Different types of honey
The plants from which bees collect nectar affect the taste, texture, and color of honey. Depending on the botanical origin, honey can crystallize or remain liquid for a long time. Honey that stays liquid includes domestic fireweed honey and acacia honey collected from abroad. Honey with a high fructose content is always liquid, meaning it remains runny and does not crystallize. However, Finnish honey typically crystallizes quickly.
Crystallization is due to the high glucose content of honey, making it a natural process. The rate of crystallization varies greatly; some honey may crystallize quite soon after extraction, while some may remain liquid for a relatively long time. Humans can also influence the crystallization of honey. By kneading honey during its crystallization phase, the crystallizing honey can be kept fine-grained and soft. This makes it easier to use.
What kind of honey is obtained from Finland?
During Finland's short summer, more plants bloom simultaneously. In this case, honey is collected from different plants and is generally called multiflower honey. Varietal honey is obtained when a specific honey plant blooms at a different time than others in the same region, and the honey made from its nectar is collected immediately after the plant's blooming period ends, so that other honeys do not have time to mix into it. Bees only visit a specific plant's flowers when they have no other options.
Kiteillä refers to coarse grains of dextrose, which some mistake for sugar added to honey. Nothing should ever be added to honey, and for example, adding sugar would not technically be possible because honey itself contains more sugar than a saturated sugar solution.
Does every honey taste different?
Every jar of honey is a unique product, tasting of both the beekeeper's craftsmanship and local conditions. Hunajayhtymä's honey is the only one in the field Quality standard system, where every process related to honey production and packaging always follows the same formula. This ensures the customer that every Honey Cooperative honey product is of consistent quality and taste.
In honey production areas, the taste, color, and composition of honey may change, but weather conditions in different years also affect the honey. The blooming period of flowers, the amount of rain and sun, and the bees' flight conditions in the area add their own spice to the honey, which a seasoned honey user may notice. Therefore, we recommend boldly experimenting with honey for different purposes and in different forms to find your favorite honey for different needs. Try different honeys for these recipes!
During a plentiful harvest, honey is usually somewhat lighter in color than at other times. This is because the amount of plant pigments is constant, and if a lot of nectar is secreted, the same amount of color is distributed among a larger quantity of honey than during a poor harvest.
Delicious honey products
All honeys to which another ingredient has been added are honey preparations. These are excellent products for various purposes due to their flavor combinations or consistency and are also suitable for special diets. For example, Hunajayhtymä's unique, liquid Mieliset are a combination of dietary fiber and traditional honey. By modifying the composition of traditional honey, a product is obtained that always remains in liquid form and is also suitable for those who find original honey too sweet. In honey products, the flavor world is limitless, and almost anything can be mixed with honey, from herbs to berries and from salmiak to caramel.
