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Idaho Honey

Liquid honey - (sometimes refereed to as extracted honey) is simply honey which has been removed from the beeswax comb. The beeswax comb (honey comb) is the wax structure built by the bees where nectar and pollen is stored and subsequently processed into honey. Extracting honey from the comb is a process of removing the beeswax cappings followed by rotating (spinning) the comb to produce a centrifugal force which removes the honey. The liquid honey is then strained or filtered to remove the final bits of wax and put into containers.
CLARITY OF LIQUID HONEY
The clarity of liquid honey is of great concern to larger honey companies selling on a national basis because consumer research has demonstrated it sells better. Some supermarket honey is so clear you can read a newspaper through it!
Unfortunately, the process to enhance its clarity involves heating - usually 160 degrees - followed by forcing it through a paper filter known in the trade as a "filter press". While all this is very efficient in accomplishing "clarification" this process removes pollen from the honey and the excessive heat kills honey's natural beneficial enzymes.
Unfiltered (unprocessed) honey will exhibit a "wax ring" - microscopic particles of wax which have floated to the top of the honey and collected in a line or ring at the top of the container. This is more prevalent and easier to see in larger containers.

Be assured, you will get all of honey's natural benefits from any honey bought here, as everything we sell is strained - not filtered.

The color of honey varies widely with the floral source. The spectrum ranges between "water white" from such sources as alfalfa and some clovers to almost black from buckwheat. Honey color is also affected by the time of year it is produced, with the lighter honey coming earlier in the season, followed by darkening as the honey season progresses.
Water white honey looks exactly like corn syrup, and is apt to be just as devoid of distinctive flavor. In general, dark colored honeys are richer in mineral content and are more likely to have a distinct flavor than are light colored honeys.
As honey producers and packers, we work to blend light and dark honey to produce a "smooth" flavor devoid of a strong after taste. In the end, it really comes down to flavor over color - as folks buy honey to eat, more so than to look at.

Creamed honey - is 100% pure honey which has been finely granulated into a paste and spreads like butter at room temperature. Spun honey, as it is sometimes called, has a "drip-less" quality and tends to stay put more so than liquid honey once you get it where you want it!
Creamed honey is, however, sensitive to temperature. If it ever gets above about 100 degrees, it will return to the liquid state - and stay there! Also, the texture of creamed honey will get stiffer (harder) at temperatures below room temperature; though once returned to room temperature there is no lasting effect. Store and use creamed honey at room temperature. But, protect it from overheating!

Comb honey - is honey still in the beeswax comb -- just like the bees made it! It doesn't get any fresher or more natural!
Comb honey is truly a delicacy; it's the way old-timers got honey from the bee hive. The comb as well as the honey is edible; just take your knife or spoon and dig in. Eat it straight or spread it on something hot. Either way it's an experience. Some people actually chew the bees wax like chewing gum for a while and then spit it out.

• For more information on honey, visit our HONEY STORE.

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