When we say our honey is raw & unfiltered, here’s what that means—and why it matters.

What “Unfiltered Honey” Means

Filtered honey has been heavily strained to remove natural particles like pollen and beeswax. Local Hive Honey keeps those intact. Each of our honeys is cloudier, thicker, and packed with more flavor than a mass-produced filtered honey.

While all honey is strained during extraction, unfiltered honey stays that way. Most mass-produced honeys are heated and ultra-filtered to remove even fine particles. This makes the honey look more transparent, but ruins the local floral notes, enzymes and antioxidants that make honey taste great. And with 24+ varieties of honey, that's kind of our whole thing.

Bee Pollen: Tiny but Mighty

Bee pollen contains proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Some people swear by it as a home remedy for allergies, but there's no scientific evidence that it actually works. Still, bee pollen should be in your honey. Its presence means your honey is truly natural and not fake honey. Pollen sources can also be used to identify where a honey originated.

How to Identify Unfiltered Honey

Look for crystallization, a bit of cloudiness/opaqueness, and a rich, complex taste. If your honey looks too clear and syrupy, it’s likely been filtered or even adulterated.

Every bottle of Local Hive Honey, Hot Honey, and Organic Hive Honey is bottled raw & unfiltered, so you can taste the honey just the way the bees made it.