Why Does Honey Crystallize?

Pure, raw honey has a natural tendency to crystallize. Storing honey in a warm place will lessen the likelihood of it crystallizing. But, if it does crystallize, don't worry, it can be heated and returned to its liquid form.

The easiest way to do this is to put the jar of honey into a bowl or pan of hot water, or microwave the honey for just a few seconds.

Honey is made up of water along with fructose and glucose, two sugars that occur in varying amounts and contribute to the taste of the honey. Glucose which has a low solubility is unstable in water and will begin to form tiny crystals. fructose tends to hold its structure and remain liquid.

Honey that contains more glucose than fructose will crystallize faster than a honey with more fructose to glucose. According to honey expert, Zeke Freeman,"Crystallization actually preserves the flavor and quality of honey." Click here to read more about honey crystallization from Zeke.

The next time you find that your honey has crystallized, you may want to try it as is and discover a whole new way to enjoy this gift from the bees.

The Sweetness of Organic Honey

Apiculture, the art of bee keeping has been around for thousands of years.
One of the earliest depictions of humans stealing the precious gold syrup was found on a Mesolithic rock from about 7000 BC in Valencia, Spain. The drawing was used for a stamp to honor this long tradition. The etching is that of a female gathering the honey and that may be no coincidence, when it comes to bees, the females are the ones that do all the work.

The main players in the hive are the queen bee who lays eggs and 20,000 to 40,000 female worker bees that raise the larvae and gather the nectar from the flowers. They visit hundreds of flowers until their "honey stomach" is full. They fly back to the hive where they regurgitate the nectar from the flowers and the together with the other female bees they ingest the nectar and regurgitate again until the honey is ready for the honey comb.

The newly created honey still contains about 80% water and so the dance begins. All of the females fan their wings at the same time creating a draft that evaporates the water out of the honey preventing fermentation.

A Puremiel honey comb ready for extraction

The Spanish bees that create Puremiel's award winning honeys live in the foothills of the Sierra del Pinar mountain range in Sierra de Grazalema and Alcornocales natural parks near the Cadiz region of Andulacia, Spain. Puremiel Honeys are certified organic, because the foothills and parklands where they roam are untouched by chemical pesticides and other pollutants.

This delicious honey is available in 4 flavors, each with its own distinct flavor profile: Lavender, Eucalyptus,
Orange Blossom and Wild Forest.

Lavender 

Collected from the lavender hills of southern Spain. Clear in color, with an intense sweetness and persistent floral aroma. This honey was chosen as a sofi Silver Finalist in the honey and jam category through the National Association of Specialty Food Retailers from among thousands of entries.

Eucalyptus
Collected from eucalyptus trees grown in the alluvial plains of Guadalate in southern Spain, it has a dark color, woody scent and an intense lingering flavor with a slight acidity.

Orange Blossom
Collected from the alluvial plains of the river Guadalquivir, this honey has a clear golden color, floral scent and smooth exotic, and slight acidity, characteristic of the orange tree.

Wild Forest
Collected from one of the most treasured areas of Spain, the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Forest, a lush park in the southern region of Andalucía with the highest levels of rainfall in Spain. This dark honey is a delightful blend of sweetness and aroma.