FAQ

What is different about California Honey?

California Honey is unique to the state of California! Honey will range in flavor, aroma, viscosity and moisture content depending on it's floral source. Each flower or floral source will determine the honey's flavor profile. The climate & season also determines the kinds of plants and trees that the bees are able to pollinate. Varieties of honey we commonly produce in California are not typically found in other states because of our unique Mediterranean landscape.
Does honey ever spoil?

No, honey is the only food that will never spoil. It can crystallize, which is a natural process for the life of the honey.
What happens if my honey crystallizes?

Crystallization is a natural process in the lifespan of honey. There a several varieties that are slow to crystallize, if never. It is a spontaneous event that occurs in almost every honey aside from Sage Blossom, Acacia or Tupelo honey. These honeys have a higher balance of fructose than glucose from the plant nectar, which helps it remain its liquid state. When your honey crystallizes, this does not ruin your honey, or mean it has spoiled. You can return any thick or crystallized honey back to liquid with gentle heat. Simply boil hot water and turn the heat off. Place your jar in the warm water and let it sit. Microwaving your honey is also an alternative.
What is raw honey?

Although there is no definition of 'raw honey', we believe raw honey is simply honey that is minimally processed and bottled straight from the hive. We also believe that honey should never be ultra-filtered or pasteurized, as this destroys the living enzymes and minerals that naturally occur in honey and removes the pollen source.
How do you know what kind of honey the bees make?

Beekeepers typically place beehives in a strategic area to make a certain type of honey. The follow bloom cycles of wildflowers or orchards according to season and weather patterns. Since bees typically stay true to one kind of floral source, they try to forage from the same flower as much as possible until this floral source can no longer provide a sufficient food supply.
What makes California Honey different than the honey from the grocery store?

Unlike commercially sourced honey brands, California Honey Co. is strictly harvested and sourced from our family apiary in addition to other local California beekeepers. Major honey packers source their honey from a multitude of suppliers, including honey produced in foreign countries. Many of these companies blend different honeys together to maintain a flavor consistency, in addition to ultra-filtering and pasteurizing the honey to remove any impurities. At California Honey Co. we do not micro -filter or flash heat the honey. Our intention is to deliver honey in its raw and natural state, with its powerful enzymes and antioxidant powers.
Why do I see white foam inside my jar?

Sometimes there is a little bit of white colored foam that appears in the jar. These are little air bubbles that can pass through from our bottling equipment while extracting honey. This is completely natural and nothing to be worried about.
What is the difference between light and dark honey?

Each honey essentially has its own color profile. This depends on the type of flowers honeybees pollinate. Each blossom has a color specific to its nectar source. The spectrum range from water white to dark amber. Typically, most lighter colored honeys are milder in taste, darker honeys richer in more intense in flavor. Think of different types of beer! The honeys in the middle with a more amber hue, tend to be medium bodied.