The honey harvested in the middle of May is an early bloom honey. On closer inspection you can see individual grains as well as interesting geometric patterns. The honey begins to crystallize. What does this mean?

Heilbronner Gartenhonig flows through two sieves directly after extraction, which retains wax particles. It is then clarified for one day in a closed steel container. During this process, even the smallest wax particles collect on the surface and are skimmed off from there. The liquid honey is then freshly filled into jars.

In order to increase the marketability of the honey, almost all beekeepers today subject honey to "controlled crystallisation": it is first inoculated with finely crystalline starter honey and then mechanically stirred several times a day over a longer period of time, whereby the resulting sugar crystals are broken down again and again until the desired creamy consistency is achieved. This treatment method has been used almost everywhere since the 1980s, "because the market wants it that way".

The garden beekeeper deliberately dispenses with this processing method. As a result, Heilbronner Gartenhonig hardly comes into contact with oxygen and air humidity. Crystallization starts naturally after a few weeks to months, depending on the composition of the honey and the storage conditions (light and temperature). It develops a consistency similar to Nutella from the refrigerator, which is just about spreadable.

Heilbronner Gartenhonig is the honey as the garden beekeeper knew and loved it as a child. It is therefore "natural" in a special way, and with its tenderly melting sugar crystals it is a very special delicacy. The garden beekeeper has searched for this honey for many years in vain, until he now produces it himself. It will awaken childhood memories in many people. So honey must.

By the way: In case you prefer it liquid, crystallized honey can be liquefied again by carefully warming it up to 40°C.