The Worst Honey

[Jeffrey Todd]

For me, it has to be from the infamous Bitterweed.
The other day I was out in the apiary (before opening any hives) and smelled a slightly sourish smell hanging in the air, like fermenting honey or grass. The odor was subtle but pervasive and when I opened up the first hive and saw newly-drawn comb with a dark, sour-smelling nectar, I knew it was my old friend/nemesis Bitterweed.
Bitterweed honey tastes sweet as it first passes the tongue but by the time it is own the way to being swallowed, it has become wholly objectionable and unpalatable, with a kind of musky, body-odor flavor all its own.
However, the bees seem to like it just fine, and they are packing their broodnests with it in preparation for the coming winter. As long as it stays in the broodnest, I welcome it.

[Aisha]

Jeffrey, I have read that bitterweed also turns a cow's milk sour if they eat it.

I've been seeing it up here too but not a lot of it.

[tecumseh]

so you think bitterweed is still coming in at your location jeffrey?

well my vote would go to buckwheat... I find the smell to to totally disgusting.

[Jeffrey Todd]

Fortunately, or perhaps not, there is a large ranch just across the street from me that has many acres of blooming Bitterweed. The bees seem happy and content as they busily pack away this unpleasant sweet.
I, too, have heard about what this weed can do to milk, but since the cows around here aren't of the dairy variety, I suppose the rancher isn't concerned about the taste of the milk.
Tecumseh, it is interesting what you say about buckwheat. The only sample of it that I have tried was very good but who knows where it was from? It was many years ago but has always made me want to try planting buckwheat here. Maybe it is a different variety?

[berkshire bee]

A friend brought back some honey from Italy that was rather dark. I tried it and it was very bitter. In fact it was the only honey I've ever tried that truly tasted awful. I've had buckwheat honey and really liked it. It had a molasses like flavor that was very good. I bought a little buckwheat seed and planted about a six by ten ft patch. The bees really liked it. I'll be extracting the supers I pulled from those hives in the next day or two. I don't know if that small amount will have any affect on the flavor.

[riverrat]

the worst honey you can possible get comes out of eastborough kansas from wild hives not sure what they forage on in this wealthy little hamlet surrounded by wichita. but I can attest it is the worst honey imaginable. had 3 gallons in the house from a cutout the wife about threw me and the honey out of the house the next day after I brought it home and it stunk up the house. Bullseye Bill can vouch for this right Bill:D

[TwT]

i have never had a smell or bad taste while my hives work buckwheat, only plant i know with smell and strong taste is goldenrod, most dont like it but its not that bad, but when they curing it, stay up wind ;) but yaw know this....

[Jeffzhear]

i have never had a smell or bad taste while my hives work buckwheat, only plant i know with smell and strong taste is goldenrod, most dont like it but its not that bad, but when they curing it, stay up wind ;) but yaw know this....

I have to say that I like the smell of goldenrod in the beeyard...:D Reminds me of the 30 pairs of dirty socks i pick up in my three sons bedrooms when they are home! <per week> haha

In all reality, I like the smell...cause I know those little honies are bringing in stores they'll use over the winter...and that's a wonderful thing...:)

[kc in wv]

Is it possible for honey to taste worst that what I took off Friday.
I had 4 frames as black as tar, tasted like bad molasses and had a bitter aftertaste that is medicine like. I still have the taste in my mouth. The bee's are getting it back.

I guess every area has a bad tasting honey.