Blás Awards - Sting in the tale

Jellybaby1

If anyone is entering honey for this year's Blás Awards, you might be interested in this. Anyone know how they actually judge honey? Do they just taste a spoonful? This is reminiscent of Peckham Spring Water (from Only Fools and Horses)!

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/new-tests-on-honey-sold-by-couple-in-suicide-pact-31256941.html

Qualitymark

Indo has it wrong; it's not Blás but Blas (no fada). It's the Irish for 'taste'.

Jellybaby1

Apologies for that fada.

bpmurray

Judging honey isn't as simply as tasting a spoonful. They first check the jar(s) and how it looks - most fail at this stage. If the honey gets past the visual part, it gets into the taste part, and they consider all sorts of thing - beyond me, really.

Jellybaby1

The report says an award was won. But as they are re-testing we must wait to see what they find.

bpmurray

I heard about her honey - the rumour at the time was that it was cheap stuff imported from China. It should be easy to check from pollen - if there's none, it's been over-filtered, and consequently it can't be marketed as honey in the EU, or if the pollen is of non-Irish plants, it's a dead giveaway that it's not from her bees.

Qualitymark

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Apologies for that fada.

Heh, wasn't getting at you - it annoys me that the Indo can't be bothered, though.

I don't think agricultural show judges are normally expected to test pollen; it's a matter of trust, normally, and according to this

http://www.sydneyroyal.com.au/Showing_Honey_at_Agricultural_Shows_FINAL_2.pdf

they judge on things like aroma, clarity, pour, taste and so on. Nobody expects someone to bring in may-be-from-several-countries honey and pass it off as her own (bees') work!

Blas has a page on this: http://www.irishfoodawards.com/clarification-query-regarding-irish-bee-sensations-honey/

This is from when the late winner was still alive: http://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/news/psni-and-garda-seek-food-festival-winner-31161258.html

Jellybaby1

I get quite angry over this sort of thing, especially as I know a man who is a beekeeper and he is a most diligent and honest man when it comes to his bees and his honey. This carry on sours things for everyone else involved, judges and entrants alike.

Qualitymark

Maybe they need to send a sample from winners to be pollen-tested, and publicise this - that would soon end cheating.

Jellybaby1

This is probably just the one time it happened, but it might give other dubious characters ideas, so probably better in the long run to get it tested in my opinion.