild in flavor.

Clover, White - Most-used east of the Mississippi; color is white to extra-light amber with a mild, delicious flavor.

Cotton - Used mostly in Texas now; light in color with a mild flavor

Dandelion Honey - yellow with a strong flavor.

Eucalyptus - Varies in color and flavor but is overall bold with a slightly medicinal aftertaste.

Fireweed - Light in color and mild in flavor.

Gallberry - A Southern U.S. favorite; light amber with a pleasant aromatic flavor; does not crystallize making it a good candidate for chunk honey.

Goldenrod - Popular in Northern U.S. and Eastern Canada; yellow with a rich flavor.

Horsemint - White to light-amber with a minty flavor; may have a strong odor

Maple - Light amber to slightly darker; good flavor.

Mesquite - Light amber to white; usually mixed with others.

Orange and Citrus - A major source; white in color, mild flavor with delicate citrus blossom aroma.

Raspberry - White with a delicious flavor.

Saw Palmetto - Often considered the best in Florida; rich yellow in color.

Sourwood - Considered the most delicious in the eastern states; water-white with a mild, delicious flavor; sold mostly as comb honey or chunk comb honey.

Spanish Needles - Golden yellow with a pronounced flavor; can be mixed with white clover honey to obtain a mild, golden-tinted honey.

Sumac - Light amber with an excellent flavor.

Sweet Pepper Bush - Light yellow with a mild flavor and aroma of the bloom; marketed under the scientific name of Clethra.

Tulip Poplar - Red-amber with good flavor.

Tupelo - Popular in Georgia and Florida; light amber with a mild flavor and heavy body, does not granulate.

Vetch - Water-white, mild; wide selection of flavors, colors, and textures.