Shipston Beekeepers ‘Bring and Taste’ Honey Show 2021

We don’t do a ‘normal’ Honey Show at Shipston Beekeepers, at least not for the last 2 years.

Rather, we have an event where members can bring along any hive products (candles, honey, mead, wax, cut comb, biscuits, cakes…..) where they will be ‘judged’ by one of our members who is a qualified honey show judge.

We don’t reject any entry simply because it does not meet honey show entry standards but feedback is given against show standards and expectations.

But the best bit is once the food and drink items have been ‘judged’ they are passed round the room for everyone to have a taste. This year we had hundreds of tasting sticks (for honey), and asked everyone to wear vinyl gloves so this bit could be done in a Covid-safe way.

We had around 25 members put in entries to our 2021 show and a great variety of entries – more than the last show in 2019. A good evening was had by all.

  • Douglas explaining how he will work though all the entries
  • Lighting a candle to check it burns properly
  • Grading honey
  • Checking for impurities
  • Tasting!
  • This is very dark honey – oh no, it’s……
  • Wax sheets should have no particles in them
  • Good distribution of fruit
  • Ah, mead
  • Checking the ‘swirl’
  • Ooh, that’s good….
  • Mead going round the room for tasting
  • Now what to choose as ‘best in show’?

Now we all know Douglas does like mead. But he surprised us all (and himself) and Best In Show went to

A jar of Seville Orange and Honey Marmalade. Well done Margery Blower, seen here holding the
John Castle Memorial Plate for Best in Show.