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1 18 / the tasting panel / november 2014 As attendees began to immediately mull over the pos- sibilities of honey, Casey explained other ways honey is an on-trend ingredient in beverages, from its use as an all-natural sweetener and simple syrup alternative, to its place in kitchen-to-bar crossover, to its role in a range of garnishes. With seemingly endless possibilities ahead of us, Liquid Architecture's Kim Haasarud took the floor to give a demonstration that really blew us away. Using the five honey varietals we'd already tasted, Haasarud rolled out 21 different spirits for a honey and spirit pairing seminar that proved the power and potential of honey. Use the chart on the opposite page to find recommended pairings for honey varietals and different styles of spirits, along with notes from the experts. Having tasted through these spirit combinations, the Summit attendees were inspired, hopping behind the stick at the Liquid Kitchen bar to immediately begin playing with spirits and varietals themselves. "Given the infinite variety of spirits, I think the exercise we did today, and the combina- tions that result if you do the math is incredible," said Voisey. "I've worked with spirits forever—gin I know particularly well—but seeing gin through the lenses of different honey varietals was amazing." Jason Asher, Director of Beverage Program Development for Young's Market Company of AZ, agreed, saying, "Some honeys bring that acidic brightness, and some work really great with gin, and some work really well with potato vodkas. It's actually one of the most versatile ingredients that I've ever seen, and I really had no idea it was like that." As she tasted and tested ways to make Buckwheat honey shine, Caterina Miltenberger, Corporate Mixologist, Glazer's Wholesale Distributors, TX, noted, "The honeys we paired with today actually enhanced the spirits. Who would've thought that you could make an incred- ible Manhattan with Buckwheat honey?" With a vastly expanded appreciation for honey and its flavor potential, these industry leaders are also ready to spread the honey love on their menus, with their customers and to their bartenders. "At True Food Kitchen, we already use a lot of honey as a backbone for most of our natural refreshments," said Snapp. "But I would be lying if I said I didn't have notes upon notes from today for future bever- age development that involves honey—and I am so excited about it." Already, on the heels of the Honey Beverage Summit, Snapp has replaced agave nectar with honey at North, one of his restaurant group's growing concepts. THE TASTING PANEL and the National Honey Board encourage you to find out what the buzz is all about—get out there and give honey a shot yourself! Look for more Honey Beverage Summit Coverage, including mead and apiary information in the December issue of our sister publication, the SOMM Journal. For more information on honey and resources to find specific honey varietals near you, visit www.honey.com and www.honeylocator.com • Charlotte Voisey called Alfalfa Honey "lemon candy," while Kathy Casey said it was "a little vegetal." • Voisey said that Orange Blossom Honey was "richer and fuller, with more body," while Casey mentioned an "umami, soy sauce note." • Clover Honey was deemed "classic honey" by Andrew Pollard, and "sweeter and heavier" by Layla Lynn; Michael Bombard described it as "Alfalfa [honey] on steroids." • Caterina Miltenberger noted Wildflower Honey, which refers to honey collected from various regional flowers, as "a little dry, with a bitter candy feel and clean finish." • Attendees were particularly intrigued by Buckwheat Honey, a dark and dense honey that Casey called "black strong molasses," while Voisey picked up on "almost a Marmite finish." Honey Varietal Tasting Notes Honey syrups in action at the Honey Beverage Summit. Honey syrups are a fantastic alternative to traditional simple syrups, achieving more sweetness per volume compared to sugar-made syrups. Standard honey simple syrups can be made by heating one to two parts honey and one part water over low heat. Honey is a versatile tool for many beautiful garnishes.