# Orange Blossom Honey



## radallo (Oct 28, 2015)

That's really a good question.

Many citrus plants can be harvested by bees, being lemon and orange the most cultivated.

From chemical and pollen perspective the honey cannot be distinguished. From a sensory point of view, there are thin differences, that are normally "lost" in few weeks after harvest, since the citrus honey is really "delicate".

Normally, producers are aware if their bees foraged on orange-solely or lemon-solely (or mandarine, lime, bitter orange...); moreover they experience their honey at its best (from a sensory perspective) so they might be aware of this thin differences.

I guess most of the southern states in US can produce OB honey, being Florida maybe the most famous.
Of course, if you ask me which is the best, so far... I can tell you that the Italian one is far better than anyone else (Spain, Turkey, US).. 

But I would be happy to taste much more from US and I think this question would be worthy of a more professional answer than the one I provided... I'd like to have a collection of single.origin citrus honey from the US, check them in lab and under the microscope, and finally set up a honey contest.. 

Do you think the effort would be worthy? Doable in late 2016? Do you know someone who would be interested in helping with the organization?


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## BeeAttitudes (Dec 6, 2014)

I'm all for it. Unfortunately, I don't have citrus honey and was looking for a source to buy or trade for some. 

Good luck with this project.


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## Laurence Hope (Aug 24, 2005)

I produce OB honey in California. At least that's what we call it. There may be lemon nectar to some degree and then some mix of different varieties of oranges and the flavor always seems to be similar. Some years it is more intensely flavored than others, and every year it seems to be a little different color, from almost water white to amber - mostly in the ELA range. I have taken this honey from the same locations for about 10 years now. Once it is heated to return to liquid from granulated, it gets a slight bit darker, but the slight heating does not seem to affect the flavor.

I have traded and sole my OB honey all over the U.S. and would be more than glad to trade you some - next crop. I will be out this week when deliveries are done, but let me know what you would like to do in trade for next April, and we'll go from there.


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## radallo (Oct 28, 2015)

Laurence Hope said:


> I have traded and sole my OB honey all over the U.S. and would be more than glad to trade you some - next crop. I will be out this week when deliveries are done, but let me know what you would like to do in trade for next April, and we'll go from there.


Thanks Laurence Hope! Good to start with a collaborative producer!

Right now we (me and US partner in the project) are filling an "official call" to deliver among beekeepers, beeclubs or any other usefull channel to spread the idea.

I have an document to send you with some data to fill when you will be ready to ship the honey (GPS location, harvesting time, ect...).

My US partner in this project is AHTS, since they share the goal (as you can see they already started collecting samples http://americanhoneytastingsociety.com/project-flavor-floral-mapping/ )

but do not use this form 
http://americanhoneytastingsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/09/HoneySubmissionForm.pdf
right now to ship the honey.

Please, write me your email through personal mailbox in this forum and I will send you the updated form to fill.

Right now we have no funds, we will fundraise on the way. 
Beekeepers will not be asked for money (just to pay the shipment.. that can be addressed to AHTS in Weston, CT), and they will have back the results of the analyses on their honey as soon as they are ready.

Anyone else interested in shipping a sample can pmail me his/her eddress.

Feel free to spread the news among anyone that can be interested!

Thanks!!:thumbsup::applause:


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