Barrels of Honey

Oak barrels have been used for centuries to impart distinct flavor profiles to wine, whiskey, rum and other spirits. But winemakers and distillers aren't the only ones in the barrel-aging game these days. From coffee to hot sauce, beer to mustard, barrel-aged products are making a comeback with artisans across the nation. The result? Handcrafted goods with a truly distinctive array of flavors that draw from caramelized wood sugars, hints of smoke, vanilla and other boozy remains.

In Northeast Florida, honey is making its debut in barrels too, bringing with it taste profiles found nowhere else but our region. On Amelia Island, Chef Daven Wardynski is barrel-aging honey harvested locally from his hives at the Sprouting Project, while further south, Rype and Readi Farm Market and the St. Augustine Distillery have teamed up to bring barreled bee nectar to the consumer market, with a product featuring Florida-grown honey registered on Slow Food’s distinguished Ark of Taste.

Whether you've had your honey from a barrel yet or not, we predict this trend to be a win for local palates and a fun new way to bring more sweetness to our kitchens.