Honey, what's the score?

[LeadFarmer]

With the massive variation in price and quality of different types of honey, I was left slightly bewildered in the supermarket today when trying to up my game. I usually just buy the usual Rowley squeezey bottle, but I realise this is probably as far from real honey as you can get. So what differentiates between a good honey, and a cheap refined fake honey?

Choice in Morrisons ranged from a large jar of own brand for 91p...




To a small jar of what must be liquid gold at £14..

[hairy v]

Manuka honey has special healing properties - I first heard of it as a cold cure but it seems it has other benefits too:

https://www.healthline.com/health/manuka-honey

[essayer]

1-0 darling

[Murph7355]

Are you using it in cooking primarily or on toast (etc).

If the former, just get the cheaper stuff IMO. If the latter, do a few taste tests and see which you prefer - the taste of it can vary a lot.

Big recommendation is to try and buy locally produced stuff if at all possible. Supports people keeping bees, the flavours are usually nicer and I'm sure I've read that it's better for you.

[mikeswagon]

I'd say buy local as well, if you can find it.

Are you anywhere near Chipping Norton? Get some Bee Juice from the diddly squat farm shop.

Manuka is a funny one, a few years back there was more sold as manuka, at the premium price it commands, than the bees could physically produce.

[dickymint]

LeadFarmer said:

With the massive variation in price and quality of different types of honey, I was left slightly bewildered in the supermarket today when trying to up my game. I usually just buy the usual Rowley squeezey bottle, but I realise this is probably as far from real honey as you can get. So what differentiates between a good honey, and a cheap refined fake honey?

Choice in Morrisons ranged from a large jar of own brand for 91p...




To a small jar of what must be liquid gold at £14..

You think you're buying honey?

https://latinhoneyshop.com/blogs/news/11-shocking-...

I prefer the real thing from my garden...........

[LeadFarmer]

I was more wandering what the cheap 91p honey actually was? Im guessing its processed refined gloop?

We have this farm near us with cafe and honey shop, will have to pay them a visit..

https://www.medibee.co.uk

Edited by LeadFarmer on Wednesday 23 June 21:05

Edited by LeadFarmer on Wednesday 23 June 21:05

[Pugmitch]

I’m a beekeeper so I’m biased. Most of the stuff labelled as honey in supermarkets is sadly from foreign climes (the labels give you a clue.....(contents are from EU and non EU Countries). Most is from China. Adulteration of honey with sugar syrup is rife worldwide and checks to ensure pure honey are very expensive so Trading Standards don’t have the resources to carry out wholesale testing in the UK.

I’m not saying that supermarket honey is adulterated......I’ll be done for libel. However ask yourself how supermarkets can afford to sell honey at £2.50 per pound (or less) after it’s been imported, processed, refined, bottled and labelled by the wholesalers?

Best bet is to seek out local honey from farm shops, beekeepers etc. The labelling regulations in the UK are very strict and you will see not only the country of origin but also the address of the producer. If it doesn’t say England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland then it’s imported. Yes it’s a lot more expensive but with honey you really do get what you pay for!

As for me I wouldn’t touch any ‘honey’ from the supermarket.......even for cooking!

[MrJuice]

Pugmitch said:

I’m a beekeeper so I’m biased. Most of the stuff labelled as honey in supermarkets is sadly from foreign climes (the labels give you a clue.....(contents are from EU and non EU Countries). Most is from China. Adulteration of honey with sugar syrup is rife worldwide and checks to ensure pure honey are very expensive so Trading Standards don’t have the resources to carry out wholesale testing in the UK.

I’m not saying that supermarket honey is adulterated......I’ll be done for libel. However ask yourself how supermarkets can afford to sell honey at £2.50 per pound (or less) after it’s been imported, processed, refined, bottled and labelled by the wholesalers?

Best bet is to seek out local honey from farm shops, beekeepers etc. The labelling regulations in the UK are very strict and you will see not only the country of origin but also the address of the producer. If it doesn’t say England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland then it’s imported. Yes it’s a lot more expensive but with honey you really do get what you pay for!

As for me I wouldn’t touch any ‘honey’ from the supermarket.......even for cooking!

I'm going to try to attend a beekeeping course next spring. Any links for interesting reading? Do you sell? I'm in London

Happy to buy a large amount (3-5kg) if you're selling.

Email me! Thanks.

[dickymint]

MrJuice said:

Pugmitch said:

I’m a beekeeper so I’m biased. Most of the stuff labelled as honey in supermarkets is sadly from foreign climes (the labels give you a clue.....(contents are from EU and non EU Countries). Most is from China. Adulteration of honey with sugar syrup is rife worldwide and checks to ensure pure honey are very expensive so Trading Standards don’t have the resources to carry out wholesale testing in the UK.

I’m not saying that supermarket honey is adulterated......I’ll be done for libel. However ask yourself how supermarkets can afford to sell honey at £2.50 per pound (or less) after it’s been imported, processed, refined, bottled and labelled by the wholesalers?

Best bet is to seek out local honey from farm shops, beekeepers etc. The labelling regulations in the UK are very strict and you will see not only the country of origin but also the address of the producer. If it doesn’t say England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland then it’s imported. Yes it’s a lot more expensive but with honey you really do get what you pay for!

As for me I wouldn’t touch any ‘honey’ from the supermarket.......even for cooking!

I'm going to try to attend a beekeeping course next spring. Any links for interesting reading? Do you sell? I'm in London

Happy to buy a large amount (3-5kg) if you're selling.

Email me! Thanks.

I'd say join/contact your local Bee Keeping Association. Some will offer a "taster session" (not a honey taster ) FOC to see how you get on with bees. I took this route along with around 200 others ( 20 groups of 10) only 30 or so decided to do the course proper. Of that 30 about 10 of us are now beekeepers!!

Out of interest why do you want that much honey from a single source? I keep bees, love honey but 1kg is about as much as I need a year.

[MrJuice]

We tend to use a fair amount of honey if we have it and I'd also be buying to gift some. We probably use more honey than is sensible tbh

I'll check if there's a taster course available locally