A reminder that the 2022 Joint Honey Show is being held at Hagley Free Church on Saturday 17th September. All NEWBKA beekeepers are invited to enter - whether in the Honey, Mead, Wax, Cake or other categories.
Alex Bignell has kindly provided some tips for entrants below:
Below I have set out a few tips which I have picked up over the years of entering items for honey shows. These are personal observations and particularly aimed at those who are considering entering for the first time and are a little daunted by the prospect and the paperwork.
Jars of Honey
These must be 1lb jars, are entered in pairs, and it is important that the two containers match in all respects - same batch of honey and jars, same style of closure - don’t mix metal and plastic lids.
Liquid Honey
I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that judges are looking for honey that is ‘clear and sparkling’, yes well I’ve certainly seen jars of honey that are somewhat cloudy but have still won prizes so perhaps you shouldn’t be too concerned if your final entry is not entirely clear as I guess that some honeys will never clear completely.
However, some cloudiness may be due to minute air bubbles, which are inevitable created when bottling. These will rise to the surface in time, so the thing to do is bottle your potential entries well in advance of the show (5-7 days if possible).
Dissipation of these minute air bubbles is aided by keeping the jars warm, perhaps in an airing cupboard. The bubbles end up as froth on the surface of the honey, often around the rim, which judges prefer not to see.
The trick is to slightly over-fill the jars, as you will remove about a quarter to a half of a teaspoon of honey in the process. Using a tapered teaspoon or coffee spoon, carefully remove the froth and a minimal amount of honey which you can always eat afterwards.
This brings us to how full should your jars be when you finally put them in the show. Judging is based on ‘honey ready for sale’ so a 1lb jar should contain a pound of honey. The only way the judge can assess this is to see how well a jar is filled. The rule of thumb is that, when held up to the light, the judge should not be able to see a gap between the bottom of the lid and the surface of the honey – anything less and the jar is underfilled and this will count against you. Also, he does not want to see jars which are overfilled. You should end up with the surface of the honey being about 2-3mm below the glass rim of the jar.
When the judge opens your jars he is assessing the honey’s aroma so it’s good if you can finally close up you jars a couple of day before the show so that this aroma can develop. Obviously, the lids you use should be clean and dry to start with but may become a little contaminated with honey in transit to the show. The judge is not bothered by this – don’t be tempted to put on fresh clean lids when you get to the venue. But take along a soft dry cloth so that you can give your entries a final polish as you set them up at the show.
When you book in your entries you will be given a pair of entry numbers written on sticky labels which should be affixed tidily close to the bottom of the jar (about half an inch up).
Honey Cake
Honey cakes are not difficult to make, particularly as all the ingredients are prescribed. If you make one do not be tempted to add any extra ingredients to spice it up – the judge is hoping to get a flavour of the honey used (perhaps a dark honey with a bit of ‘bite’ is the best) and will know if anything extra has been added.
The secret of a successful cake lies in the cooking, as honey cakes are notorious for easily getting burnt. The cooking temperature and timing given with the recipe are only guides – some people lower the temperature and extend the cooking time others turn the oven off a bit early and leave the cake in the oven to finish off in the residual heat – it’s up to you and your knowledge of your oven. The best way to exhibit the cake is to put it on a suitable plate (not your best china) and cover the lot with cling film.
Finally, give yourself plenty of time to book in and set up your entries – I would allow at least 20 minutes. Arrive early and avoid the last minute rush.
In summary having read the guidance notes and my little diatribe you’re probably still feeling somewhat uncertain about entering the Honey Show – don’t be. Why not take a couple of your best looking jars of honey from the same batch, appropriately filled and enter them in the Closed Branch (only open to NEWBKA Members) Class 9 (Light Honey) or Class 10 (Medium or Dark Honey) competition, without worrying too much about what I’ve said above or even the Guidance Notes.
Better still enter another couple of jars of the same honey into the Open Classes 13 or 14 (open to members of all three branches).
If you are a Novice (defined as a member of any branch who has not won a FIRST prize in any class in any previous Joint Branch Honey Show) you can enter a single jar in the Novice Class 26 and possibly you can run up a honey cake and enter Class 23
Don’t worry if you are uncertain whether your honey is light or dark, take a guess (most honeys are light) and ask on booking in.
Come on and join in – I’m sure you’ll find it rewarding and fun.
Alex Bignell