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BeeMaid Creamed Honey and BeeMaid Raw Honey can look similar at first glance. Both have a smooth, creamy, spreadable texture that people love, and both are made from 100% Canadian honey sourced from our beekeeper-owners. However, there are a few key differences, beyond the packaging, that set them apart.

Canadian honey is graded based on colour, moisture, and filtration, and this grading system is not a quality measurement. BeeMaid Raw Honey meets Canada No. 1 standards for both colour and moisture, and is classified as Canada No. 3 for filtration. This is because Raw Honey is strained using a wider filtration process than our Creamed Honey, which is intended to keep it as close as possible to honey straight from our beekeepers’ hives. BeeMaid Creamed Honey is unpasteurized and goes through a different packing process to achieve its signature smooth, consistent texture.

Simply put, we offer both options so you can choose the honey that best suits your preference. If you’re a fan of our classic Creamed Honey in the green tubs, you’ll find BeeMaid Raw Honey very similar in overall taste, sweetness, and everyday use.

Contrary to its name, creamed honey doesn’t actually contain any cream. We also don’t add any additional ingredients to it. It’s simply honey that has undergone a special process to give it a smooth, spreadable texture.

To make our BeeMaid Creamed Honey, we start with liquid honey and mix it together with a small amount of already creamed honey known as “seed honey.” This mixture is then churned and cooled on our packing line. The process creates a smooth, even granulation throughout – giving it a delightful creamy texture. It’s the same pure, 100% Canadian honey you love, just in a different form.

Pasteurizing honey is different from pasteurizing dairy products, and it’s done for different reasons. Honey naturally has low moisture and high acidity, which prevents bacteria and harmful organisms from growing. Honey pasteurization involves rapidly heating the honey to around 160°F and then quickly cooling it.

The main reason for pasteurizing honey is to prevent fermentation. All nectar contains traces of naturally occurring yeasts. Honey typically has a moisture content below 18%, which keeps these yeasts from multiplying. However, if moisture levels are higher, the yeast can grow and cause fermentation. While fermented honey isn’t necessarily unsafe, it can create a taste variation that’s not ideal for most consumers. To prevent this, Bee Maid pasteurizes some varieties of our honey to reduce the chance of fermentation.

Another benefit of pasteurization is that it slows down granulation. Over time, all honey naturally crystallizes, but pasteurization helps keep it in a smooth, liquid state longer — making it more visually appealing and easier to use.

At Bee Maid, we offer both pasteurized and unpasteurized honey, so you can choose the option that best fits your preference!

For pasteurized honey, we use a « flash heating » method, to minimize the amount of time that the honey is exposed to the heat and to reduce the risk of damaging or burning it. The honey is heated very quickly to about 160°F and then rapidly cooled, which will kill the yeast cells without damaging the product. This process is done on our production line during the packing procedure.

With unpasteurized honey, we warm it just enough to allow for easy bottling and straining. All of our honey is bottled warm, for maximum freshness and quality, filtered for cleanliness, and ready-to-eat!

Yes, it is still safe to use! – While honey doesn’t expire, it may change colour or crystallize over time (a result of honey’s unique floral sources and moisture composition). This is a normal, natural process that does not affect its quality – only its appearance.

Proper storage can help your BeeMaid Honey stay fresh and flavourful. Here are a few tips for storing your honey:

1. Ensure your honey container is tightly sealed and the lid is closed after each use. Exposure to air can speed up crystallization.
2. Avoid extreme temperatures. Honey is best kept in a dark, room-temperature environments like a pantry. Storing honey in places that are too hot or too cold can affect its texture and quality.
3. Avoid Refrigerating Liquid Honey – While creamed honey can be stored in the fridge (if you like a thicker consistency), liquid honey should not be refrigerated, as it will crystallize faster and can impact its texture.

There are two main reasons why your creamed honey might be firmer than usual:

1. Freshness – The freshest creamed honey actually starts out very firm and gradually softens over time. So, if your honey is still firm when you open it, it likely means it’s freshly made!
2. Weather & Moisture Content – Seasonal conditions impact honey production. In the Canadian prairies for example, dry summers can lead to honey with a lower moisture content. This doesn’t affect the taste or quality, but it can occasionally make your creamed honey firmer than usual.

Good news! With time (approximately 1-2 weeks), your creamed honey should naturally soften to that smooth, spreadable texture you love.

At Bee Maid, we are committed to producing the highest quality honey. Our dedication to food safety and quality is backed by industry certifications, including SQF (Safe Quality Food), SFCR (Safe food for Canadians Regulation), HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points), and True Source. These certifications reflect our strict adherence to food safety protocols.
In addition, BeeMaid Honey is gluten-free, kosher, halal and packed in a nut-free facility.

We only source honey from our co-operative of local beekeepers. They harvest the honey and transport it to our packing facilities in Winnipeg, MB and Spruce Grove, AB. All incoming honey is tested upon arrival and during packing to ensure it meets the highest purity and quality standards. All BeeMaid Honey products are True Source Certified, meaning our honey is fully traceable from hive to table – ensuring it comes from ethical, transparent, and authentic sources.

The colour of honey can range from nearly clear to deep amber. It all comes down to where bees collect their nectar.

To produce honey, bees must gather nectar from thousands of flowers, and the composition of each flower’s nectar is slightly different. Factors such as the floral source, location, time of year and moisture content can all play a role in determining the colour of honey. For example, honey made from clover nectar tenders to be light and white, while honey from buckwheat flowers is much darker. Seasonal changes also influence nectar composition, meaning early season honey may look different from late season honey.

This natural variation is what makes honey so special and gives us a delicious spectrum of choices and flavour profiles to enjoy!

We understand having firm creamed honey isn’t always ideal when you open the container. Luckily, there are a few easy ways you can help your creamed honey soften!

One option is to place the creamed honey tub in a warmer area of your home, like a cupboard close to your oven. Note: It can take 1-2 weeks for your honey to soften naturally. If you’re looking for a quicker fix, try inserting a knife up and down through the honey in the container a few times (without stirring). This can help break up the honey and make it easier to spread. Check out our video tutorial here.

While crystallization is normal, we understand it’s not always ideal. 

If your liquid BeeMaid Honey has crystallized and is difficult to get out of the container, we recommend placing the bottle in a hot water bath. The water temperature should be between 130°F and 140°F (54.4°C and 60°C). This range is crucial because warm water won’t melt the crystals, while boiling water may overheat and affect the quality of the honey. Check out our tutorial video here.

Alternatively, you can try storing your honey in a warmer area of your home, like a cupboard near your oven, to help it return to its liquid state. We do not recommend microwaving BeeMaid Honey, as this can impact its overall quality and texture, and could cause your container to become warped.