FAQ (Frequently asked questions)
Find answers to the questions we are asked most frequently. If you cannot find the answer to your question, do not hesitate to contact us. A member of our team will gladly help you.
HONEY
Our artisanal honey has not been heat-treated (pasteurized), homogenized, or ultra-filtered. Consequently, LIAISON's honeys will harden over time. They contain tiny pieces of pollen, wax, or propolis. From one year to the next, the batches will have differences even if they are harvested from the same plots as the previous year. For this reason, you may receive a vial of honey that is crystallizing. We do not want to work against nature, because our honey is as nature intended, sometimes liquid, sometimes hardening.
Honey is always liquid when harvested. It only takes on its consistency and its final color after a certain time, depending on the season, its floral origin... and the personality of our bees! The precise texture of honey cannot be determined in advance. White mottling may also appear on the surface (especially in winter), a visual sign that your honey is truly pure and natural. Accept these variations as a guarantee of real authenticity. With us, each vial of honey is truly unique!
A granulated honey didn't go bad. Honey is a supersaturated solution that naturally tends to turn into a grainy state. Some kinds of honey crystallize quickly and others slowly, due to varying types and amounts of sugars present. Out of respect for the bees and your taste buds, we want to offer you the purest and most authentic honey there is, without transformation. Since it is cold extracted and not pasteurized, LIAISON honey may crystallize more quickly than commercial honey. To return the honey to a liquid state, warm the honey in its container in hot but not boiling water until desired consistency. To prevent the honey from recrystallizing quickly, make sure the honey becomes clear and free of particles.
The ambient temperature influences the crystallization of honey. Store honey at a temperature between 19 to 25 degrees Celsius to ensure it remains liquid longer. Make sure the lid is tightly closed, as honey loses its aroma and flavor and absorbs moisture when exposed to air.
Honey purchased from supermarkets is heavily processed, homogenized, pasteurized, and ultra-filtered. Consistent flavor, appearance, and texture are desired by supermarkets. Have you noticed that honey bought in a supermarket of the same brand tastes the same from year to year? However, honey is a natural product that should have varying tastes and colors from season to season.
Homogenization is a method of mixing honey from different sources, often from different sites or producers. Lower quality, cheaper, and questionably sourced honey may be thrown into the mix.
Pasteurization is a heat treatment of honey, allowing it to remain liquid longer and to have the same appearance from pot to pot, from batch to batch. Unfortunately, heating honey to a high temperature will damage the natural enzymes, reduce its nutrient content, and neutralize its aromas.
Ultrafiltration is a process that involves pressing heated honey through a very fine filter to remove all impurities such as small crystals, wax particles, or pollen. Filtration makes the honey very clear and appealing to consumers while keeping it liquid longer, as small particles could trigger crystallization.
LIAISON honeys are never pasteurized.
Nectar sources have different chemistry. Honeys have different combinations of sugars, minerals, and enzymes. For example, very dark honeys, such as buckwheat or poplar honey, have a high mineral content, hence their specific color and stronger aromas. Delicate honey, which contains fewer minerals, usually has a milder taste.
Our honey comes from our apiaries located in the Eastern Townships. We also have partnerships with Quebec artisan beekeepers from different regions of the province. Traceability is ensured.
Honey stored in sealed containers can remain stable for decades or even centuries! Properly packaged and stored honey retains its quality for a long time.
You can read this article here.
No. Honey contains no wheat products and is gluten-free.
The current era is marked by the presence of mass-production factories that consume a lot of energy, pollute a lot and leave a significant ecological footprint. At LIAISON, the hive is our factory, and we respect every worker it possesses. Only bees can produce such a quality product as honey using living materials as rich and complex as propolis, royal jelly, pollen…Faithful to the principles of Apiculture Douce® (loosely translated by Kind Beekeeping), we let our bees "live their life" by avoiding productivity-above-all methods that distort the precious know-how of our bees, with the following advantages:
– Local and regional honey harvesting: no import of cheap honey;– Traditional methods: gentle and non-destructive manual processes: almost zero pollution, low energy requirements, and very high purity of the product;
– Traceability: honey is carefully identified from the hive to the bottle. This ensures the promotion of the local economy and the nature of the product.
SHIPPING AND DISTRIBUTION
LIAISON products can be shipped anywhere in Canada, but they must be ordered through our online store if you live outside of Quebec.
Click here to find all the information about our shipments and returns policies. If you have a question not covered here, please call us at 819-679-8501 .
If the item you want is not available, please send an email to info@miels-liaison.ca. We will let you know when it's back in stock or suggest another product you might like.