honey in bulk

For those making mead and related drinks
fatbloke

Re: honey in bulk

Post by fatbloke » Sun Feb 16, 2014 5:17 pm

Capn Ahab wrote:Cheers fb. Keep us posted.
It's worked out at €112.23 for a 12.5kg bucket of Buckwheat honey. That's 27.5lb per bucket and last time I checked, it worked out at £3.30 per pound, so definitely comprable to supermarket pricing here - and that includes the German VAT and shipping cost etc.

Don't know how long it will take to arrive, but it's coming "parcel service".

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Cpt.Frederickson
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Re: honey in bulk

Post by Cpt.Frederickson » Sun Feb 23, 2014 4:00 am

Cheers for the linky there FB! I'll be looking into that in the near future I expect...
Got a batch of RewaRewa planned first though :)
Last edited by Cpt.Frederickson on Sun May 18, 2014 5:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The Hand of Doom Brewery and Meadery
Fermenting -
Conditioning - Meads - Raspberry Melomel yeast test, Vanilla Cinnamon Metheglyn, Orange Melomel.
Drinking - Youngs AAA Kit; Leatherwood Traditional Mead, Cyser, Ginger Metheglyn.
Planning - Some kits until I can get back to AG, then a hoppy porter, Jim's ESB, some American Red.

fatbloke

Re: honey in bulk

Post by fatbloke » Sun Feb 23, 2014 3:45 pm

Well after about a week of getting ponced around at work, I managed to ring the bank to make the transfer last sunday, they'd included the necessary bank info to transfer the money (they use stuff called a DBAN number and a SWIFT code).

I emailed them to say it was on it's way - my bank said 2 working days, but Walter Lang emailed back to say it had arrived the monday and they'd be despatching the following day.

This end was ParcelForce, who attempted it on thursday, but carded me and it was left with the Post Office round the corner, so I just had to go and pick it up yesterday morning......

picture here.

Over all, I'm very pleased with it, and with their customer service, which has been very useful/helpful.

Now I know the routine, I'll happily use them for other varieties that aren't available through the usual routes.......

The honey itself ? Well it's labelled as being from the Ukraine. Like the Buckwheat that Marek over at Gotmead helped me to get, it's not as dark as some of the descriptions of the same variety from the US. Taste-wise, not as sweet as some types but with a distinct malt-like note. This batch is also labelled as "cremig" a.k.a. creamy, so I'm presuming that they do it like "set" honey or runny honey, not that it makes much difference as it will still dissolve once mixed in.

Worth the effort.....

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awalker
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Re: honey in bulk

Post by awalker » Sun May 18, 2014 4:22 pm

I now keep bees and contrary to what Bristol bbka say most seem to produce more than 8kg ;)

Being a small producer (I .e. hobby)I get 150 pounds a harvest. Normally two harvests a year as chive legs says.
So 5-8kg is not a problem.

So might be worth contacting a few more beekeepers.
Fermenter(s): Lambic, Wheat beer, Amrillo/Cascade Beer
Cornys: Hobgoblin clone, Four Shades Stout, Wheat Beer, Amarillo/Cascade Ale, Apple Wine, Cider, Damson Wine, Ginger Beer

fatbloke

Re: honey in bulk

Post by fatbloke » Sun May 18, 2014 5:43 pm

awalker wrote:I now keep bees and contrary to what Bristol bbka say most seem to produce more than 8kg ;)

Being a small producer (I .e. hobby)I get 150 pounds a harvest. Normally two harvests a year as chive legs says.
So 5-8kg is not a problem.

So might be worth contacting a few more beekeepers.
Problem is, us lot who make mead don't want to pay the kind of numbers that "some" hobby apiarist think their honey is worth.

I'm happy for the £3 a pound sort of level as a max, but some want retail levels. Fine if they can get it but if I'm supplying the bucket for just straight extracted raw wild flower, then £2 - £2.50 isn't a bad level (Paynes do "blossom" honey for that and less if I get 25kg bucket).

Hence what I gave for the bucket of Buckwheat was, IMO, reasonable........

Some of tbe prices you see on ebay are just stupid......

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awalker
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Re: honey in bulk

Post by awalker » Wed May 21, 2014 3:38 pm

fatbloke wrote:
awalker wrote:I now keep bees and contrary to what Bristol bbka say most seem to produce more than 8kg ;)

Being a small producer (I .e. hobby)I get 150 pounds a harvest. Normally two harvests a year as chive legs says.
So 5-8kg is not a problem.

So might be worth contacting a few more beekeepers.
Problem is, us lot who make mead don't want to pay the kind of numbers that "some" hobby apiarist think their honey is worth.

I'm happy for the £3 a pound sort of level as a max, but some want retail levels. Fine if they can get it but if I'm supplying the bucket for just straight extracted raw wild flower, then £2 - £2.50 isn't a bad level (Paynes do "blossom" honey for that and less if I get 25kg bucket).

Hence what I gave for the bucket of Buckwheat was, IMO, reasonable........

Some of tbe prices you see on ebay are just stupid......
fatbloke wrote:
awalker wrote:I now keep bees and contrary to what Bristol bbka say most seem to produce more than 8kg ;)

Being a small producer (I .e. hobby)I get 150 pounds a harvest. Normally two harvests a year as chive legs says.
So 5-8kg is not a problem.

So might be worth contacting a few more beekeepers.
Problem is, us lot who make mead don't want to pay the kind of numbers that "some" hobby apiarist think their honey is worth.

I'm happy for the £3 a pound sort of level as a max, but some want retail levels. Fine if they can get it but if I'm supplying the bucket for just straight extracted raw wild flower, then £2 - £2.50 isn't a bad level (Paynes do "blossom" honey for that and less if I get 25kg bucket).

Hence what I gave for the bucket of Buckwheat was, IMO, reasonable........

Some of tbe prices you see on ebay are just stupid......

I know you are right.

But not all hobby beekeepers are like that. I sell it just so the bees pay for thier own upkeep.

My 1lb jars go for £3.50.
I am happy to bulk for less not sure I will ever be able to undercut paynes though.
Fermenter(s): Lambic, Wheat beer, Amrillo/Cascade Beer
Cornys: Hobgoblin clone, Four Shades Stout, Wheat Beer, Amarillo/Cascade Ale, Apple Wine, Cider, Damson Wine, Ginger Beer

primegd

Re: honey in bulk

Post by primegd » Thu Jan 07, 2016 9:34 pm


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Wonkydonkey
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Re: honey in bulk

Post by Wonkydonkey » Fri Jan 08, 2016 10:29 am

I,m a beekeeper, and paynes is just up the road from me, from what I've been told, they have over a 1000 hives. Which is why I guess they can sell it at the price they sell it for. But if you look at the price of a jar in a shop it's about the same as any other local honey.

Anyhow the going rate for a 1lb jar is about £3.50 to shops, then some shops mark it up 30-40% and some add more than 40%.
if you buy in bulk, ie not lb jars you can get it a bit cheaper, but it depends on the beekeeper and how good or bad the last few yrs have been.

Imported honey can be cheaper, but it depends on where it comes from and what the local price is, exchange rate, shipping cost etc.

And one last thing honey is honey, there's no dreggs, I make mead by washing the wax cappings, which would otherwise be given back to the bees to lick clean.
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demig
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Re: honey in bulk

Post by demig » Fri Jan 08, 2016 4:21 pm

Wonkydonkey wrote:...but it depends on the beekeeper and how good or bad the last few yrs have been.

And one last thing honey is honey, there's no dreggs, I make mead by washing the wax cappings, which would otherwise be given back to the bees to lick clean.
Quite I'm a beekeeper in Northumberland and couldn't sell my honey at 3.50 based on last years harvest, would be quite a bit more!

Total agree about the dregs, honey is honey and honey washed from capping for mead is just the same as honey drained from capping into a jar. Honey is sticky and washing it off to make mead is therefore an excellent idea :)

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