Raw, local honey - is it always crystallized?

[amcal]

We have a local company that sells commercial honey. I was looking on their site and they also sell "crystallized raw honey". When I called the company to ask them about it, they said that raw, unheated honey crystallizes very quickly which is why they only sell crystallized raw honey. They said that if "raw" honey isn't crystallized then it's been heated which delays the crystallization process. Is this true?

[athenalove46]

I don't know. I'm curious though. There is a honey farm about 45 minutes from here that sells raw honey and mine isn't crystallized.

[noobmom]

I was just reading about this very thing last night on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey

Relevant part:
"In jars, fresh honey should appear as a pure, consistent fluid and should not set in layers. Within a few weeks to a few months of extraction, many varieties of honey crystallize into a cream-coloured solid. Some varieties of honey, including tuepelo, acacia, and sage, crystallize less regularly.[46] Honey may be heated during bottling at temperatures of 104-120°F to delay or inhibit crystallization without degrading the honey. Although, lack of crystallization is not proof of excessive heating or pasteurization.[47][48]"

[AJP]

The raw, local honey I buy (several different sources) isn't crystalized when I buy it, but does seem to crystalize sooner than heated honey.

[avendesora]

My local raw honey is liquid, but I know it's very fresh.

Aven

[cristeen]

The stuff I get locally isn't crystallized when I buy it, but does crystallize eventually. But then even the heat treated stuff will usually crystallize eventually, so I don't think that's a very accurate test.

[laohaire]

The local, raw honey I buy is crystallized.

Not sure if it makes any difference other than aesthetics, though?

[Razmatazz]

most of the raw honeys i've tried have been crystallized but i did try one that was runny , i think it was acacia honey? So it may depend on the type of honey too

[Alyantavid]

Ours isn't when we buy it, but after a few months, it is. Tastes the same, works the same.

[rachelsmama]

Different flowers result in honey that crystallises at different rates. I've seen aster honey that was solid in the comb.

[PeggyinNC]

I accidentally happened upon a strange thing on a website for beekeepers once. I read the threads for hours...seems they didn't seem to realize what raw honey actually is, or just didn't care. Many of them said they like to throw pollen and stuff into heated honey and tell people it is raw. One of said he advertises his honey as "the only really raw honey around" when he did, in fact, heat it and knew the enzymes were destroyed. I wanted to cry. And I haven't bought any honey since that wasn't from someone I knew personally, and that they would not lie like that. I hope most beekeepers don't.

[westcoastmom]

We buy raw, cold packed honey which is not subject to any heat. It does crystalize to some degree. Some varieties crystallize more than others.

[AllyRae]

My raw honey that I buy locally is not crystallized, but crystallizes within a couple months.