The Honey Stop specializes in local raw honey.

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We want you to know exactly what you're buying. 

Here are a few basic FAQS about the honey we sell: 

 

 

What does "local" mean? Where does the honey come from?

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Very generally speaking, honey produced in Utah has two sources:

pollination service companies and backyard/hobbyist beekeepers.

Pollination of Alfalfa accounts for most of Utah's honey production.

Clover is a distant second. Farmers rent hives to maximize yield,

and honey is the byproduct. The Honey Stop sources alfalfa/clover honey

from commercial beekeepers in Salt Lake and adjacent counties.

We consider this local honey.

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Honey produced by hobbyists represents a tiny fraction of the Utah market.

 We call this backyard honey, and supply is limited. Bees gather nectar from the valley's residential gardens, roadside patches and ornamental landscapes.

In this case, local could literally mean your own backyard.

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What kind of honey is it? How does it taste?

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Alfalfa honey has a very traditional flavor that is smooth, mild and hardy.  

It's a versatile table honey that is also excellent for baking or waking

with coffee or tea. The rather neutral flavor won't impart its will

upon your morning cup.  Earl Grey comes through unscathed. 

When blended with clover, you may notice a pleasant, yet subtle,

essence of cinnamon and spice.

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Backyard honey is wildflower honey. The nectar comes from whichever flowers

the bees decide to visit, resulting in a wide variety of unique honeys.

In the Salt Lake valley, bees forage locust and linden blossoms, mint, sage,

lavender, vetch, thistle, sunflower, goldenrod, dandelion and many others.

The flavor is often variable, and always phenomenal.

Expect a light, minty citrus zing in the spring, and earthy caramel by fall.

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What is raw honey?

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This description has been exploited by packagers without regard for the true meaning of the word, as it relates to honey. Raw honey is simply honey as it

exists in the hive, unchanged and unmodified. Other than a simple procedure

to separate the honey from the comb, raw means unprocessed.

Truly raw honey is never warmer than the beehive, and never filtered.  

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This doesn't necessarily mean that raw honey is full of wax and other debris.

It might be, depending on procedure and equipment available.

When honey is allowed to sit for a few days, contaminates settle at the surface. Pouring from the bottom of the container results in clear, clean unfiltered honey.

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Why does honey granulate?

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Because it's not syrup. Crystallization of honey is normal because it contains

a significant amount of glucose, and that's how glucose behaves - it crystallizes.

This happens as honey cools after removal from the hive. Within certain temperature ranges, the available water in honey is not sufficient to hold the glucose in suspension so it precipitates into a solid. Some honeys granulate much faster than others, depending primarily on the composition of the nectar. 

 

Be not skeptical of granulated honey, but rather of honey that forever remains liquid. Fructose does not granulate. And many packers heat and filter their

honey because it delays crystallization. Liquid honey sells better.

Unfortunately, such processing compromises flavor and nutritional value.

Enzymes are destroyed and bioactivity is flatlined.

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Is all your honey local?

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No! There's many amazing honeys and you should try them all.  

We bring in unique varietals from all over the world. We do this mostly during

the off-season to keep things interesting until the next harvest.

Some of the honeys you may find in our store at different times include:

radish, avocado, snowberry, buckwheat, sunflower, thyme, black locust, blackberry, cranberry, galberry, tupelo, palmetto, orange, lavender, sourwood and more!

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