Toggle sidebar

Price of honey

  • PATRONS: Did you know we've a chat function for you now? Look to the bottom of the screen, you can chat, set up rooms, talk to each other individually or in groups! Click 'Chat' at the right side of the chat window to open the chat up.
  • Love Gotmead and want to see it grow? Then consider supporting the site and becoming a Patron! If you're logged in, click on your username to the right of the menu to see how as little as $30/year can get you access to the patron areas and the patron Facebook group and to support Gotmead!
  • We now have a Patron-exclusive Facebook group! Patrons my join at The Gotmead Patron Group. You MUST answer the questions, providing your Patron membership, when you request to join so I can verify your Patron membership. If the questions aren't answered, the request will be turned down.
Barrel Char Wood Products
Golddiggie

Golddiggie

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Nov 22, 2010
472
0
16
Nashua, NH (USA)
photo.golddiggie.com
I've been searching for a good source/supplier of honey, that won't cost me both nuts per bucket/pound... My initial batch (40 pounds) ran me $5/pound :o (ouch)... A local apiary wants $200 for 30 pounds :eek: (OUCH!!!)... Don't care how good THEY think it is, that freaking HURTS!!!

As of late last week, I think I've located a reasonable supplier for honey... 5 gallon bucket (so 60 pounds) of good wildflower honey costs $105 from them... Basically $1.75 per pound ;D ... I don't recall seeing it anyplace else for that good a price, for quality honey (the quality they say it is)... Only catch is the place is only open two days a week (Friday and Sunday) so I need to get there Friday (they're open 9-1) in time to get my bucket...

I'm interested to know what other people are spending for their honey (when needing to buy it)...
 
We can get it for as little as AUD$5/kilo (approx USD$2.25/lb)
but good quality honey is most commonly bought at $8-$10/kg ($4-$5/lb)
These more expensive honeys come from professional migratory bee keepers, who have up to 10 different varieties available at any time.

But as my Dad's a hobby apiarist now, I don't really buy it all that often...
 
Here in the US, I will routinely pay between $1.75 to $2.50 per pound for bulk (5 gallon) amounts of honey. Prices have, in general, gone up a bit since the onset of CCD - supply and demand still influences the marketplace despite the economic downturn. BTW, the price can go higher (much higher) for exotic monofloral varieties, especially if they happen to be imported.
 
This stuff is about as raw as it gets... They keep it under 100F during everything they do to it, which isn't much...

They say that it was entered into a competition (forget when exactly, but pretty recent) where it took top place (tasting)... I'm going to ask around in this area to see if anyone else is using their honey or not... The woman said that they have brewers coming in for pallet loads of the stuff... Probably how they're able to keep the prices lower... Very little overhead, so it doesn't take much to turn a profit... Plus, I believe, they have a 'store' where they sell to the regular person... You know, those that are only looking to get a pound or two... I'll have to see how much they charge per pound there... ;D

Wayneb, I actually really like the wildflower honey... I used to only like clover, but since I got a taste of the wild stuff, I LIKE IT!! I think it has more character to it as well as more depth... But that's just my take on it...
 
I've been very pleased with Miller honey. It's roughly in the range discussed. ~$2.25/lbs for Orange Blossom, Sage, and a few others. I think the Wildflower is cheaper. Plus, they were pretty helpful when they were out of what I ordered last time.

That said, I have yet to ask if the local beekeepers are willing to part with any of their liquid gold...and for what price. My thoughts are, support local. It cuts down on transportation costs (financial and environmental). So I'll definitely be willing to pay $4-5/lbs for some quality, local, raw honey. :)

Edit: I've bought some "exotic monofloral varietal" honey before, and paid ~$6/8oz. That said, it is from wild beehives, which probably also increased the final price on my end. Someone had to go into the Hungarian wilderness looking for the hives...not a job I'd enjoy, but I'm glad someone does it. This stuff made the most stunning show mead I've ever enjoyed. Side by side with the honey used, it was very apparent the two were peas of the same pod.
 
Unless I want to buy cheap blended (but unpastuerized) honey from the supermarket, the cheapest it gets for me around here is maybe $3.50/lb. I guess it's just the shorter season up here or something, but honey's just expensive, no matter where you get it (unless you want the cheap stuff).

I can get from Millers in the US at a lower price, but then shipping sends the price back up.
 
Hey Yogi, how much does Miller charge you for shipping on their honey?? Have you gone with a 5 gallon bucket from them?? I need to get the honey soon, since I'm planning on using some on Saturday (12/11)... Probably in another couple of weeks after that too (once that brew is out of primary, or I'll use my primary bucket)...
 
Golddiggie said:
Hey Yogi, how much does Miller charge you for shipping on their honey?? Have you gone with a 5 gallon bucket from them?? I need to get the honey soon, since I'm planning on using some on Saturday (12/11)... Probably in another couple of weeks after that too (once that brew is out of primary, or I'll use my primary bucket)...
Click to expand...

Since they're in California, shipping for me is ~$20. So $134 for OB or Sage. Works out to about $2.23/lbs. So this is cheaper for me than store honey (my prices at grocery stores are anywhere between $3.50 and $12 per pound). It could be higher cost if they don't have a branch out on the East coast that is closer than the one out here. But, when you're ordering, it will calculate the shipping cost. Just check out the site.

Edit: I've used it before and I'll post it again. This site has a honey locator that you can use to find a company that's closer and allows you to search by floral source as well. You'd be surprised what varietals are available (although maybe not economical for mead making... :p)
 
Looked at the site and see they are in Ohio (not that far from me, closer than you are)... I'll see what it does to the price of the honey. If they charge ~$20, then it puts it over what I'd pay from the local place...

--update--
Added one 5 gallon bucket o bulk Wildflower honey to the cart... Entered my zip code and... @#$%^&*(*&^%$#@$%^&*&^%$#@#$%^&!!!!!!!!!!! I nearly had a coronary when I saw the shipping cost... Almost as much as the honey alone...

"Shipping (Ground): $70.36" WTF?!?!?!?!?!!! That's just INSANE!! Well, that rules out Miller for me to use for my 'normal' honey... Maybe if I need a pound or three of something special that they can get to me for less than I can get it locally...
 
Golddiggie said:
Looked at the site and see they are in Ohio (not that far from me, closer than you are)... I'll see what it does to the price of the honey. If they charge ~$20, then it puts it over what I'd pay from the local place...

--update--
Added one 5 gallon bucket o bulk Wildflower honey to the cart... Entered my zip code and... @#$%^&*(*&^%$#@$%^&*&^%$#@#$%^&!!!!!!!!!!! I nearly had a coronary when I saw the shipping cost... Almost as much as the honey alone...

"Shipping (Ground): $70.36" WTF?!?!?!?!?!!! That's just INSANE!! Well, that rules out Miller for me to use for my 'normal' honey... Maybe if I need a pound or three of something special that they can get to me for less than I can get it locally...
Click to expand...

Try the honey locator here
 
Last edited:
I'll reach out to the other places that are close enough to me in the morning... Anything over about 1-1/2 hours drive will be out. Especially when I can get to the one I was going to go to in less than half that...
 
I just scored a 5-gallon bucket of very fresh, coarse filtered goldenrod honey for $125 ($2.08/lb.). It’s a small apiary so varieties are limited: wildflower, goldenrod and buckwheat. They also sell gallons for $28. The larger apiary in my area charges $160 for a 5-gallon bucket ($2.67/lb.).
 
Medsen Fey said:
BeeFolks have some great honey - not necessarily cheap, but great. I've picked up several batches from them for things I can't get locally here in Florida. They are also great supporters of GotMead and the Mazer Cup.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've been wanting to do an order through them for a while. I'm hoping that if I buy about 3lbs of everything (or everything not clover or buckwheat) the shipping won't murder me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Barrel Char Wood Products

Viking Brew Vessels - Authentic Drinking Horns

Top Bottom