[bigchicken]

In November, I went to a local craft show to find some locally harvested honey. I found an unusual honey that had a great taste; pumpkin blossom honey. The farmer moved the bees next to a local pumpkin patch. The result was a pinkish colored ultra potent flavored honey. It was super expensive. I paid $5 for a tiny jar that's maybe 4 ounces. Has anyone ever found this honey before and was it a reasonable price? Can you find it affordable online anywhere?  I'd love to get enough of this to brew with if I get the chance, but not at the prices I've seen.

[thcipriani]

I think expensive is the name of the game with pumpkin blossom honey. In fact, I clicked on this post hoping to justify purchasing pumpkin blossom vis-à-vis a glowing review of the mead it produces. Please let me know if you make mead with this honey! My advice? If you don't have access to (or haven't had the horrifying experience of making) 2M KOH refrain from making mead with super expensive honey -- cut your teeth on inexpensive orange blossom.

[punatic]

I have never heard of pumpkin blossom honey, but I'm sure I've never heard of many things.  it's not uncommon for honey packaged in small containers to be priced high.  Talk to the seller of the honey about buying a gallon.  You may be able to get a substantial price break if you buy larger volumes.  Find out if the seller would be interested in going 50/50 on a batch of mead.  He gives you the honey and in return you give him half of the finished mead.  If the seller is not the beekeeper see if you can talk to the beekeeper directly for buying larger volumes or doing a 50/50 partnership on a batch of mead.

Concerning  potassium hydroxide, it is nothing to be afraid of. Careful with yes, afraid of, no. It is used in small quantities to control pH in fermenting mead.  When making up a KOH solution it is an exothermic reaction when adding the KOH flakes to the water.  No big deal if you are careful, go slow, and wear PPE.  Exactly the same as making soap. It's easier, but a bit more expensive, to buy premixed KOH solutions.  They are sold for doing calcium hardness titrations and soapmaking.

[snowtiger87]

Check out http://www.flyingbeeranch.net

They have pumpkin blossom honey and several other unique ones.

[tom]

Nice!
Have you used the pumpkin honey or the meadowfoam?

[bigchicken]

Check out http://www.flyingbeeranch.net

They have pumpkin blossom honey and several other unique ones.

   That is a great honey website! They have a ton of choices and their prices are really good. Most of their prices are way lower than what I can get locally. Thanks for posting the link!

I have never made mead before, but have been planning on giving it a try. I mainly like to use a pound here and there for wheat beers. I've had good luck with buckwheat honey in the past an am always wanting to substitute honey types to see the differences it makes in the beer.

[snowtiger87]

I have not. I have a friend who turned me on the website and she has made a meadowfoam and a baby's breath mead. They are both pretty young right now. When I get back I plan to order some pumpkin blossom honey.