Comments on: The Key Relevance Factors for Grading Honey

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:50:17 +0000

I have the first bottle of honey I ever bottled, way back in 1997 or thereabouts. It is still liquid 14 years later. It is “wildflower” honey (meaning it came from an unknown floral source mixture), very dark, and with a slight licorice flavor. Like many beekeepers, I prefer the darker honeys since they often have a more interesting flavor.

The ironic thing about honey is that many consider it a sugar substitute and want water white honey (which is often lacking in flavor). Many commercial honeys are heavily filtered to remove sugar seed crystals that cause the honey to crystallize more quickly. This filtration requires heating the honey, which boils off some of the volatile flavorings, making the honey blander. This is another reason why I prefer either my own honey (strained, but not filtered under pressure/heat) or honey from a small local beekeeper. If it is a dark wildflower honey, so much the better.

By: Lydia

Lydia — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 20:06:28 +0000

I grew up with bees. My family produced large quantities of honey each year. We stored all the jars in a dark cool basement. Honey will crystalize over time or form single visible crystals. If no crystals are formed then maybe other ingriedients have been added to prevent crystalization. Honey can be stored for many years, in dark and cool places. I prever honey when it is older then it taste better in my opinion. I do not follow grading standards, this is only another way to increase the prize of honey. Any ill person should consume honey, it has healing properties. I ate large quantities as child, and it definately showed up in my physical developement in a positive way. I still eat everyday one large tablespoon of honey.

By: Barb G.

Barb G. — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 01:56:27 +0000

I love honey in tea in the morning. I’ve gotten so sugar just doesn’t taste right. Its got to be honey.

Barb

By: Wm Lawson

Wm Lawson — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:55:51 +0000

I just saw an article about different key relevance grades and unique flavors of honey in Hawaii. It was in an Island Travel mag. Apparently, since there are just a few families of bees in Hawaii, one key to their relevance in flavor is the distinct pollens they get from the various tropical flowers there.

By: cindy

cindy — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:30:33 +0000

Do you have any recipes using honey? I’m trying to eat more healthy and am looking for honey recipes.

Thanks

By: Jennifer Thompson

Jennifer Thompson — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 03:17:20 +0000

Excellent article. Thanks for explaining the ins and outs of honey.

By: Jim G

Jim G — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:19:31 +0000

I want to know if there is any research into the actual biological components of honey. Is honey a legitimate “complex carbohydrate” or just “sugar”? What about enzymes, and antibiotics or whatever other nutritional factors. Is there any protein? If bees live on it, shouldn’t there be protein?
Some honey doesen’t crystalize easily, some does. Some is heavier, more viscous and doesn’t crystalize. Can bees eat crystalized honey? In cold climates is there some kind of antifreeze component in it? What are the nutritional differences between honeys and how much do they vary? Why is honey a good food (or is it?) and not just “sugar”? Where does one go to find out things like this?

By: hari

hari — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 07:53:03 +0000

Hey…. I ned sm information ab grading by pollen count….

By: Clyde Hylton

Clyde Hylton — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:36:27 +0000

Could anyone give the shelf life of honey? I just came across a jar from 10-2006, would it be safe for consumption? Thanks,

By: Jorge

Jorge — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:53:39 +0000

I’m glad you liked the article. I’ll try to answer the questions you all asked.

The pH of honey is typically 3.2-4.6 (which makes it very acidic. That is why it is shelf-stable and requires no refrigeration.

Local honey has a couple of benefits: first, local producers that sell locally tend to do less processing of their honey, typically only straining out the beeswax and then bottling. If it is only strained, there are still pollen grains present from the floral sources, and many folks believe that it gives them some relief from allergies. A side benefit is that minimally processed honey has more flavor and personality.

Secondly, by eating locally produced honey, you are helping the local farmers. The majority of honey producers are little side-line beekeepers, and having a local market for their honey will help keep them in the business.

As far as getting honey graded, many local beekeeping organizations have a refractometer you could use. The dissolved sugars in the honey cause the light to refract, and the amount of the refraction is used to determine the % of dissolved solids.

The other key relevance factors are more subjective, and requiring actually viewing, smelling, and tasting the honey. Again, your local honey club can be of help. Many have annual honey contests, Volunteer to be on the judging panel and you will quickly learn how to evaluate the many honey factors.