The Ultimate Guide To Lincolnshire Honey
From Hive to Jar - Explore the changing seasons, natural forage and traditional extraction methods that make our honey truely unique
Welcome to the ulitmate honey guide.
As beekeepers based in Louth, Lincolnshire and working among the Lincolnshire Wolds, we believe real local honey carries a story of the changing seasons. Every jar begins in the hive, shaped by the flowers our bees visit, the weather, the landscape around our apiaries and the natural rhythm of the beekeeping year.
This guide takes you from hive to jar, helping you understand where honey comes from, how our bees make it, what happens during the harvest and what makes raw British honey so special.
Whether you're new to honey or simply curious to learn more, we've brought together our knowledge and experience as beekeepers to help you understand the honey in your jar — and the landscape, seasons and bees behind it.
Understanding Honey
Before we look at our Lincolnshire honey in more detail, lets start with the basics.
Our Understanding Honey guide explores what honey actually is, how bees make it, why honey can look and taste different from one jar to another, and some of the questions we're asked most often.
From here, you can explore the different parts of the honey journey — from the flowers our bees forage on, through the changing seasons in our Lincolnshire apiaries, to harvesting, extraction and finally the honey that reaches your table.
From Forage to Honey
Honey begins long before it reaches the jar.
It starts with the flowers growing around our Lincolnshire apiaries and the bees that work tirelessly among them. From hedgerows and wildflowers to willow, lime and the fields that surround the Lincolnshire Wolds, the landscape provides the nectar and pollen our bees need throughout the seasons.
The time of year, the weather and the plants in flower all influence what our bees collect — and that can subtly change the colour, aroma, texture and flavour of the honey we harvest.
For us, this is one of the most fascinating parts of keeping bees. Every season brings something different, and every harvest reflects a little piece of the landscape around our hives.
Discover how bees turn nectar from the flowers around them into the natural honey we eventually harvest from the hive.
From Honey Harvest to Extraction
Once the bees have filled the honey frames and the honey is ready, the next part of the journey begins. Honey harvesting is one of the busiest and most rewarding times of the beekeeping year. We carefully remove the frames from the hives, bringing them back to be processed and prepared for the jars. Before the honey can be extracted, the beeswax cappings that seal each cell need to be removed. These natural cappings are part of what makes a honey frame so special — a sign that the bees have finished working on the honey inside. The honey is then gently extracted from the comb, allowing us to collect the liquid honey while keeping the beautiful beeswax for other uses. From a full honey frame to the honey that eventually reaches your kitchen, there is a careful process behind every jar.
Take a closer look at how we harvest our honey, prepare the frames and extract the honey from the comb.
Bees & Bee Information
Behind every jar of honey are thousands of bees, each with an important role within the hive. Beekeeping is about much more than harvesting honey. It is about understanding the bees, working with the seasons and keeping a close eye on the health and wellbeing of the colony throughout the year. From the queen and her workers to the different jobs carried out inside the hive, there is a fascinating world to discover. The more you learn about bees, the more you begin to appreciate just how much work goes into every jar of honey. In this section, we share some of the bee facts and beekeeping knowledge we've gathered from working with our own hives in the Lincolnshire Wolds.
Discover more about honey bees, life inside the hive and what it's really like to keep bees throughout the changing seasons.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Honey
What is raw honey?
Raw honey is honey that has not been pasteurised or heavily processed. It is collected from the hive and gently handled to retain its natural character, including its flavour, aroma and natural pollen. Raw honey can vary in colour, texture and taste depending on the flowers the bees have visited and the season in which it was harvested.
Why does honey crystallise?
Honey naturally crystallises because it contains natural sugars, particularly glucose. Over time, the glucose can separate from the water in the honey and form tiny crystals. Some honeys crystallise quickly, while others remain runny for much longer, depending on their natural composition and the flowers the bees have foraged on.
Crystallisation is a natural process and does not mean that the honey has gone bad.
Is crystallised honey still good to eat?
Yes. Crystallised honey is still perfectly good to eat. Crystallisation is a natural change in the texture of honey and does not mean it has spoiled.
Some people actually prefer honey once it has crystallised because it becomes thicker and easier to spread. If you prefer your honey runny, it can be gently warmed to return it to a more liquid consistency.
What's the difference between runny and soft set honey?
Runny honey has a smooth, flowing consistency, while soft set honey has a thicker, creamy texture that is easy to spread.
Both are natural forms of honey. The difference is mainly in their texture and how the honey is prepared and crystallises. Runny honey is ideal for drizzling, while soft set honey is particularly lovely spread onto toast or stirred into porridge.
How should honey be stored?
Honey should be stored at room temperature in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat. Keep the jar tightly closed when you're not using it.
There is no need to refrigerate honey. In fact, storing honey in the fridge can encourage it to crystallise more quickly.
How long does honey last?
Properly stored honey can last for a very long time because its natural properties make it an unfavourable environment for many microorganisms.
For the best quality and flavour, keep honey sealed and store it in a cool, dry place. Always follow the best-before date and storage guidance on your jar.
What makes Lincolnshire honey different?
Lincolnshire honey reflects the landscape and seasons in which the bees have been foraging. Here in the Lincolnshire Wolds, our bees visit a changing mixture of flowers, including wildflowers, hedgerows and seasonal crops.
The weather, time of year and available forage can all influence the colour, aroma, flavour and texture of the honey. This means that each harvest can have its own character, giving Lincolnshire honey a story that begins in the landscape around the hives.
What is cut comb honey?
Cut comb honey is honey that is still stored inside the natural beeswax comb created by the bees. Instead of extracting the honey from the comb, sections of the filled comb are carefully cut and presented as they are.
You can eat the honey directly from the comb, spreading it onto bread or toast, adding it to a cheeseboard or simply enjoying it by itself. The beeswax comb is also edible, although some people prefer to chew it and then remove the remaining wax.
Explore Our Lincolnshire Honey
From the flowers our bees forage on to the honey we carefully harvest from the hive, every jar reflects the changing seasons of the Lincolnshire Wolds. Explore our range of raw British honey, from naturally runny and creamy soft set honey to honey-filled natural beeswax comb.
Runny Honey
Raw British honey with a naturally flowing texture, perfect for drizzling over breakfast, baking or adding to drinks.
Soft Set Honey
Creamy, spreadable raw British honey with a smooth soft-set texture.
Cut Comb Honey
Honey presented in its natural beeswax comb — a lovely way to experience honey just as the bees stored it.