# Fermented Galic Honey



## Cajun Smokes (Jan 2, 2022)

Recently I found myself getting into fermentation of meat and vegetables. Fermented garlic in honey just didn't make sense to me, seemed like a flavor confusion lol. After researching this, discovering health benefits and so many people saying the flavor is terrific after the fermentation has taken place, I decided to give it a try. So today I emptied a bag of pre peeled garlic I picked up at Sam's, dumped them into a sterilized 1/2 gallon jar and filled with raw unfiltered honey, thats it, its that simple.Never had this but really looking forward to it now. Hope everyone has a great new year!


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## one eyed jack (Jan 2, 2022)

I'd never heard of that one.  Sounds interesting.

Let us know what you think of it.  How long does it sit before you try it?


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## justplainbob (Jan 2, 2022)

make sure you burp the jar every day or so


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## bauchjw (Jan 2, 2022)

Wow, that’s incredibly creative. Can’t wait to see how it goes!


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## Cajun Smokes (Jan 2, 2022)

one eyed jack said:


> I'd never heard of that one.  Sounds interesting.
> 
> Let us know what you think of it.  How long does it sit before you try it?


Recommendations on the internet are all over the place of course, from 1-4 weeks. I will try at 2 weeks and go from there.


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## Cajun Smokes (Jan 2, 2022)

justplainbob said:


> make sure you burp the jar every day or so


Sorry, picture did not show, I use the fermenting air locks (vents) as seen in this pic here.


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## justplainbob (Jan 2, 2022)

good idea with those jars 
usually takes a month for me 
the garlic will be candied and could make your dentist a fortune
the honey gets watery


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## Cajun Smokes (Jan 2, 2022)

justplainbob said:


> good idea with those jars
> usually takes a month for me
> the garlic will be candied and could make your dentist a fortune
> the honey gets watery


Hahaha hopefully the dentist will not be needed.


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## Fueling Around (Jan 2, 2022)

I've never had sugar cured garlic.
Not sure why it is called "fermented"

The phrase "raw unfiltered honey" is misleading unless one knows the source.
All true domestic USA or Canadian honey is "raw" and "filtered" only to remove bee body parts.

Honey from "other" sources is pasteurized (not raw) and microfiltered to remove pollens that reveal the true source (usually South American). It is usually sold as your generic honey.


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## Cajun Smokes (Jan 2, 2022)

Fueling Around said:


> I've never had sugar cured garlic.
> Not sure why it is called "fermented"
> 
> The phrase "raw unfiltered honey" is misleading unless one knows the source.
> ...


So what should I call this honey to be correct? I hate to give misleading information to others. Honey comes from a family farm. It is collected by a professional that leaves some of the honey at the farm before taking the rest for whatever process is done. What should this type of honey be called?


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## jcam222 (Jan 2, 2022)

I’ve became quite the fermenting junkie this year as well. This is cool and I look forward to following for your results.


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## Cajun Smokes (Jan 2, 2022)

jcam222 said:


> I’ve became quite the fermenting junkie this year as well. This is cool and I look forward to following for your results.


Looking forward to this one myself as well. I love doing things that aren't exactly normal in everyone's world lol.


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## Fueling Around (Jan 2, 2022)

You are fortunate to have the best quality honey.
Sorry to alarm you. My post was meant as a caution for others.  I don't think pasteurized honey will give the same results  


Cajun Smokes said:


> So what should I call this honey to be correct? I hate to give misleading information to others. Honey comes from a family farm. It is collected by a professional that leaves some of the honey at the farm before taking the rest for whatever process is done. What should this type of honey be called?


Your honey source is true raw and unfiltered.  It is also local honey meaning the bees collect nectar from area blossoms.  Perfect source for using in home recipes.

I worked in the honey business many years ago.  We gave honey back to the landowners as payment in kind.


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## Cajun Smokes (Jan 2, 2022)

Thank you for the information. I love meeting all the people on this site. Such a wealth of knowledge is shared here.


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## one eyed jack (Jan 2, 2022)

Cajun Smokes said:


> Recommendations on the internet are all over the place of course, from 1-4 weeks. I will try at 2 weeks and go from there.



Thanks CS.


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## pineywoods (Jan 2, 2022)

Fueling Around said:


> The phrase "raw unfiltered honey" is misleading unless one knows the source.
> All true domestic USA or Canadian honey is "raw" and "filtered" only to remove bee body parts.
> 
> Honey from "other" sources is pasteurized (not raw) and microfiltered to remove pollens that reveal the true source (usually South American). It is usually sold as your generic honey.



I wish that this was true but being a long time beekeeper I can tell you some people and companies aren't honest and aren't selling what they claim they are.


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## Cajun Smokes (Jan 4, 2022)

Quick update. Had a look at this on the way out for work this morning.  Surprisingly, less then 48hrs it's already bubbling and honey is noticeably thinner. I knew this was part of the process just didn't think it would happen so soon.


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## one eyed jack (Jan 4, 2022)

Progress.


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## BurntWeenie (Jan 4, 2022)

And now you have Mead


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## Cajun Smokes (Jan 4, 2022)

So what do you do with Mead?


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## BurntWeenie (Jan 4, 2022)

Cajun Smokes said:


> So what do you do with Mead?


Drink it. It is honey wine.


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## Cajun Smokes (Jan 4, 2022)

jliddil said:


> Drink it. It is honey wine.


Hangover coming soon lol. Good to know. Thanks


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## BurntWeenie (Jan 4, 2022)

Of course what "fermented" the garlic/honey is unknown. Generally fermentation lowers pH and increases alcohol enough that pathogens can't grow. It maybe due to the yeast on the garlic as well as acetic acid bacteria. Honey has a very high osmotic pressure so this also kills many pathogens and unwanted bacteria. Of course if the garlic had pathogens you would get sick potentially. I can't vouch for how the mead might taste. Mead is best when it is aged due the various fermentation by products being a bit "hot".


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## Cajun Smokes (Jan 4, 2022)

jliddil said:


> Of course what "fermented" the garlic/honey is unknown. Generally fermentation lowers pH and increases alcohol enough that pathogens can't grow. It maybe due to the yeast on the garlic as well as acetic acid bacteria. Honey has a very high osmotic pressure so this also kills many pathogens and unwanted bacteria. Of course if the garlic had pathogens you would get sick potentially. I can't vouch for how the mead might taste. Mead is best when it is aged due the various fermentation by products being a bit "hot".


Great information. Thank you very much for that


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## BurntWeenie (Jan 4, 2022)

I'm a research scientist and homebrewed for years. I'm a geek


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## Cajun Smokes (Jan 4, 2022)

jliddil said:


> I'm a research scientist and homebrewed for years. I'm a geek


Very interesting! I think it's great to meet such a wide range of people with different backgrounds in what they do for a living. I almost got into making wine but decided not to do it since I can't drink it any longer. I wanted to have some homemade strawberry wine so bad lol


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## BurntWeenie (Jan 4, 2022)

Honey-Fermented Garlic Mead - Brewing Mischief
					

How to turn the popular recipe of Honey-Fermented Garlic into a rich and savory mead for cooking and drinking.




					brewingmischief.com


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## Cajun Smokes (Jan 4, 2022)

jliddil said:


> Honey-Fermented Garlic Mead - Brewing Mischief
> 
> 
> How to turn the popular recipe of Honey-Fermented Garlic into a rich and savory mead for cooking and drinking.
> ...


Very interesting.  Will look into this when I try another batch


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## Cajun Smokes (Jan 15, 2022)

So curiosity got the best of me and had to try a piece of garlic before the 2 week mark. Fermentation is clearly still going on, constant bubbles coming to the top and honey has consistency of water. Few garlic are turning a darker color but most still have a white appearance. Tasted a clove, the strong garlic taste has subsided  quite a bit but its definitely still present. Honey has a slight garlic flavor to it at the moment. Keep you posted as I notice changes.


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## one eyed jack (Jan 15, 2022)

Thanks for the update CS.


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## one eyed jack (Feb 9, 2022)

Final notes?


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## Cajun Smokes (Feb 10, 2022)

Sorry One Eyed, i did glance at it Saturday and noticed signs of fermentation still taking place but that's as far as I got. Been curled up on the couch until today with one of our new world viruses lol. This weekend, I will pop the lid and find out what we have.


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## one eyed jack (Feb 10, 2022)

Sorry to hear about your illness.  I guess it's the price we pay for a global community.

Hope you rebound quickly.


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## BurntWeenie (Feb 10, 2022)

one eyed jack said:


> Sorry to hear about your illness.  I guess it's the price we pay for a global community.
> 
> Hope you rebound quickly.


that is why it is important for the WHOLE world to get vaccinated


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## mr_whipple (Feb 10, 2022)

I've been kicking the fermenting idea around. Any particular brand of airlock for the jars 

 Cajun Smokes
 ?


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## ravenclan (Feb 10, 2022)

Interesting. I wanted to do garlic olive oil, but was told not a very good idea.


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## Cajun Smokes (Feb 10, 2022)

mr_whipple said:


> I've been kicking the fermenting idea around. Any particular brand of airlock for the jars
> 
> Cajun Smokes
> ?


These are the ones I purchased on Amazon.


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## Cajun Smokes (Feb 10, 2022)

one eyed jack said:


> Sorry to hear about your illness.  I guess it's the price we pay for a global community.
> 
> Hope you rebound quickly.


I'm back to work today, feeling much better. Thank you


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## Cajun Smokes (Feb 10, 2022)

ravenclan said:


> Interesting. I wanted to do garlic olive oil, but was told not a very good idea.


I have seen garlic and olive oil done but it was more of a cooked process to infuse the oil with garlic. Never heard of fermenting with oil, but I'm still new to fermenting.


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## nicefly (Feb 10, 2022)

You drink mead and catch a buzz.

The homebrewer in me would think adding a mead yeast or champagne yeast would give you a cleaner product than whatever wild yeast are in there.

Sure if you dont pasturize the honey the wild yeast will still be there but their flavor contribution would be muted.  I have brewed beers where the beer yeast did not take off and whatever wild fell in there fermented the beer.  Disgusting band-aid and other assorted nasty flavors.


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## mr_whipple (Feb 10, 2022)

Cajun Smokes said:


> These are the ones I purchased on Amazon.


Thanks!


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## BurntWeenie (Feb 10, 2022)

nicefly said:


> You drink mead and catch a buzz.
> 
> The homebrewer in me would think adding a mead yeast or champagne yeast would give you a cleaner product than whatever wild yeast are in there.
> 
> Sure if you dont pasturize the honey the wild yeast will still be there but their flavor contribution would be muted.  I have brewed beers where the beer yeast did not take off and whatever wild fell in there fermented the beer.  Disgusting band-aid and other assorted nasty flavors.


Lambic Mead


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## noboundaries (Feb 10, 2022)

Cajun Smokes said:


> So what should I call this honey to be correct?



Sicilian Preserves.
Italian Jam
Calabria Candy


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## Sven Svensson (Feb 10, 2022)

I learned last week what an ABT was and now fermented garlic honey. There’s too many things on my list of things to try.


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## one eyed jack (Feb 10, 2022)

jliddil said:


> that is why it is important for the WHOLE world to get vaccinated



Amen amigo.  Your preaching to the choir, there.


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## Cajun Smokes (Feb 11, 2022)

Sven Svensson said:


> I learned last week what an ABT was and now fermented garlic honey. There’s too many things on my list of things to try.


That's what I love about this forum


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## Cajun Smokes (Feb 20, 2022)

Wasn't able to taste the garlic last week, smell and taste were still hindered. Now I'm back to normal and had to dig in. As you can see, the garlic is sinking now. Smell when I open the lid is a slight honey and garlic smell, neither is over powering over the other. Garlic has taken on a darker color but is still very crisp. Taste is definitely unique to me. There is a slight garlic flavor but has sort of a fruit taste. Not really a flavor I can describe but I really like it. Also seems fermentation has slowed down enough to not notice bubbles anymore. Now I'm going to try the same with hot peppers, make a spicy honey.


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## one eyed jack (Feb 20, 2022)

Thanks for the update CS.  It looks good to me.

If you get a chance;  will you take a picture of a cut open clove?  Just curious about what the inside looks like.


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## Cajun Smokes (Feb 20, 2022)

one eyed jack said:


> Thanks for the update CS.  It looks good to me.
> 
> If you get a chance;  will you take a picture of a cut open clove?  Just curious about what the inside looks like.


 Didn't think to do that earlier. Here ya go


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## one eyed jack (Feb 20, 2022)

Cajun Smokes said:


> Didn't think to do that earlier. Here ya go


Thank you sir.

It looks really good.


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## rob g (Feb 27, 2022)

Never seen this before. What is the point of this? Are you flavoring the honey, the garlic or both? Is the garlic meant to be eaten by itself or cooked into something. I could see using the garlic honey as a sweetener when cooking or when baking my bread. How much sugar is left in the honey by the end of the fermentation? The neighbors on the farm behind me keep about 20-30 hives


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