Honey Shows

Honey is a variable agricultural product — just like corn, tomatoes, apples, chickens. Some years the weather is excellent and quality is excellent. Other years, weather is terrible or disease strikes and yield is poor or quality is awful.

Agriculture fairs or shows have a centuries-long history. Today we have newspapers and other printed material, as well as the internet and other electronic communications. Step back in time several centuries and communication was diffi ult, especially in rural areas. You could walk or go by oxcart — both very slow for transmittal of information. Travelling by horseback or horse-drawn carriage was faster but still had its limits.

How could anyone relay information about the magnificent stallion available for breeding or that the cabbage crop was not only plentiful but also the best quality? The answer was to have a fair where people could bring their livestock and samples of crops and have an independent judge to decide the best.

Today the agricultural fairs still exist in many countries. Some of these are large and some are small but the entries in the various categories are still reviewed by independent judges, experts in their particular field. Honey, hive products and related beekeeping items are a part of many agricultural fairs and shows today. Beekeeping associations — local, state, regional and national also have honey shows.

If your local club or state association does not have a honey show, then make plans to have one. Start small and plan to expand as the need arises. However the purpose — improvement of a product for market — needs to be emphasized. Consumers want value for their money. Consumers are looking for a quality product. Keep this in mind the next time you shop for food whether it is at a huge supermarket or at a farmers’ market. You, as a consumer spending your money, will walk past the wilted lettuce; ignore the tomato with a sunken black spot; replace on the shelf the jar of sauce with something sticky on it; shove the dented can aside to select one without a dent.

You are a beekeeper. You know that a bee leg floating on top in a jar of your own honey came from one of your bees. So what. You know the foam on top is because you filled the jar too fast. Doesn’t matter. You know that those weird looking crystal clumps are because your bees visited some particular nectar source. Stupid bees.

Now let’s consider what the customer thinks. What’s that floating thing? Ugh, it looks like some bug part. Bees are good because they pollinate but bugs are icky. All that foam on top? Ewww — it has spoiled! What are those clumpy things in the honey? They don’t look edible.

Although some customers may understand, you are not always at their side to explain the mystery items in your honey or why the jar isn’t fi lled correctly or to hand them something to wipe the sticky off their hands. If customers find your honey has consistently good quality, they will continue to be customers and also recommend your product to others.

So let’s have a honey show and discover ways to improve not only liquid honey but also other hive products such as creamed honey, comb honey, beeswax and even other items related to beekeeping.

Honey shows, in general, will have classes for liquid extracted honey. That is, after all, the most common way honey is sold in this country. Anther honey class can be for creamed honey. Chunk honey, a piece of comb surrounded by liquid honey, is popular in some parts of the country but not in others. Comb honey can be in round sections or as cut-comb. Sometimes you will find a class for a frame of honey suitable for extracting. Beeswax will be shown as a block, weight usually specified. Other beeswax entries can be candles of various kinds and even artistic beeswax. You occasionally find classes for products made from honey, beeswax and propolis.

Beekeepers love to invent gadgets that are an aid to beekeeping. Some shows will have a class for those. Arts and crafts classes, with a beekeeping theme, are popular. Everyone is taking photographs today so many shows, even small ones, may have several classes. A gift basket class may have a theme specified, such as for a birthday or a specific occasion. Classes for mead and honey beer have become popular.

Normally we have seven different colour classifications for liquid honey: water white, extra white, white, extra light amber, light amber, amber and dark. You can purchase two kinds of colour graders: one is a simple card fan of colours, the other an expensive electronic colour grader. However, an experienced honey judge can place the colours separately from experience. It is important to keep in mind that all the seven colours will not be encountered everywhere in shows around the country.

In addition, bees can and do visit many plants to collect nectar that may be classed as ‘wildflower’ instead of a completely pure source. Entries in a large national show would need all the colour categories, but only three or four would be needed in smaller shows. Grouping honey by colour is done so that the characteristics are more likely to be the same throughout a class.

Every show needs a set of rules. Why? To have a ‘level playing fi eld.’ The rules let entrants know just how to present their entry so that everyone has an equal chance of winning a class. For example, liquid extracted honey may be required to be in 500g round jars with no labels. In large shows your single entry may be three or more jars; smaller shows may require only one jar. Rules should be made available as soon before the show as possible. Harvest time varies across the country. If this year’s rules have changed from last year’s rules, call attention to that so entrants have warning.

One important rule is the one that states: Only one entry in each class may be exhibited by an individual, that individual’s family, or that individual’s apiary. That eliminates multiple entries of the same item in a class. In other words, it makes a level playing field.

Australia is a large country with many beekeeping associations, large and small. Agricultural fairs can be small local ones or large statewide ones. Therefore, the rules and classes and judging criteria can be different. It is up to the person entering to know the rules and keep up with any changes.

To put on a honey show it is necessary to have a number of good volunteers. Someone needs to take the entries and keep good records of ‘who and ‘what’ and ‘what class.’ Someone needs to make certain that the entry is in the correct class. The judges can reassign liquid extracted honey by colour if necessary as long as no duplicate entry has been made. Someone has to prepare the room. The judges appreciate stewards to help with the jars — perhaps loosening the caps or putting them back on. It is necessary for someone to check the score sheets for arithmetic errors. Ribbons may need to be attached to entries. If it is the first honey show given by a club then make notes for improvement for the following year. It is much better to have too many helpers than not enough. Be certain to thank them and recognize them during announcements.

The show organizers need to recruit judges. If it is a very small show, then one judge may be adequate. If it has the possibility of being larger than expected, more judges may be needed. Sometimes it will be necessary to have specialty judges, such as for artwork and crafts, photography, mead, honey beer. If the honey classes are huge having two judges working together can work very well.

Judging Qualities: Based on the Sydney Royal Easter Show point score, some variation to the points may occur at other shows

Liquid Honey Point score

• Flavour 25
• Density 25
• Colour 25
• Aroma 10
• Clearness 10
• Brightness 5

Total 100

Flavour: Honey should be palatable free from “tang” off-flavour fermentation and acidity. If the honey is a fl oral type class (e.g. Yellow Box) the honey must be characteristic of that floral type honey

Density: Honey varies in density; highest points are awarded to the highest density. Density can be determined with a refactometer, rating the buoyancy of the glass rod near the honey surface, or by rating the rising of an air bubble by inverting the jar.

Colour: Liquid classes state the colour. At the Sydney RAS classes are for light, very light, medium and dark. A Pfund honey grader can be used to grade honey by colour. In the case of very light honey, the lighter the colour the higher the points awarded. Other classes are within the prescribed colour ranges.

Aroma: Honey with a pleasing aroma scores the highest points. Fewer points are awarded for honey with offensive aroma or no aroma, or those with fermentation, or over-heated. Aroma varies according to the fl oral source hence honey from Clover, Stringybark and Yellow Box has their own bouquet.

Clearness: Honey must not have a dull or cloudy appearance, it should be clean and have a sparkle about it.

Brightness: Slightly warm the honey in the jars before showing to increase the brightness. This will remove minute crystals if present and give the entry more brilliance. The honey must be at room temperature for judging.

Chunk Honey :This is a jar of honey with a cut out section of capped comb placed into the liquid honey in a jar.

Chunk Honey Point score

• Appearance 25
• Colour 25
• Flavour 20
• Density 20
• Clearness 10

Total 100

Prepare the honey as for liquid honey showing except you need to select a comb of honey as you would for showing a frame of capped honey. Using a hot knife, cut out a section of the comb after first pulling out the wires in the frame that held in the comb foundation. The comb section of honey should fit into the jar through the lid opening, touch the bottom of the jar and have the top finishing so it doesn’t just touch the lid. The comb honey and liquid honey should be the same colour and floral type. Cut out the section of comb and allow it to drain over a grid i.e. Wire queen excluder. Pieces of wax should drain away, so your exhibit has no particles of wax present.

Preparing Granulated Honey: The general requirements are similar to liquid honey. Of major importance is the texture of the granulation and firmness of set.

Granulated Honey Point score

• Evenness of grain 30
• Flavour 30
• Firmness 30
• Colour 10

Total 100

Evenness of grain: Classes can be fine or course grain. In the case of fine grain the granules should be fine and almost indistinguishable to the palate and tongue with all the grains even. Floral types such as Lucerne, Clover have natural fine grains. Course grain floral types are usually Eucalypts with the grain larger than the fine grain.

Granulation: To achieve even granulation, 10 to 15 per cent of the selected granulation honey called “starter” is mixed with the selected liquid honey you wish to granulate. Mix the starter thoroughly with the liquid honey at 18°C to 24°C, until the whole mix is the same colour and consistency incorporating as little air as possible. Leave the mix at 14°C for 12 to 36 hours. Before it sets fi rmly the honey should be poured slowly into the show containers, pouring on the inside of the jars to prevent air bubbles occurring. Store at 14°C so the mix will set in about 3 weeks. Best results are obtained if the granulated honey is in fi rm condition just before showing.

Flavour: The flavour will be determined by the fl oral source of the starter and liquid honey used in the mix.

Firmness: The mix should set fi rm but be easy to spread, the starter used will determine this characteristic. Select granulated starter that meets this criteria.

Colour: The colour should be off white to cream, this will be determined by the starter and liquid honey used.

Creaming Honey: Fine grained starter must be used, such as fine grained granulated honey, or save some of the previous batch of the honey you creamed. The point score is similar to granulated honey. The colour should be white. The mixing of the starter into the liquid honey is done in such a way to add air to the mix by slow or high speed mixing, using a mincer or motorized stirring method. Creaming machines are available from beekeeping manufactures, dough mixing machines can be used, or a motorized mincing machine. Don’t use a Mix Master or Kenwood Chef as the honey is too dense and can cause the motor to over-heat. (It will blow up.) With a dough mixer beat the honey until it won’t go any whiter, pass the honey through the mincer or a commercial available cream machine until it is white as you can get it.

Preparing Comb Honey Classes at shows include comb section and frames of honey. The show sections and combs must have new comb that has been brood free. Frames and section are best drawn above the brood chamber with the hive fitted with a queen excluder. A queen excluder reduces the amount of pollen likely to be in the comb or section. Ensure the frames and sections are correctly assembled and fitted with comb foundation.

Colony Selection: Closely observe the behaviour of how the bees work on the comb. Select colonies that leave an air space under the cappings, this gives the cappings a whiter colour than colonies that leave no air space. Avoid colonies that collect and deposit a lot of propolis as this could stain the cappings Remove sections and show combs from colonies that have been on a heavy honey fl ow as soon as the whole frame or section is completely capped to avoid discolouring of the cappings by bees walking over them. Hold the frame or section with a light behind it to show up any pollen cells, cull these.

Comb Honey or Section Point score

• Fullness 30 
• Colour of Cappings 30
• Evenness 20
• General Appearance 20

Total 100

Fullness: Highest points are awarded to combs or sections that are well drawn out.

Colour of the capping: Capping should be whitish in colour

Evenness: All cells that are capped should be even with no depression on the comb surface, capping should all be the same colour, indicating the honey in the comb is from the same fl oral type. Honey flows that produce light-coloured honey are preferred. Some section classes may indicate the type of honey in the section e.g. light or dark.

General Appearance: The entry should be attractive, it is therefore important to clear the wooden component of the frame or section. Remove any stains and sand paper the wood so it is more attractive. Entries must be shown in a bee-proof, wooden display case with glass or Perspex sides in the case of frames. Display cases can be purchased to hold a single frame from Beekeeping Equipment Manufactures. For sections use Glad wrap, Cellophane, Perspex or glass sided cases over the section to make it bee proof. 

The fill of the jar is important. Queenline-type and round jars have a bead just under the threads. If the jar is filled correctly it will contain the 500g of honey that it should. Honey level below the bead is underfilled. Honey level should uniform across the jars entered, with honey level just not touching the inside of the cap when the jars are level. A flashlight is used to look for crystals, air bubbles and dirt. The flashlight can be moved around, shining from behind and from the bottom of the jar. Cleanliness of jar and cap are judged, as well as correct fill. The flavour is important. If the judge does not like the flavour, then that entry will not win a ribbon. The judge’s comments on the entry are written on a file card. The Black Jar Class was introduced into the U.S. when the Welsh method was introduced. A small jar is painted black on the outside so the colour (and any impurities) cannot be seen. Usually all the entries in the class will be tasted by one judge. One jar is the winner — the flavour the judge likes the most; therefore, judging is highly subjective. It has become a popular class with many entries in some honey shows. Beekeepers who are seeking to improve their marketing skills can search for honey shows and agricultural fairs in their region and also plan to enter in the national show given each year. Ribbons and trophies won in shows display the excellence of your honey and other hive and beekeeping products.

Ann Harman knows all about how to have a successful honey show. She lives in Flint Hill, Virginia.

*The ABK thanks Ann for permission to reprint her articles from American Bee Journal.

Read article on The Conversation This article has been adapted for Australia; in particular, the notes on Judging Qualities have been extracted (pun intended) from Bruce White’s article on ‘Showing Honey at Agricultural Shows’ (The ABK, January 2010, pps 289-292.)