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Honeysuckles.

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DemonDrink

DemonDrink

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 18, 2011
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Augusta, GA
As a precursor, this will be my first time making mead. I got into it because an army buddy of mine has been wildly successful at making lemon wine, so I've been siphoning off some of his knowledge in order to make some good mead...

Being from north-east Tennessee I'm obviously biased in saying this, but I've never had any honey better than what my great-grandpaw's bees used to produce, and I'm fairly certain it's from all the honeysuckle bushes that grow around locally.

My first question is, has anyone ever had experience in making honeysuckle mead, either by using the honey produced from it, or by flavoring with the flowers themselves? Ultimately I'm looking to use a mixture of the Honeysuckles and wild blackberries, as soon as I can get back home to pick some.

My second is, because Air Force has me in Georgia right now, and I can't stand all the peach flavors here it's about a 6 hour drive back home. Has anyone ever had any problems transporting non-refrigerated goods to be used in mead, because I'm not wanting to compromise any of the flavor.

Also, sorry if this message is at all other than understandable. I'm currently waiting in line at a jiffy lube.

Thank you for your time.
 
Chevette Girl

Chevette Girl

All around BAD EXAMPLE
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Apr 27, 2010
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If you're heading home at some point to collect blackberries and honeysuckle flowers, I'd suggest picking the berries a day before you leave so you can freeze them and use them in a cooler or at least an insulated bag to keep the freshly picked blossoms cool on the 6 hours back to the base if that's where you're making your mead. You can freeze blossoms too but they'd better not thaw out until you use them, they'll spoil pretty quickly. I've used frozen violets and apple blossoms and the apple blossoms worked out really well. The violets have some weird flavour that's slowly aging out but that might have happened if I'd used fresh ones too. While you're at home, you should see if you can get some local honey, it might be similar to your great-grandpaw's. I can totally understand an attraction to it, I just swoon for this aster and goldenrod honey I can get around here because it reminds me so strongly of autumn smells :)

Welcome to the forum, and the addiction that is meadmaking! ;D
 
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