OTHER HONEY FLORAL SOURCES INCLUDE

Black Locust / Blackberry / Brazilian Pepper / Chinese Tallow / Cotton / Gallberry / Goldenrod / Mesquite / Mint
Raspberry / Safflower / Saw Palmetto / Snowberry / Soybean / Star Thistle / Sunflower / Thyme / Tulip Polar

HOW TO TASTE HONEY THE COLORS OF HONEY

To sample honey varietals, simply spoon out a small The color of honey varies from almost clear to dark
amount of honey (about 1/2 of a teaspoon). Take in brown. In general, lighter colored honeys are milder.
the aroma and let the honey melt on the front of your
tongue. As it melts, the honey will spread to the back FORMS OF HONEY
and sides of the tongue bringing out nuances in flavor. Honey comes in a variety of forms including liquid,
whipped and comb. Free of any crystals or wax, liquid
Eating unsalted crackers and sipping room
honey is extracted from the comb in the hive by
temperature water between each tasting will
centrifugal force, gravity or straining. Whipped honey
help neutralize your palette. There are more than 300 different types of honey in the United States, each with a unique
is finely crystallized so that it is creamy and spreadable.
Comb honey is honey that comes as it was flavor and color depending on the blossoms visited by the honey bees. Single varietal honeys
HOW TO FIND VARIETAL HONEYS produced — in the honey bees’ wax comb.
Regional varietal honeys are most readily available at result when the honey bees gather nectar from the same type of flowers. This process is aided by
farmer’s markets and local specialty gourmet stores. Note: Honey should not be fed to babies under one beekeepers who strategically place their hives in an orchard or adjacent to a single type
year of age. Honey is a safe and wholesome food for
For more information about honey varietals and of flower and then carefully monitor the collection of the honey.
older children and adults.
suppliers, visit The Honey Locator — an online
honey search engine at www.honeylocator.com.
The percentage of fructose, glucose, amount and type of amino acids and the organic acids
vary by floral source that in turn determines the flavor of honey.

National Honey Board / 390 Lashley Street / Longmont, CO 80501 / www.honey.com

070101_honey_guide_2a 1 1/7/02, 4:09 PM

 ALFALFA - BUCKWHEAT - ORANGE BLOSSOM - SOURWOOD -
Alfalfa honey, produced from Typically produced in Sourwood trees can be found
purple blossoms and found
BASSWOOD - Minnesota, New York, EUCALYPTUS - Orange Blossom honey is produced
in Florida, Southern California in the Appalachian Mountains
Basswood honey has a fresh There are over 500
extensively throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania, and parts of Texas. It has a from Southern Pennsylvania
taste suggestive of green, varieties of eucalyptus
Canada and the United buckwheat is a pungent to Northern Georgia.
ripening fruit and is plants, with the majority sweet and fruity taste that is
States, has a mild flavor honey with molasses and Sourwood honey has
often characterized found in Australia and reminiscent of citrus blossoms.
and aroma similar malty flavors and a a sweet, spicy, anise
by its distinctive some in California.
to beeswax. lingering aftertaste. aroma and flavor with
lingering flavor. Eucalyptus honey has
a pleasant, lingering
a mildly sweet, herbal
aftertaste.
flavor with a fruity
aftertaste. Some
eucalyptus honeys have
a slight menthol flavor.

SAGE -
Primarily produced in California,
AVOCADO - CLOVER - sage honey is rich and light with a
Primarily produced in California, Clovers contribute more to
predominant sweet, clover-like
avocado is a well-rounded honey honey production in the FIREWEED - flavor and an elegant floral TUPELO -
with a rich caramelized molasses United States than any After a forest fire, fireweed is one Tupelo trees are found
aftertaste.
flavor and a flowery aftertaste. other group of plants. of the first plants to grow and in the swamps of
Clover honey has a sweet, cover the scarred land. Fireweed Southwestern Georgia
flowery flavor and a and Northwestern
BLUEBERRY - pleasing mild taste.
honey comes from the Northern
and Pacific states and Canada. Florida. Tupelo is a
Produced in Michigan and New
Fireweed honey is a delicate, smooth honey, with
England, blueberry honey has an
sweet honey with subtle, a complex floral,
aroma reminiscent of green leaves
tea-like notes. herbal, fruity flavor
with a touch of lemon, and a
and aftertaste.
moderate fruity flavor with
a delicate aftertaste.
The color and flavor of varietal honeys vary depending on production region as well as annual
climate and soil conditions. The descriptions above were developed based on sensory evaluations
conducted at rtech laboratories, St. Paul, Minn.

070101_honey_guide_2a 2 1/7/02, 4:10 PM

 ALFALFA - BUCKWHEAT - ORANGE BLOSSOM - SOURWOOD -
Alfalfa honey, produced from Typically produced in Sourwood trees can be found
purple blossoms and found
BASSWOOD - Minnesota, New York, EUCALYPTUS - Orange Blossom honey is produced
in Florida, Southern California in the Appalachian Mountains
Basswood honey has a fresh There are over 500
extensively throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania, and parts of Texas. It has a from Southern Pennsylvania
taste suggestive of green, varieties of eucalyptus
Canada and the United buckwheat is a pungent to Northern Georgia.
ripening fruit and is plants, with the majority sweet and fruity taste that is
States, has a mild flavor honey with molasses and Sourwood honey has
often characterized found in Australia and reminiscent of citrus blossoms.
and aroma similar malty flavors and a a sweet, spicy, anise
by its distinctive some in California.
to beeswax. lingering aftertaste. aroma and flavor with
lingering flavor. Eucalyptus honey has
a pleasant, lingering
a mildly sweet, herbal
aftertaste.
flavor with a fruity
aftertaste. Some
eucalyptus honeys have
a slight menthol flavor.

SAGE -
Primarily produced in California,
AVOCADO - CLOVER - sage honey is rich and light with a
Primarily produced in California, Clovers contribute more to
predominant sweet, clover-like
avocado is a well-rounded honey honey production in the FIREWEED - flavor and an elegant floral TUPELO -
with a rich caramelized molasses United States than any After a forest fire, fireweed is one Tupelo trees are found
aftertaste.
flavor and a flowery aftertaste. other group of plants. of the first plants to grow and in the swamps of
Clover honey has a sweet, cover the scarred land. Fireweed Southwestern Georgia
flowery flavor and a and Northwestern
BLUEBERRY - pleasing mild taste.
honey comes from the Northern
and Pacific states and Canada. Florida. Tupelo is a
Produced in Michigan and New
Fireweed honey is a delicate, smooth honey, with
England, blueberry honey has an
sweet honey with subtle, a complex floral,
aroma reminiscent of green leaves
tea-like notes. herbal, fruity flavor
with a touch of lemon, and a
and aftertaste.
moderate fruity flavor with
a delicate aftertaste.
The color and flavor of varietal honeys vary depending on production region as well as annual
climate and soil conditions. The descriptions above were developed based on sensory evaluations
conducted at rtech laboratories, St. Paul, Minn.

070101_honey_guide_2a 2 1/7/02, 4:10 PM

 OTHER HONEY FLORAL SOURCES INCLUDE
Black Locust / Blackberry / Brazilian Pepper / Chinese Tallow / Cotton / Gallberry / Goldenrod / Mesquite / Mint
Raspberry / Safflower / Saw Palmetto / Snowberry / Soybean / Star Thistle / Sunflower / Thyme / Tulip Polar

HOW TO TASTE HONEY THE COLORS OF HONEY

To sample honey varietals, simply spoon out a small The color of honey varies from almost clear to dark
amount of honey (about 1/2 of a teaspoon). Take in brown. In general, lighter colored honeys are milder.
the aroma and let the honey melt on the front of your
tongue. As it melts, the honey will spread to the back FORMS OF HONEY
and sides of the tongue bringing out nuances in flavor. Honey comes in a variety of forms including liquid,
whipped and comb. Free of any crystals or wax, liquid
Eating unsalted crackers and sipping room
honey is extracted from the comb in the hive by
temperature water between each tasting will
centrifugal force, gravity or straining. Whipped honey
help neutralize your palette. There are more than 300 different types of honey in the United States, each with a unique
is finely crystallized so that it is creamy and spreadable.
Comb honey is honey that comes as it was flavor and color depending on the blossoms visited by the honey bees. Single varietal honeys
HOW TO FIND VARIETAL HONEYS produced — in the honey bees’ wax comb.
Regional varietal honeys are most readily available at result when the honey bees gather nectar from the same type of flowers. This process is aided by
farmer’s markets and local specialty gourmet stores. Note: Honey should not be fed to babies under one beekeepers who strategically place their hives in an orchard or adjacent to a single type
year of age. Honey is a safe and wholesome food for
For more information about honey varietals and of flower and then carefully monitor the collection of the honey.
older children and adults.
suppliers, visit The Honey Locator — an online
honey search engine at www.honeylocator.com.
The percentage of fructose, glucose, amount and type of amino acids and the organic acids
vary by floral source that in turn determines the flavor of honey.

National Honey Board / 390 Lashley Street / Longmont, CO 80501 / www.honey.com

070101_honey_guide_2a 1 1/7/02, 4:09 PM