Tasting honey

[alfazer]

I'm curious about how honey is tasted and what makes one honey taste better than another? I have tasted honey that won a black jar/tasting category at a honey show but I have no idea why it was considered the best. It tasted slightly unusual but I actually preferred my own honey!

So I mean comparing similar honeys, say, light ones. I don't just mean really obvious things like the difference between, heather, lavender, clover, etc.

I imagine this is a complex topic but never see much about in any beekeeping books I read, but if you can recommend any sites or books that explain it, I'd be grateful. Thanks.

 

[Jim Lavie]

Hi I have found a pdf for judging honey at the national honey show it may provide some information for you. http://www.honeyshow.co.uk/files/nhspub7.pdf
regards Jim

 

[Davelin]

There are a number of criteria for judging honey that you can quantify and compare one jar against another, but taste is very much just a matter of taste.

I think it's a question of a honey with flavour, but not harsh, and no hint of fermentation in the taste.

The judge I have worked with tells me "that's a nice tasting honey", but at the end of the day it's his opinion.

 

[Davelin]

Hi I have found a pdf for judging honey at the national honey show it may provide some information for you. http://www.honeyshow.co.uk/files/nhspub7.pdf
regards Jim

Looking at this brings back memories. Cecil Tonsley was a real character, editor of the British Bee Journal for many years and a friend of my father. My younger sister appeared on the cover of the BBJ as a very young girl eating honey and I remember clearly spending one Christmas with the Tonsleys.

 

[REDWOOD]

It sure is a matter of taste, and what your taste buds are conditioned to, for example if you regularly eat rape honey all others will taste fantastic