Hawaiian Christmas berry, Guava, Lehua honey?

[shanes66charger]

Hey guys, I was in hawaii a couple weeks ago and brought back a few lbs of pure raw hawaiin honey. Hawaiian christmas berry and Guava along with other native hawaiian wild flowers.

Both honeys tasted awesome, very strong and sweet. But not like any honey I have tasted before.

I made a one gallon batch, ending up at about 1.o76 O.G.

really looking forward to this one.

I also got 4 lbs of another kind. Mainly from Lehua according to the label. It is very light colored but very strong. It has a very floral aroma and the flavor is completely unique.

Anyone ever used any hawaiian honey for mead?

 

[machinelf]

I'm new to mead, but I have to say that those sound incredible. Our next mead is going to be a light one racked onto pawpaw fruit, which has a tropical flavor to it. We're researching some honey types that might fit well with it.

Let us know how these progress!

 

[shanes66charger]

will do! I just realized I pitched the WHOLE packet of lalvin EC1118 into only a gallon or 1.o76 mead...........Hopefully this won't be a problem??

 

[wayneb]

Relax, that won't be a problem! The yeast will simply divide through fewer generations in order to reach a stable colony size. It is possible to pitch too much yeast, in which case lots of the cells actually die off early (suffering from a kind of early nutrient starvation) and then can autolyse in your must, contributing some yeasty off flavors. But that takes pitching a LOT of extra yeast, as in 20 to 25 times the usual recommended amount. You were over-generous, but not that bad!

 

[StephenGober]

I just pitched yeast today in a mead which I am calling Lehua's Tears.
OG: 1.090
It's a mead made with hibiscus, rosehips and cardamom. As well as Lehua honey. 15 pounds of it to be exact. I used purified rain water for it as well. You'll understand why after reading the legend of Lehua so I included it below. I also found a painting from a Hawaiian artist of Pele that she is allowing me to use on the label.

There is a beautiful legend about how the lehua flower came to grow on the ‘ohi'a tree: According to Hawaiian mythology, Pele, Goddess of the volcanoes, fell in love with a mortal, a man named ‘Ohi'a. ‘Ohi'a, however, was already deeply in love with a beautiful woman named Lehua, and was not swayed by Pele's charms. It seemed nothing could separate such a strong bond. When Pele realized how much ‘Ohi'a cared for Lehua, she fell into a rage of jealously for she knew she would never win the heart of the faithful ‘Ohi'a. In her wrath, Pele transformed ‘Ohi'a into an ugly, twisted tree and left Lehua terrified and weeping beside her lover. Lehua could not bear to be separated from him and begged Pele to return ‘Ohi'a to a man or else turn her into a tree, as well.

The other Gods saw what Pele had done and took pity on Lehua. They couldn't undo Pele's magic so they transformed her into a beautiful red flower and placed her on the ‘Ohi'a tree. From then on, the Lehua flower always blooms on the ‘Ohi'a tree. It is said that if a lehua flower is plucked from the tree it grows on, rain falls. The rain is the tears Lehua cries, as she cannot bear to be separated from her true love.

 

[scarekrow]

I know you can't take fruits, vegetables or plants on the plane back from Hawaii, but are you allowed to take honey? I'm asking because I'm going to Oahu in September and would love to bring some back with me.

 

[AkTom]

You can bring plants and seeds back. They are supposed to have an Ag. Stamp on them. In March I brought back 5 orchids, 2 plumeria starts and some seeds. They even sell some of them right in the Kona airport. Honey should be even less of a deal to bring stateside.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

If I recall, bringing plants/seeds into HI is an issue with several invasive species prohibited.

 

[AkTom]

If I recall, bringing plants/seeds into HI is an issue with several invasive species prohibited.

Scarekrow was talking about taking things out of Hawaii. Which is what I did. You are right. Importing is a totally different thing.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Scarekrow was talking about taking things out of Hawaii. Which is what I did. You are right. Importing is a totally different thing.

Your I've in paradise, of course you know, I was just trying to draw a distinction.