Light vs. Dark Honey

Have you ever wondered why some honey is light, and some dark?  

As a general rule, Americans tend to prefer light honey as it typically has a lighter, less intense flavor, while Europeans tend to prefer the more intense flavors in dark honey.  I have probably been a typical American in that I have also preferred light honey over the years. However, due to every extraction of honey producing unique & interesting flavors, I have discovered that my preference has been shifting to enjoyment of darker honey.  (Interestingly, this has also coincided with a preference for dark chocolate.)  

I hadn't really given much thought as to why some honey was dark, & some light prior to this year.  I assumed it was mostly controlled by the bloom.  But I received some new insight this year.  Why? Because nearly all of our honey was darker this year than prior years.  The other thing that was different this year was that it was very, very dry.  While Utah is not known for humidity, we had much less humidity than typical.  

I realized that the connection was in the nectar flow of flowers.  Its not hard to imagine that when there is more humidity, the nectar flows much faster. But when it is dry, the slow flow of nectar has a higher percentage of pollen, nutrients & flavor compounds.  Thereby creating a darker, more flavorful honey.

So, while our volume of honey is down this year, the flavor is definitely UP!  Enjoy!!