Does it say anything about sulfites or metabisulfite? Both are added as stabilizers but it shouldn't be required for that thick of a syrup. Caramelization has nothing to do with fermentability, to the great benefit of some of the best beers in the world.

 

In other words, it's malt extract with a fancy label. Should work fine. Next time just look for malt extract and avoid paying the premium for "organic" and small bottles. The yeast do not care and you won't be able to tell the difference.

 

Free is good. If a LHBS had sold you that, I was going to ask for their name to get the boycott started.

 

Honey shouldn't take any longer than any other sugar. I've put it in the primary as a yeast-feed and it goes to FG within a few days at most, same as when I've used table sugar or brown sugar or Belgian candi-sugar.

 

Have you made mead before? That took a few months for me.

 

Was that fermenting or conditioning?

 

I personally don't find mead a particularly desirable drink. If God had really intended for us to drink beer made from honey, he'd have made bees the size of pelicans.

...and given the context of honey as an adjunct in beer, I'd wager that most would agree that it will behave much the same as any fermentable sugar.

 

It was some 20 years ago when I made it. If I recall, the airlock was still burping at 8 months.

 

It takes months to condition but no longer than any other sugar to ferment. Airlock burping at 8 months is not a good sign, my friend. Sometimes that happens with wine. If we're lucky it's malolactic fermentation, if not we end up with a carboy full of nail polish remover, which reminds me a lot of some of the meads I've tried!

 

It happened both times I tried to make mead, so I stopped trying. Both batches had the flavor of alcohol burn. It was very dry. If I recall, around 15% ABV. I didn’t like it straight, but it was great mixed with apple or grape juice.