Varying honey flavours - how does it go down with your customers?

[drdrday]

This is my first year selling honey. Rather than just do one big extraction this year, I've so far done three because I really wanted to see how the flavour varied through the season; one at the end of May, one at the beginning of July and one in mid-August.

The spring honey was a lovely light honey, the July extraction was a similar flavour but just a bit stronger. The August extraction is a much stronger honey with an almost spicey flavour. I'm currently just selling the last of the July extraction honey, but will probably need to jar the August extraction soon.

I just wondered how the different flavours of honey that you get from the same hive/location go down with your customers? Do they expect all of your honey, or honey from a particular location to taste the same, or do they understand that the flavour can vary quite a lot?

I've had good feedback from my honey so far this year, and personally I quite like the flavour of the August extraction honey, but if my customers are expecting it to be like the other honey they've already bought from me they'll be in for a surprise

Because I sell in person I always get to tell customers a bit about the honey, like when I extracted it, or what the flavour is like, but I suppose I'm just a little bit worried that if someone doesn't like this particular extraction they might never come back for more!

 

[Curly green finger's]

Some people don't care about the flavour, but most are very interested in knowing what the bees have forage on at any given time of year. (always a good talking point for me maybe not for them)
I've had 6 different honeys this season. It might be 7 if we get any ivy which I'm soooo hoping for.

Carefull you will be put in the bracket of a conuser of honey!!
Something quite special about extracting separate supers, more work but very rewarding.

I wouldn't worry they will always come back

 

[Erichalfbee]

I let my customers have my pollen analysis. Most of them find it fascinating
even when I explain how this honey is actually Rosebay not Meadowsweet or Bramble
I

 

[drdrday]

I let my customers have my pollen analysis. Most of them find it fascinating
even when I explain how this honey is actually Rosebay not Meadowsweet or Bramble
View attachment 22017I

Thanks Dani. I have mentioned last year's pollen results to a few people. The sample I sent off this year actually came from this same batch as the 'spicy' August extraction so it'll be interesting to compare the pollen results to last year's.

 

[madasafish]

I tell my customers I can neither control the weather nor the bees so the flavour varies with both the seasons and the weather..

No two seasons are alike nor are any two years... It's a taste adventure.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Thanks Dani. I have mentioned last year's pollen results to a few people. The sample I sent off this year actually came from this same batch as the 'spicy' August extraction so it'll be interesting to compare the pollen results to last year's.

I would like to see the pollen chart if I may.

 

[drex]

Much the same as madasafish. This is part of what keeps my regulars coming back, wondering what this crop will taste like. I no longer get any requests for " the same as I had last year"

 

[WoodenBeam]

This time of the year we have light/med/dark & set honeys available to buy. Makes for good conversation & usually more than a single jar purchase.

 

[drdrday]

Thanks all, that's all very reassuring. I'm glad to hear their curiosity keeps them coming back rather than just wanting the same thing again.

 

[drdrday]

I would like to see the pollen chart if I may.

Hi Mark, obviously this year's sample only went off a few weeks ago, so I probably won't get that analysis until the new year. I've attached the results from last year though. I'm near a research station that specialises in developing fruit varieties, particularly raspberries etc. and the bees appeared to fly off in that direction a lot last year. This year they were favouring a more westerly direction, so I'm really interested to see how the results might vary and what the bees might have found. I thought it was fascinating to get the results last year, but it'll be even better to be able to compare this year.

Has anyone been able to compare results from 2018 and 2019? Were they similar or did they vary?

 

[madasafish]

Thanks all, that's all very reassuring. I'm glad to hear their curiosity keeps them coming back rather than just wanting the same thing again.

In reality, when they buy the next year, the honey taste is just a memory so this year they start all over again...

 

[Cefn Eithaf]

Thank you for the information.
Please can you tell me where you are sending your samples to for analysis and what method of analysis is being used ?
Do the results show any other information, such as the %of different types of sugars in the sample ?

 

[Cefn Eithaf]

I also found this very interesting:

 

[drdrday]

Please can you tell me where you are sending your samples to for analysis and what method of analysis is being used ?
Do the results show any other information, such as the %of different types of sugars in the sample ?

The results are from samples sent off to the National Honey Monitoring Scheme. Basically, you send them a sample or two per year (straight off of the comb; wax, honey and all) for their research and they make the results available to you for free.
They use DNA testing to give an overview of the most abundant pollen in your sample. They also provide pie charts of the types of habitats, crops etc. in the area around your apiary as well as measuring the sugar and moisture content.
It's well worth signing up for.

https://honey-monitoring.ac.uk/

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi Mark, obviously this year's sample only went off a few weeks ago, so I probably won't get that analysis until the new year. I've attached the results from last year though. I'm near a research station that specialises in developing fruit varieties, particularly raspberries etc. and the bees appeared to fly off in that direction a lot last year. This year they were favouring a more westerly direction, so I'm really interested to see how the results might vary and what the bees might have found. I thought it was fascinating to get the results last year, but it'll be even better to be able to compare this year.

Has anyone been able to compare results from 2018 and 2019? Were they similar or did they vary?
View attachment 22029

Thanks for that. I’ll see if I can find out what your honey actually is.

 

[Cefn Eithaf]

Thank you drdrday

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks for that. I’ll see if I can find out what your honey actually is.

Definitely bramble.what colour was it?

 

[Newbeeneil]

I sell honey from apiaries scattered in villages around me. They all taste different but I have a hard job to get the customers to try honey from anywhere other than their locale.