Holm oak honey, is a natural product elaborated by honeybees from oak honeydew secretions. Likewise, the holm oak is the most typical tree of the Mediterranean forest and of the general, Quercus. A little-known honey, with little sweetness and very delicious!
Best selection of holm oak honeys fron spanish beekeepers.
Index:
|
Summary: The holm oak, one of the most representative trees in our region, is the bees’ source which they produce holm oak honey. This honey tastes slightly sweet and malty and is very rich in minerals. This honey is also available in our shop in Las Rozas de Madrid.
Related articles: Raw unpasteurised honey
1. Our raw holm oak honey
Firstly, we show you themost important characteristics of raw honey of holm oak:
a) Colour
Raw holm oak honey has a very dark amber colour, often turning black. Likewise, when crystallised, it takes on a dark brown colour. In addition, below we show you the range of colours that holm oak honey can have.
Photo 1: Colour of holm oak honey
b) Aroma
Its aroma is malted, infused with malt, i.e. toasted barley, very similar to oak honey. In tasting, notes of liquorice and light touches of menthol are appreciated. In the mouth there are clearly salty components, which mask the sweetness of this honey.
In short, the oak honey is in the group of the least sweet honeys, next to the oak, mountain and forest.
c) Oak holm tree
In addition, the Encina is a medium sized tree that reaches between 15 to 25 meters in height. It is native to the Mediterranean basin and can be found in almost all of Spain, with the exception of the north.
d) Harvesting
The holm oak flowers between the months of March and May, but the flowers do not produce nectar. The source of food for bees comes from the honeydew that releases these trees that are very rich in minerals. Therefore, the honey of oak holm is produced during the whole spring and summer.
Next we show you a video where the holm oaks are shown.
Video 1: Holm oak tree
e) Pollen
Holm oak honey will have a minimum percentage of pollen. However, it does contain honeydew elements (HDE), except in dry areas.
On the other hand, the little pollen it contains may come from cistaceae, fabaceae, often heather and bramble. Cultivated plants must also be absent. In humid areas the presence of DEH (algae and fungi, honeydew elements); in dry areas these DEH disappear.
Photo 2: Pollen spectrum of holm oak honey
f) Sustainability and support local economy
Similarly, honey is a natural product that is obtained without causing harm to any living being, a nature’s gift.
Likewise, all the honey we have available comes from beekeepers who provide work and create wealth in rural areas.
2. Benefits and properties of holm oak honey
Oak honey has a number of properties common to the rest of honeys. In short, these common properties are as follows:
- It favors the healing of colds and sore throats. This is due to the bactericidal power of honey.
- Promotes wound healing: Honey creates ideal conditions for wound healing.
- It is also rich in antioxidants as it is a honey that comes mainly from myelates. Moreover, antioxidants promote the prevention of degenerative diseases and help to delay aging.
Finally and following the Spanish regulations, we emphasize that honey is a natural product, but it is not a medicine. That is to say, a medicine will always have the active principles concentrated.
On the other hand, holm oak honey is rich in iron, ideal also for people suffering from anaemia, dysentery and chronic diarrhoea. Furthermore, it also acts extraordinarily well against bronchial and pulmonary disorders.
3. Recommendations
Holm oak honey is a honey with less sweetness than others, so we recommend it to people who are not looking for less sweet flavours.
Great cooks and gastronomy specialists use the honey of Encina to pair blue cheeses, fried cheeses and fruits, as well as chocolate cakes.
4. Indications
Holm oak honey, like very dark honey, has a high mineral content and a higher proportion of fructose than glucose, which slows down its crystallisation. For this reason, it is normal to find it almost always liquid.
5. History
Discorides also speaks in chapter 121 of his book I about the oak, the acorn and the beech, mainly about its bark and the acorn shell.
As a curiosity, in 1709, after disastrous grain harvests in Spain, where the poor were dying of hunger, a solution was found to alleviate this problem. The solution was to make bread with acorn flour. This was also the case in many provinces of Spain and France. In France they even used to say “Gent de roer, pa d’aglans”, i.e. oak people, acorn bread.
6. Origin
The honey from Holm oak is brought by the following beekeepers:
- Sala e Higón: Packer located in Turís, in the province of Valencia.
- Rancho Cortesano: Beekeeper located in Jerez, in the province of Cadiz.
Also, holm oak honey is also found in forest and mountain honeys. Since the holm oak is the characteristic tree of the Mediterranean forest.
7. Frequently asked questions
In addition, these are frnquently asked questions about this honey :
-
Is holm oak honey very strong?
Holm oak honey is very similar to oak honey, one of the most flavourful honeys.
-
Is holm oak and oak honey the same?
Both come also from the Querquus species. I don’t find much difference between the two.
8. More Infromation:
Finally, the physico-chemical parameters that a holm oak honey must have are shown.
Chemical parameters |
||
| Color (mm Pfund) Minimum 90 | Humidity (%). Max. 18 | Fructose + glucose: Minimum 45 |
| Sucrose: Maximum 5 | Electrical conductivity (mS/cm): minimum 0.9 | Free acidity (meq/kg): Maximum 50 |
| HMF (mg/Kg = ppm): Maximum 40 | Diastasases (Schade Units): Minimum 8 | |
Tabl2 2: Directive 110/2001 CE, RD 1049/2003 in Spain
An intensely flavorful Spanish honey, to put it briefly. Consequently, it’s perfect for people who want honey with less sweet and potent flavors.
