Advice needed - I harvested my first @ 2 gallons of honey today

[rlmblm21]

This is my 2nd year at beekeeping, and I had my first full honey super today. We robbed the bees, took the frames inside (kitchen), uncapped, and spun the honey. We only had 9 frames (10th not capped), and I think we got over 2 gallons of honey.

Here's the strange thing. My honey is very dark (darker than anything I've seen for honey). It also has a strange taste. It does not have the typical flower taste; but rather, has a deeper, almost molasses like taste. My brother said it tastes like wood.

Anybody with beekeeping experience want to chime in on what might be going on? I am in a very wooded area, near the lake, and there are no new developments going in anywhere around me.

 

[medium187mph]

lftd&pwrstrok'n I'm sure can help a little

 

[lftd&pwrstrok'n]

So far, everyone's honey has been darker than normal. One of our master beekeepers thinks it was because of the tulip poplars this year. Our's was very dark this time. Didn't notice a woodsy flavor, but I am a tobacco user and don't have that keen of taste buds anyway.

 

[lftd&pwrstrok'n]

rlmblm21

The bottle on the left is this years, the one on the right is last years. See the difference in color. Same hive, just different harvesting:

 

[Lionheart]

Looks like some good whiskey mixed in.

 

[rlmblm21]

lftd&pwrstrok'n , I wish you were closer. I could use a fellow beekeeper's eye here!

 

[lftd&pwrstrok'n]

lftd&pwrstrok'n , I wish you were closer. I could use a fellow beekeeper's eye here!

Do you have a local beekeepers association? I have found that to be the biggest source of information and help so far. I know it is a bit of a drive, but Coweta Beekeeper's meets every 2nd Monday at 6:30. We have people from as far away as the Rome area that drive down. We are a sustainable beekeepers club.

 

[rlmblm21]

I do have a local club. The Cherokee Beekeepers. And I am a member. I also have a few friends in that club, but they are quite busy, so not sure when I'll see them. I am going to try to take my honey over to them and have them give me some opinion.

I did post on the Cherokee Beekeepers Facebook, and already got one response. She told me that dark honey was actually better, and that, living by the lake, I probably had Poplar, Holly and Maple honey. That might explain why my brother said it tastes like wood. She told me that my honey was quite desirable. I just have a hard time believing that, since it doesn't taste like any honey I've ever had before. To each his own, I guess.

 

[lftd&pwrstrok'n]

I do have a local club. The Cherokee Beekeepers. And I am a member. I also have a few friends in that club, but they are quite busy, so not sure when I'll see them. I am going to try to take my honey over to them and have them give me some opinion.

I did post on the Cherokee Beekeepers Facebook, and already got one response. She told me that dark honey was actually better, and that, living by the lake, I probably had Poplar, Holly and Maple honey. That might explain why my brother said it tastes like wood. She told me that my honey was quite desirable. I just have a hard time believing that, since it doesn't taste like any honey I've ever had before. To each his own, I guess.

I have seen that everyone, is saying that their honey is dark. A friend of mine commented about how dark his was this year and the past president of our association/master beekeeper said it was the tulip poplar. I guess we will find out more information at the next meeting since no one had started harvesting at the last meeting yet (or at least I did not hear anyone talking about it). We have changed nothing since last year's harvest, so unless someone in the general 2 mile radius around our hives planted tulip poplars (and a lot of them); I have no definitive answer as to the why. If dark honey is more desirable, perhaps I should raise my prices?

 

[MRM]

I buy from a local guy.
The sourwood is in the fall. (Sweet/ etc)
The spring batch is more "medicinal"
Save some for next allergy season.
I happen to like the taste.
It really depends on what is around for the bees.
I will ask him today if I see him.