By: Greg Brian
Have you ever done a taste test between wildflower and clover honey? If you haven’t, you’ve perhaps been led to believe for years all honey tastes the same.
Honey coming from different flowers often has various differences in taste, if sometimes ever so slight.
Let’s look at what these differences are. You’ll be amazed to know hundreds of varietals of honey are available throughout America and the world.
What is Clover Honey?
Honey harvested from clover is an interesting story. It all originates with an agreement between farmers and the USDA in many states, namely North Dakota.
To keep some of the drier land from bringing environmental hazards, farmers have agreed to plant clover there to bring in more bees to pollinate. Based on reports, North Dakota has become the central place where the most clover is grown. It’s also planted in many other U.S. states, including here in the Pacific Northwest.
Since bees are attracted to clover, it creates a unique type of honey: Clover honey. It differs slightly in taste based on where the clover honey comes from.
What Does Clover Honey Taste Like?
It’s noted that honey from clover tastes milder than the type you’ve probably consumed from wildflowers. Nevertheless, many still prefer clover honey because it’s light enough to just provide a slight sweet taste to anything.
Placing a dab of clover honey on cooked cereal or in your coffee is enough to not over-sweeten what you’re consuming. Then again, the sweetness you detect might differ, depending on the brand of clover honey you buy.
Many producers of this type of honey have a mix of clover from different states, often making a guessing game on what it’ll taste like.
Some might not be able to detect any differences, but there usually is to discerning taste buds. What’s most eye-opening here is it happens with wildflower honey as well.
What is Wildflower Honey?
This type of honey is also very common, yet isn’t honed to one type of flower. The term “Wildflower” means the honey comes from numerous flower varietals, usually from different states.
When honey is produced from wildflowers, it also becomes a random game in how the taste result turns out. Honey aficionados often enjoy buying different types of wildflower honey just to see how each one tastes.
Consider this a little like wine tasters who always say each wine has its own distinct flavor.
Here at Artie’s Harvest, we focus considerably on wildflower honey made in the Pacific Northwest. Yet, the big question still lingers on what the differences really are between wildflower honey and clover honey.
Color, Taste, and Use Comparisons
All clover honey is generally light brown, no matter the type of clover, or time of the year. In comparison, wildflower honey can sometimes vary in color depending on the region where it comes from, plus the season.
For the most part, both are generally the same color. As for taste, though, we already noted clover honey is milder. Wildflower honey has a stronger sweet taste, one that can linger for a while.
All honey fans find wildflower honey taste appealing. Then again, it all depends on personal preferences. Not everyone wants an overwhelming sweet taste on everything they consume.
Uses of each type of honey typically vary based on these taste differences. Clover honey is generally used to just dab on things that are already sweet, such as cookies. It just adds more of a sweet kick to desserts.
Wildflower honey is used in more elaborate recipes due to the stronger sweetness. Anything that needs a sweeter edge will always be improved using wildflower honey varieties.
References:
https://www.eatlikenoone.com/difference-clover-wildflower-honey.htm
https://beerealhoney.com/clover-vs-wildflower-honey/
https://www.just4foodies.com/knowledge/clover-honey-vs-wildflower-honey/
