Called the “Champagne of Honey," fireweed honey is made from bees that are near acres of fireweed fields. This raw, unpasteurized honey brings a unique, light, and natural taste to any cup of tea. Our Alaskan Fireweed Honey has a very high sugar and low moisture content.
Background on Alaskan Fireweed Honey:
In cold weather - even when there’s no frost, raw unfiltered Alaskan honey will solidify. In the summers, the temperature of the hive is around 125°F due to the movement of the bees.
Some raw honey becomes crystalized in lower temperatures depending on the flowers the bees collect nectar from. The higher the sugar content of the flowers/plants, the easier it is for the honey to be solid at normal - or even higher, temperatures. For example, there is honey in Africa, where it’s typically 100°F, and the honey is chiseled out because it’s solid. The markets in those communities won’t buy liquid honey because they think it’s watered down. They are used to having very high sugar and sweetness in those honey with very low water content. They will add honey to soup, tea, or coffee, which have a boiling temperature of about 205°F to dissolve the honey.
Color of Fireweed Honey:
The color of the fireweed honey you receive will vary depending on the season the honey was harvested, the location of the fireweed plant, and because our honey is unfiltered. Our fireweed honey collected earlier in the season (spring / summer) will usually be darker in color, has a stronger flavor, and is more nutrient-dense. The harvested fireweed honey in the fall is typically light golden in color and milder in flavor.
How we package our honey:
We bottle our honey in a special water jacket to keep the honey warm, while careful to not overheat the honey and keep it liquified. Our raw honey is unpasteurized to maintain the healthy enzymes that make honey beneficial.
Honey ordered during the winter will take time to become fluid, especially being stored outside in transit and unheated warehouses. That’s why all of our containers are wide enough for a butterknife. It’s the perfect size for friends and family to scoop out and put in a nice cup of tea.
Recommendations for use:
Heat the fireweed honey in a warm water bath to liquify. We do not recommend using a microwave because it will overheat the sugar and turn it into a candy.
Add a spoonful of honey to your favorite warm beverages or culinary dishes.
