Winning At Honey with Stephanie: Preparing Honey for Competition

Preparing Honey for Competition

Stephanie Slater
Hello everyone, and welcome to Winning at Honey with Stephanie. This Beekeeping Today podcast short is all about bite-sized conversations where we explore honey Shows, judging tips, and the art of exhibiting award-winning honey.

I'm your host, Stephanie Slater, and I'm excited to be back with you again. This month we're talking about one of my favorite topics. Preparing extracted honey for competition.

I'll also share a brief conversation I had with Brutz English, the president of the American Honey Judges Association about the future of honey judging, and as always, we'll wrap up with this month's Honey Show Spotlight. July absolutely flew by, but I was able to check a few important things off my beekeeping to-do list I got my Honey for Good Black Jar contest entry in the mail before that July 31st deadline. We're wrapping up the review of the 2027 Midwest Honey Bee Expo Honey Show Rules.

Spoiler alert, we're adding flavored creamed honey and pollen as categories in case you want to start preparing early. and I judge the first of three county fair honey shows that I've committed to this season. Unfortunately, I had to cancel my trip to Kentucky for the Eastern Apicultural Society Conference because of a medical issue I was really looking forward to the conference, especially the honey show, and catching up with so many friends and fellow beekeepers.

Thankfully, the entries I had prepared won't go to waste. I can use them in another honey show this fall. So I guess I'm actually a little ahead of schedule.

The good news is I've already marked my calendar for next year's EAS conference in Indiana. It's even closer to home, and I'm really looking forward to being there. In the meantime, my focus has shifted to the Wisconsin State Fair, which kicks off on August 6th.

For all 11 days of the fair, the Wisconsin Honey Producers Association operates a booth where we sell honey, beeswax items, and other hive products while educating thousands of visitors about honey bees One of our biggest attractions is our observation hive, where fairgoers can watch a colony of bees at work. And if you've ever been to the Wisconsin State Fair, you know our honey lemonade and honey ice cream have developed quite a following. They're definitely crowd favorites.

And I'm also excited to have my award-winning honey and candles on display at the State Fair as well. It's a busy time of year. But it's also one of my favorite times because it gives us so many opportunities to share our passion for bees and beekeeping with the public Speaking of sharing our passion for beekeeping, one of the highlights of June was attending the American Honey Judges Association Honey Judge Academy in Tennessee.

The weekend was packed with education, networking, and exciting conversations about the future of honey judging. We spent time reviewing program changes, sharpening our judging skills. And learning from fellow judges and candidates from across the country.

There are so many exciting things happening within the HJA New committees are helping distribute the workload, and I was happy to join the communications committee. I'm also excited to see what swag the marketing committee comes up with. Even more exciting, the organization is expanding beyond the traditional judge and senior judge tracks to create additional educational opportunities for members.

One of the people helping guide those efforts is Brutz English. While I was at the academy, I had the opportunity to ask him what excites him most about the future of the American Honey Judges Association. Hello podcast listeners. This is Stephanie Slater and I come to you from Tennessee where we have a whole group of honey judges gathering for the American Honey Judges Academy here at the end of June. And I want you to meet my good friend Brutz English.

Good evening. Thanks for joining me today, Brutz. So we've learned earlier in June that there's some great organizational changes happening with the Honey Judges Association.

And I thought maybe you could just tell our listeners about some of the exciting things that are happening.

Brutz English
Sure, we have just been growing by leaps and bounds over the last couple years. We've we've had over five hundred people across the country take our honey judge training program now, and we have Over four hundred active participants pursuing their Honey Judge certification across thirty-eight states. And we we have him been experiencing some growing pains along the way.

And We realize that it's time for us to make some changes, to to evolve and get more organized in the way our organization is set up and the way we run. And it is a very exciting thing going on right now. We have been well running under the branding of the American Honey Show Training Council.

um for the last few years, but we are going to move into a formal association with elected leadership and with uh um representative governance And we're gonna change the banner from the American Honey Show Training Council to the American Honey Judges Association, commonly referred to as the HJA. And we're going to be spending the rest of 2026 enacting these changes and getting our new structure in place and we're looking forward to rolling out the new program entirely in the beginning of twenty twenty-seven.

Stephanie Slater
That is so exciting. I didn't realize we had 500 people go through the program and we still have 400 active. That's incredible.

Brutz English
Well people like the the structure and the organization of our program. They like our use of uniform rules and our uniformly trained judges. It helps people to understand and be able to prepare for honey shows and know what to expect.

When they see that white coat and that white hat, they know they're getting a trained professional. They know what those judges are going to be looking for. It gives them confidence in the outcome and in the process and ultimately in the results of the honey show.

Stephanie Slater
That is so cool. So talk to me a little bit more about some of those changes that we might expect to see then um starting next year.

Brutz English
Sure, we have been running sort of as a as a uh a very loose association uh up to this point, but we're going to have officer elections Um in December. We're going to have an elected board as well as a few executive directors that are going to be the decision makers and the policy setters for our organization We're also going to set up a number of committees and start utilizing more of our talent and getting more of our members invested in the day-to-day operations and the the governance of our organization. We really We've recognized that we have a rich pool of resources in our people now, and we want to find a way to get more of our participants voice and stake in our operations

Stephanie Slater
You know, that's so true. Just looking around the room today with the fellow there's what fifty people in the room for this academy and You know, we've got somebody that has done work on the website. We've got somebody that's ordering merchandise with the new logo.

We've got somebody else that's taking headshots to add to the website. I mean, there's so many good things happening, and these are all people that you're a part of the program that you've seen that talent and you've delegated some of this out. And so I see it even growing larger.

Do you agree?

Brutz English
Oh absolutely. The the popularity of this program um has grown exponentially over the last even just five years. We've been around for uh about twenty-five years now, twenty-six years, but we've gone from starting off in the state of Georgia um for several years and now we're acros got people in thirty-eight states across the country.

Wow um from coast to coast, from from New York to Florida. To Arizona, to Oregon. They're all over the place.

And we're we're fortunate that we're getting some of the most talented people in the beekeeping community signing up for our program.

Stephanie Slater
Well that that is really cool. It's really exciting. So, you know, I just want to thank you and Steve and and some of the other people that have really grown this to this point that you now have these growing pains.

And you've given the rest of us this opportunity to participate in something that's fun and rewarding. And it's kind of a little superpower. It's you know, it's just like you said earlier.

It's the beekeeping world is small and then the honey show world is even smaller within. And um, but I look at things like the North American Honey and Beeswax Championship. I don't know how much longer we call ourselves small.

I mean it's growing.

Brutz English
Would you agree? Absolutely. We we've been very fortunate we've been able to engage with some big events throughout the year.

Um, the North American Honey Bee Expo, commonly called Nobby in Louisville, the Midwest Beekeeping Expo, a number of state, a double handful of state organizations that use our program. um including Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, the Virginias, um, Missouri. The list just goes on and on and it grows every year.

Stephanie Slater
Incredible. Alright. So what's the what's the goal for the number of entries in January?

Brutz English
In January bee expo, I'm gonna I'm gonna go large. I'd like to see 2,000. Two thousand.

The year before, but the expo is growing. I understand Cayman's gonna try to Worked for 5,000 participants this year. And I I'd love to see 300 300 honey show participants at least and 2,000 exhibits.

That's that's where we're gunning for. Um we're easily the largest beekeepers honey show in North America right now. But um I'd like to chase down my buddies across the pond and give the British National a little competition.

And we can do it. We're the best here in the United States You just gotta bring your stuff to the honey show and show them how it's done.

Stephanie Slater
I love that challenge. So I'd like to challenge everybody out there to bring at least one entry. And if they only brought one entry, Rutz, what would you recommend?

Brutz English
The easy peasy one is the black jar. If you can go scrape a chunk of beeswax and honey into a ziploc bag from a frame in your hive and get it to the honey show, you got a black jar entry. It is so easy.

It requires no skill, no real planning or preparation. Just get some of your honey to the honey show, and we'll give you the black jar. All you gotta do is bring it.

Stephanie Slater
Fantastic. So I recommend that everybody keep their eyes open to the website for when those rules get posted and you can see I mean there's clo over 70 categories often. Um so there's something for everyone.

But yes, blackjar is the way to go. So as we wrap up this interview, Bruts, I want to thank you for your time. I want to thank you for putting on such a great event for us here in Tennessee.

Is there any last things that you want to say?

Brutz English
You know, if you're out there in the beekeeping world and you enjoy teaching, you enjoy showing people things you enjoy educating your fellow beekeepers or you just like seeing the cool new thing before anybody else. Honey judging may be the ticket for you. Look us up, look into us you might find that this is just the niche you've been looking for and we'd love to have you. We have a great time together and we'd love to have you be part of our family.

Stephanie Slater
Oh thank you Brutz. Well said. I was thinking back when we met, I think it was 2022 And I took the class thinking, well, this will make me be a better competitor.

I had no thoughts of even becoming a honey judge. And here we are. By the end of that day, by the end of that class, I said, challenge accepted.

Brutz English
It is so much fun. We have a great time doing this, and the people in this program are just fantastic to work with. Everybody enjoys it.

You know, it's a volunteer thing, and we all want to make each other experience as positive as possible. And the esprit de corps, the group morale is better than I could ever have hoped for. We have just great folks and Almost all of us look forward to every opportunity we have to get together with our fellow honey judges.

It's it is a lot of fun and it is a very rewarding endeavor.

Stephanie Slater
I absolutely agree with you 100%. Well, thanks again for your time today, Brutz, and Safe Travels Back. And listeners, thanks for your time, and you have a great one. I couldn't agree with Brutz more. The enthusiasm surrounding honey judging is contagious right now.

And it got me thinking about one of the questions I'm asked most often. How do I prepare my honey for competition? Since we're right in the middle of honey harvest and fair season, this seems like the perfect time to talk about preparing extracted honey for the show bench.

If you're new to honey shows, extracted honey is one of the easiest and most approachable categories to enter. Other than a black jar category, it's probably the best place to start. because most beekeepers can easily set aside two to four pounds of honey for competition.

In fact, extracted honey is the very first category I entered. And for my first few years of exhibiting, it was the only category I competed in. It's a great way to learn the judging process and build confidence before branching out into other categories And my first piece of advice is simple.

Time is your friend. Bottle your show honey several weeks before the honey show and store it in a warm location. This gives tiny air bubbles plenty of time to rise to the surface.

At this stage it's perfectly fine to slightly overfill the jars because you'll skim off the foam just before the show. If you try to fill a show jar the night before a honey show, I guarantee you will not win a ribbon. Pro tip alert, always prepare one extra jar beyond what the rules require.

That extra jar can save the day if you accidentally skim too much honey, tip over a jar, or discover a defect at the last minute. And if you don't need it, that extra jar makes a perfect black jar entry. Before you bottle anything, read the rules carefully.

Every honey show has its own rules, and following those rules is part of the judging process. One question I hear all the time is whether exhibitors should put labels on their jars. In honey shows, judging is done anonymously, so don't put labels on your jars before check-in Some shows, like the Wisconsin State Fair and the American Honey Show, ask exhibitors to submit labels with their entry forms.

Once judging is complete, the stewards apply the labels before the exhibits go on display or are auctioned. Honey shows sanctioned by the American Honey Judges Association don't use labels, so you can just leave them at home Now that your honey is bottled and ready for check-in, let's move to the other side of the judging table. What are judges actually looking for?

Our goal is to determine whether your honey was harvested, processed, packaged, and handled properly. We evaluate the cleanliness of the jar and lid, uniformity of the jars and lids. Fill level, clarity, moisture content, and whether the honey contains any objectionable aromas or flavors.

Contrary to what many people think, we're not looking for the best tasting honey. Instead, we're looking for defects that the producer can control. Smoke, fermentation, chemicals, bee repellents, soap, or other off odors suggest the honey wasn't handled properly The same is true visually.

B parts, wax, pollen, lint, dirt, hair, crystallization, or even excessive bubbles can all cost valuable points Once a jar passes the initial inspection, the judge may use a polariscope or shine a flashlight through the honey. It's amazing how many tiny imperfections suddenly become visible. Even a small piece of debris can move an entry out of serious competition.

Of course, many of those defects can be prevented long before you ever fill a jar. Great show honey really begins in the bee yard. Use escapeboards, bee brushes, shaking or blowers to remove bees from the supers.

Avoid using smoke to clear honey supers smoke can leave tiny black specks in the honey and on the cappings and may create off odors. If you use a fume board, be careful not to overdo it. Too much repellent or leaving it on too long can also leave objectionable odors.

Once the supers make it back to the honey house, careful handling becomes just as important. Warm the combs only slightly if necessary, but never overheat the honey. Spin the frame slowly and strain carefully.

One technique I really like is hanging the strainer near the bottom of the pail As the pail fills, slowly raise the strainer so the honey flows gently instead of splashing through the air and incorporating unnecessary bubbles. Strainers of 200 or less microns is what you want to use when preparing show honey. Now that you've got beautifully strained honey, the final step is getting it into the jars.

And this is where many exhibitors either gain or lose valuable points. Every jar should be filled exactly to the same level. The correct fill level is at the top of the fill ring.

The raised ring just above the shoulder of the jar and below the threads. Because honey naturally forms a slight concave curve called a meniscus, the edge of that meniscus should just touch the top of the fill ring without going over. And to be honest with you, I find this step to be the most challenging.

Use identical jars with matching lids. Metal or plastic lids are both acceptable as long as they all match and are in good, clean condition. Don't use tamper-proof seals and remove the inner seals from the plastic lids of your show jars.

Before we wrap up, let me leave you with a few more of my favorite pro tips. Bring extra lids to the show in case one gets scratched or dented. Polish every jar with a lint-free cloth to remove fingerprints.

Use a piece of plastic cling wrap to lift off any remaining foam or dust from the honey's surface. If your jars have printed lot numbers that can be removed, clean them off with rubbing alcohol or a magic eraser. However Many newer jars have etched lot numbers that can't be removed.

Finally, make sure you're entering the correct color category. Most honey shows use three color categories, light, amber, and dark. While others use all seven Pfund classifications, I like using a Jacks scale to help determine the proper category before submitting my entries.

Preparing honey for competition doesn't require fancy equipment or expensive gadgets. It requires patience, consistency, and attention to detail. Those little details are often what separate a ribbon-winning exhibit from one that simply blends into the crowd.

Now that we've talked about preparing an award-winning exhibit, let's find a place to enter one. It's time for this month's Honey Show Spotlight. This month we're headed to Morgantown, West Virginia for the West Virginia Beekeepers Association's Bee Fair and Honey Show on September 18th and 19th at Myland Park.

Whether you're a brand new beekeeper or you've been keeping bees for decades, there's something for everyone. The event features nationally recognized speakers, hands-on hive demonstrations. Youth Activities, a large vendor marketplace, and one of the region's largest honey shows with more than 40 categories If you're interested in honey judging, there's an added bonus this year.

The American Honey Judges Association will be offering a Honey Judge training course. making this a wonderful opportunity to sharpen your skills or begin your journey toward becoming a certified honey judge. And it isn't all classroom learning.

You'll find live Hive demonstrations, plenty of vendors, fun competitions like the Hive Tool throwing competition, and even a bee beard demonstration. It really sounds like a weekend that combines education with a lot of fun. A special thank you to Mike Lamp, the president of the West Virginia Beekeepers Association, for sharing information about this event.

I have to admit, that hive tool throwing competition has definitely caught my attention. I can't wait to hear all about it The month of August offers several opportunities to exhibit your honey, and here's just a few. The Tennessee State Fair Honey Show, the Randolph County Honey Show in North Carolina, the Down East Honey Show in North Carolina, the Beckley Honey Festival Honey Show in West Virginia, and the West Virginia State Honey Festival Honey Show.

You can find information on these and many other honey shows at honeyshowusa.com Whether you're entering your very first jar of honey or chasing another championship ribbon, I hope you'll put your honey on the showbench this season. Every honey show makes us better beekeepers, and I'd love to hear how you do.

So until next month, blue skies and blue ribbons, I'll catch you next time. Well,