Question on Goldenrod Honey

bassman1977 · September 27, 2007, 04:20:57 PM

In my area, we have an abundance of goldenrod in the fall. My established hives can easily yield an average of 500 or more pounds of SURPLUS honey. Personally, I can't stand the stuff. It stinks and has too overpowering of a taste for my liking. My wife's grandfather however LOVES IT!

From what I have noticed the more I ask people about it, it seems to be you either love it or hate it. I am curious as to what everyone here thinks.

I allowed multiple votes per user in case anyone wants to ask someone else who has tried goldenrod honey, their opinion.

Thanks.

Scadsobees · September 27, 2007, 05:07:00 PM

I read somewhere that it is the best honey for mead. :-D...(don't ask me where, I don't rememeber)

I like the difference, my wife hates the smell. But I don't get enough so the bees keep it. In small amounts it gives a buttery/butterscotch smell to the rest of the honey.

Rick

bassman1977 · September 27, 2007, 05:12:44 PM

QuoteIn small amounts it gives a buttery/butterscotch smell to the rest of the honey.

I totally agree. In large amounts it makes a vomit smell. MMMMMMM

BeeHopper · September 27, 2007, 05:16:55 PM

I have never tried it, ( I would like to :-D) so I cannot comment. However, I can say that along the PA Turnpike from Philly to Pittsburgh, there are seas of Goldenrod, the bees in PA are lucky :-D

fcderosa · September 27, 2007, 09:09:07 PM

Quote from: Scadsobees on September 27, 2007, 05:07:00 PM
I read somewhere that it is the best honey for mead. :-D...(don't ask me where, I don't rememeber)

I like the difference, my wife hates the smell. But I don't get enough so the bees keep it. In small amounts it gives a buttery/butterscotch smell to the rest of the honey.

Rick

ACTUALLY THE BEST FOR MEAD IS THISTLE HONEY. :-D

Potlicker1 · September 27, 2007, 10:26:50 PM

Fourtunatly for me by the time the goldenrod blooms, Iv'e taken my honey and leave the goldenrod for them. There,s a boat-load of it around here too. Never had to harvest it.

Scadsobees · September 28, 2007, 09:21:16 AM

QuoteI have never tried it, ( I would like to grin) so I cannot comment.

Beehopper...if you have teenage boys, dig into a pile of their socks that have been there for at least 5 days. Sniff deeply, this is the aroma of goldenrod honey. I'd suggest licking the sock to get the flavor but I won't because it is making me gaggy :-X. Just soak the sock in a jar of perfectly good honey and that is basically the same thing. :roll:

Rick :-D

BeeHopper · September 28, 2007, 10:54:01 AM

Quote from: Scadsobees on September 28, 2007, 09:21:16 AM
QuoteI have never tried it, ( I would like to grin) so I cannot comment.

Beehopper...if you have teenage boys, dig into a pile of their socks that have been there for at least 5 days. Sniff deeply, this is the aroma of goldenrod honey. I'd suggest licking the sock to get the flavor but I won't because it is making me gaggy :-X. Just soak the sock in a jar of perfectly good honey and that is basically the same thing. :roll:

Rick :-D

Wow, that bad, huh :shock:

reinbeau · September 28, 2007, 01:44:54 PM

Absolutely not, goldenrod honey doesn't taste like it smells while they're making it. It's fine! As a matter of fact we're eating the goldenrod honey that was made late last year right now - I can't believe anyone thinks it tastes like it smells while they're fanning the nectar.... :?

Scadsobees · September 28, 2007, 02:23:42 PM

Ok, so maybe I'm exaggerating a bit.... :-P
Mine smelled like it did while they were fanning, a sour smell that wasn't exactly honey-like. It did retain some of the sock odor. I felt obligated to explain why it smelled that way when I gave it away. YMMV, I think there is a whole range of flavors that can occur.

It was my first harvest, so made a big impression. I'd probably enjoy it more now, but it still wasn't near so good as my spring or summer honey. I would like to try a batch of mead on it, though.

I don't get much anymore, and leave it for them.

Rick

BMAC · September 28, 2007, 04:25:03 PM

Many of the folks I sell to like Goldenrod honey. I have made several batches of Mead from it too. I dont know if it is the best but the yeast rock out in it and it ferments to 1.000 or less in just a matter of a few days...... Unlike Clover honey I use. Clover needs to be poked and prodded to attenuate down......

Shawn · September 28, 2007, 07:58:51 PM

Great thread. I was thinking about planting the golden rod next year but you guys have changed my mine. Thanks for the warning.

Michael Bush · September 28, 2007, 08:21:04 PM

I love the taste, but the bees usually need it...

TwT · September 28, 2007, 08:22:36 PM

I have tried it and it wasn't to bad, but mostly I leave for the bee's winter stores.

Scadsobees · September 28, 2007, 11:06:05 PM

QuoteGreat thread. I was thinking about planting the golden rod next year but you guys have changed my mine. Thanks for the warning.

Always good to have goldenrod around for fall stores. Unless you have miles of goldenrod and good rains you won't get any surplus.

reinbeau · September 29, 2007, 09:58:43 AM

Quote from: Scadsobees on September 28, 2007, 11:06:05 PM
QuoteGreat thread. I was thinking about planting the golden rod next year but you guys have changed my mine. Thanks for the warning.

Always good to have goldenrod around for fall stores. Unless you have miles of goldenrod and good rains you won't get any surplus.

Nevermind any surplus, you may not have enough honey for the bees over the winter. Around here, with the drought we've had, the goldenrod and asters are probably the only honey they're going to make.

Michael Bush · September 29, 2007, 02:24:28 PM

>Thanks for the warning.

What warning? Goldenrod, no matter what you think of the taste, is great bee food. I happen to think it's great people food as well...

Shawn · September 29, 2007, 07:11:43 PM

Here is SE Colorado there is a surplus of sunflowers that will be blooming from about mid july until the first freeze. Its Sept 29 and there are still hundreds of thousnads of sunflowers a couple blocks away. Granted we are not in a drought, jut came out of one, but there are so many hay fields around not to mention the melon fields if I need to move the hives. I am setting up the yard with respberrry plants, peech, apple, and cheery trees, and lots of different flowers I found at this site, http://www.dianeseeds.com/flowers/beneficial-insects.html. I found other sites that describe good lants. I also will be planting white dutch clover, sweet yellow clover and the red crimson clover. I did see the golden rod is a well liked plant for the bees and maybe some day Ill change my mine if I get to try some of the honey it makes

bassman1977 · September 30, 2007, 01:10:16 PM

Lots of interesting comments and so far, I am surprised at the results of the poll. I polled a lot of others in my family yesterday and they all like it too. Considering the more established hives always have enough of it for winter, then I will just continue harvesting it. What can it hurt if people are going to use it.

Old Timer · September 30, 2007, 06:40:32 PM

Quote from: Michael Bush on September 29, 2007, 02:24:28 PM
>Thanks for the warning.

What warning? Goldenrod, no matter what you think of the taste, is great bee food. I happen to think it's great people food as well...

i like it just as well as any other honey, and i think it's the prettiest color too, i love that golden color it has.