> >>>>> What is the shelf life of honey?>>>>>
>
> Honey with a low water content (17% or less)  properly sealed against the
> ingress of moisture, will keep more or less for ever.
 
While this is true, essential characteristics such as colour and taste may
change drastically in some varieties.  Some time back, we had some *water
white*  (~5 mm) comb honey packaged up and sealed and ready to sell.
Somehow one case got set aside and lost form a few years at room temp.
When we found it again the honey was about 100 mm in colour (black).
Moreover some very nice honey gets a pretty nasty taste over time without
fermenting.
 
>   Mead also has a long shelf life, providing the alcohol level is high.
 
Usually this is the case; however if the mead is made without
pasteurization and/or is not stabilized (stopped chemically), even 15%
mead may go through some fairly unattractive stages as secondary
fermentations take place.  Ulimately it may be very nice, but one might be
tempted to throw it out before it gets there.
 
Mead recipes are in the logs for those interested.  Search using 'mead'.
 
Allen
 
Allen
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