Photo: The judges
Today, my son and I again participated as judges in the annual honey challenge. This was the 8th for this event...my 7th and his 3rd time participating in this fun and 'sweet' event. At the bottom of this post you can find links to the previous events in which I helped judge as well as a couple of columns for the Hamakua Times newspaper about honey and the honey challenge.
Open to all beekeepers statewide, honey has to be natural (no heating or alterations). This year the challenge had 97 entries and they came from Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Molokai and Hawaii Island.
Photo: some of the honey jars
The honey judged comes in liquid, solid, or as a slice of comb in glass canning jars. Honey jars from all over the state are sent in by a certain date; a number is assigned to each and the judges do a blind testing using a strict set of criteria. Judging is based on Taste, Aroma, and Clarity / Texture; a judge can award up to 10 points for each for a possible score of 30 points maximum.
Photo: The venue - Komohana Agricultural Center
Photo: honey comb
Judging is done in 'flights' of 4 different honey jars per flight. There were a total of 12 judges working in pairs. 10 judges sampled 4 flights of 4 entries each, and 2 judges sampled 5 'flights' of 4 entries each
Photo: The judges received beautiful bags filled with honey goodness...Mead and a shot glass, honey jar with wooden mini honey dipper, beeswax candles, a package with two bees waxed fabric food wrap, and a beautiful papaya. For some reason, the new program is not allowing me to post this one correctly...I apologize
A delicious lunch was catered by Dean Shigeoka of AJ and Sons of Hilo
For more information about Big Island Beekeepers Association, please click below on BIBA
BIBA
www.bigislandbeekeepers.com
Facebook
www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Island-Beekeepers-Association/247033161978013
To read more about previous events in Hawai'i click on the following
2010 - 1st Annual - no photos or write-up
2011 - 2nd Annual - http://hamakuatimes.com/the-biba-honey-challengethe-view-from-the-judges-table-p1052-89.htm
2012 - 3rd Annual - http://www.soniatasteshawaii.com/2012/11/a-honey-day.html
2013 - 4th Annual - I did not participate as judge - http://hamakuatimes.com/a-taste-of-honey-p1808-89.htm
2014 - 5th Annual - http://www.soniatasteshawaii.com/2014/11/a-taste-of-honey.html
2015 - 6th Annual - http://www.soniatasteshawaii.com/2015/09/the-6th-annual-hawaiian-natural-honey-challenge.html
2016 - 7th Annual - http://www.soniatasteshawaii.com/2016/10/the-7th-annual-natural-honey-challenge-2016.html
http://hamakuatimes.com/sweeter-than-honey-p2217-89.htm
