# fermenting honey



## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

Depends a bit. If it _just_ started fermenting, you'll probably be just fine. The risk is that as fermentation progresses, the byproducts of the ferment may be producing flavors that, in sufficient strength, may have a detectable flavor. Or not. I'd certainly pasteurize, sulfite or boil the must. It's a minor gamble now, since there's little else you'd use the honey for unless there's a HUGE bakesale on the horizon







. I'd avoid a delicate, traditional mead nonetheless: try instead a spiced metheglin, sack mead, melomel or something similarly assertive.

I've made beers with malt extract (a sugary syrup at about 18% moisture, sound familiar?) that had started to ferment that was just fine. I've also tasted some that you knew right away; kinda sour and funky and not in a good way. I'd say go for it, go big and see what happens!


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## Aspera (Aug 1, 2005)

Technically mead contains ethanol. Most spontaneous fermentations of undiluted honey are done by species of microbes that can survive in water deprived environments. These are called hyperosmotic yeasts, and do not usually produce large amounts of ethanol (they don't need to, the honey supresses the competition on its own).


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## whitebark (Jul 14, 2004)

Thanks,

I have no idea as to how long it was fermenting for. But I did boil the must - only shortly, and I did use sulphite to begin the process. It appears to be responding well to the yeast I added since.


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## whitebark (Jul 14, 2004)

Thanks,

I have no idea as to how long it was fermenting for. But I did boil the must - only shortly, and I did use sulphite to begin the process. It appears to be responding well to the yeast I added since.


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