Can honey in the comb still be bought in Ireland?

98-00

I heard sometime ago that honeycomb cannot be sold anymore, something due to food safety. Is this true? Sounds crazy

hfallada

Its not true. Its as profitable to beekeepers are runny jar honey. It takes 6 pounds of honey to make a pound of bees wax

JohnK

The closest I've seen in a good while is a jar of honey with a stick of comb in the middle of it and that was in either Tesco or M&S so its sort of available.

98-00

At least I know it's out there, somewhere.
Thanks

Slaphead07

The Hopsack in Rathmines used to sell honeycomb from a bee keeper in Rathgar, they may still do.

the beer revolu

Mr Bell's in the English Market, Cork sells a Greek honey in a big, long comb. Pretty cheap too.

Animord

Yes, I have seen Irish honey in the comb in the last few months. At markets mostly.

Choochtown

http://www.ireland-guide.com/establishment/meadowsweet-apiaries.11077.html


Definitely sold here and it's fantastic stuff!

bpmurray

There are three possible forms to get this stuff:

• The old-fashioned frame comb stuff - the bees build the combs right inside the special frames and when the time comes the whole block is sold. This is actually difficult to manage int eh hive so it's unusual nowadays.
• Cut-comb which is the reasonably easy to get - try your local "health food" shop. This is where the comb is cut from the frame and put into containers whole, i.e. with wax and all.
• The third way was mentioned above, where a lump of cut-comb is put into a jar and topped up with honey.

For taste, get what's usually referred to as "raw" honey which is unpasteurised. Unfortunately the stuff in the supermarket is almost always heat-treated, and that way it loses its taste.

The reality is that if you want real honey you'll have to get it from a producer - find your nearest bee-keeper association and they'll put you in touch. An alternative might be some "natural" or "health" shops, but almost invariably they're small rather than the supermarkets who are only interested in the guaranteed safe nuked stuff.

Dermighty

the beer revolu wrote: »

Mr Bell's in the English Market, Cork sells a Greek honey in a big, long comb. Pretty cheap too.

Much of their honey looks nice but isn't.

To be fair Irish honey (actual Irish honey) is very good and I gladly pay the extra money for the taste.

the beer revolu

Dermighty wrote: »

Much of their honey looks nice but isn't.

To be fair Irish honey (actual Irish honey) is very good and I gladly pay the extra money for the taste.

Oh, the only honey we use at home comes from a farmer in West Cork.
I just mentioned the Greek stuff cause I saw it. No idea what it tastes like.

Jellybaby1

You will all be delighted to know that a request for a Beekeeping forum is under consideration and will I am sure happen as it is incredibly popular. Ireland's beekeepers will also be delighted that ye are all using their product!

Dizzyblonde

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

You will all be delighted to know that a request for a Beekeeping forum is under consideration and will I am sure happen as it is incredibly popular. Ireland's beekeepers will also be delighted that ye are all using their product!

Great news! Hope the request is granted

JONJO THE MISER

You can still get it, i know a few local shops in the country that sell it.

A Wave

bpmurray wrote: »

There are three possible forms to get this stuff:

• The old-fashioned frame comb stuff - the bees build the combs right inside the special frames and when the time comes the whole block is sold. This is actually difficult to manage int eh hive so it's unusual nowadays.
• Cut-comb which is the reasonably easy to get - try your local "health food" shop. This is where the comb is cut from the frame and put into containers whole, i.e. with wax and all.
• The third way was mentioned above, where a lump of cut-comb is put into a jar and topped up with honey.

For taste, get what's usually referred to as "raw" honey which is unpasteurised. Unfortunately the stuff in the supermarket is almost always heat-treated, and that way it loses its taste.

The reality is that if you want real honey you'll have to get it from a producer - find your nearest bee-keeper association and they'll put you in touch. An alternative might be some "natural" or "health" shops, but almost invariably they're small rather than the supermarkets who are only interested in the guaranteed safe nuked stuff.

Just to add some terms, to help anyone searching.

The first type is called "section honey", and is produced in square timber "sections". As pointed out, it takes skilled and time-consuming management to get the sections completed by the bees. This is especially true because the best conditions for producing these also tend to increase the propensity of the hive to swarm.
There have been a couple of people in Ireland doing "round sections" in plastic rings. I have not yet come across these for sale. The rings have no corners and are so a little easier to
get completed by the bees.

The second -the cut-comb honey- is available here and there but it can seem expensive compared to the price of "run" i.e. liquid honey. Price per kilo of normal (i.e. nice) Irish cut-comb honey historically is right up there with fillet steak. Way north of that (at €102/kg) Fortnum and Mason are offering a triple-pack of London honey (it's called "Honeycomb Taster Selection") if you want to have a look. But not all Irish comb honey is worth fillet steak money. It is highly variable in flavour, texture and wax thickness based on the flowers and the weather. But, I guess it is exactly that difference - the incredible, unmanufacturable flavours - rather than the intense sweetness that people like.

IF you can find a beekeeper within reach, they can always do a frame or two (I mean a super frame, about 350x140 mm) of cut-comb honey if you ask them early enough in the year. Sometimes the comb from the frame isn't cut up at all - it's served on a big plate at a wedding or at breakfast in somewhere like Monarts.

The third type is often called "chunk honey", where some pieces of cut-comb are put into a jar (often a wide-mouthed jar) and the jar filled up to weight with run honey.

HTH,
A Wave.