Honey show entries in November — how early do you prepare the jars, and what actually loses you points?
Istria, seven years. Our regional show is the third weekend of November and I've entered twice: once mid-table, once last in my class, and both times I got a score sheet I didn't fully understand.
What I think I've worked out. The honey itself is a small part of it — moisture, cleanliness, no fermentation, good flavour — and presentation is where the points quietly disappear. Matching jars from the same batch, lids on straight, fill level exactly right, no fingerprints, no dust in the rim, no scratches, no label unless the class asks for one.
Where I'm uncertain is preparation time. Last year I filtered and jarred two days before and the jars had a faint scum of tiny bubbles at the surface that I couldn't get rid of.
So: how far ahead do you fill, do you warm the jars while they settle, and what's the single most common avoidable fault the judges pick up? Also — is entering crystallised or creamed classes an easier start than clear honey for someone with a wet climate?
#honey-show#presentation#judging#bottling
▲ 8 votes💬 5 replies✅ Solved
5 replies
MieleMarco · Oct 15, 2026 · ✅ Accepted answer
Fill three weeks out, keep the jars somewhere warm and still — around 25-30°C — and the bubbles rise and the fine particles settle. Then skim the surface, top up from the same bucket, and clean the glass. Two days is not enough for clear honey, which is exactly the fault you had. Most common avoidable fault I see judged: fill level, followed by fingerprints on glass that was cleaned before the lid went on.
BuckfastLinda · Oct 15, 2026
Flanders. Second the three weeks. And yes, a set or creamed class is a kinder place to start — the judge is looking at texture, even set and cleanliness rather than absolute clarity, and a wet climate doesn't count against you. Enter both if the schedule allows, you learn twice as much from the sheets.
BuckfastLinda · Oct 15, 2026
Flanders. Second the three weeks. And yes, a set or creamed class is a kinder place to start — the judge is looking at texture, even set and cleanliness rather than absolute clarity, and a wet climate doesn't count against you. Enter both if the schedule allows, you learn twice as much from the sheets.
DevonBees_Em · Oct 16, 2026
Devon. Our shows also mark the jar itself — same batch, no mould seam facing front, lid liner clean. Sounds absurd until you realise the judge has forty near-identical entries and needs tie-breakers. IstriaBee, take spare jars and fill more than you need, then choose the best two on the morning.
IstriaBee · Oct 16, 2026
Three weeks it is — that's my mistake explained. Filling twelve jars this weekend, warm room, and I'll pick the best pair in November. Entering the creamed class as well.