Varietal Honey Guide
Not all honey tastes the same — and if you've only ever had grocery store honey, you haven't tasted what honey is actually supposed to taste like. At Mitchem Bee Company, every varietal we carry is single-origin, raw, and unfiltered, sourced from a specific region and nectar source across the United States. The result is honey that tastes like where it came from — and no two varietals taste alike. This guide covers every honey in our lineup: what it tastes like, where it comes from, what makes it unique, and how to use it. Whether you're a first-time buyer trying to find your favorite, a food lover building the perfect cheese board, or someone exploring honey for its potential wellness properties — you're in the right place.
And if you'd rather taste the difference for yourself, our 2 oz. Varietal Sampler lets you explore multiple varietals side by side before committing to a full jar.
Varietal Honey Guide
Raw Honey 101
Are there health benefits to your honey varietals?
Many of our customers incorporate our raw honey into their daily wellness routines, and we love hearing their stories. The information we share about our varietals reflects traditional uses and beliefs that have been passed down for generations. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your healthcare provider before using honey for specific health purposes. What we can say with confidence: our honey is 100% raw and unfiltered, which preserves naturally occurring enzymes, antioxidants, and trace nutrients that heat-processed honey destroys. Avoid heating to maximize any potential benefits. And from our family to yours — thank you for supporting our bees.
How many honey varietals does Mitchem Bee Company carry?
We currently carry nine single-origin raw honey varietals: Florida Saw Palmetto, Florida Tupelo, North Carolina Sourwood, Florida Gallberry, Georgia Blackberry, Florida Brazilian Pepper, Florida Orange Blossom, North Dakota Clover, and Florida Wildflower. Each one is traceable to a specific region and nectar source, raw, unfiltered, and never blended. Every varietal tastes genuinely different — and we think that's one of the most exciting things about real honey.
Why is Mitchem Bee Company honey considered the best tasting honey in Florida?
Because we don’t cut corners. While other brands blend, import, and heat-process their honey into something generic, we source single-origin varietals directly from trusted beekeepers — many of them right here in Florida. The result is honey that actually tastes like where it came from: the delicate floral sweetness of Tupelo from the Panhandle, the bold character of Saw Palmetto from Florida’s native scrublands, the clean brightness of Orange Blossom from Florida’s citrus groves. When you taste the difference between real, raw, single-origin Florida honey and everything else on the shelf, the answer becomes obvious.
What's the best way to taste the difference between honey varietals?
Side by side — there's really no substitute. Tasting varietals together is the fastest way to understand just how different real, single-origin honey can be. We offer a 2 oz Varietal Sampler that lets you explore multiple varietals at once without committing to a full jar — perfect for discovering your favorites, building a honey flight for entertaining, or gifting to someone curious about real honey. You can order it directly from our online shop, or if you're local, come visit us in person where we'll walk you through every varietal ourselves.
Which Mitchem Bee Company honey varietal should I try first?
It depends on what you're looking for. If you want something universally approachable, start with Florida Wildflower or Orange Blossom — clean, familiar, and endlessly versatile. If you're ready for something extraordinary, go straight for Tupelo or Sourwood — two of America's most celebrated honeys. If wellness is your focus, Gallberry or Saw Palmetto are the ones our customers rave about. Can't decide? Our 2 oz Varietal Sampler lets you try several at once and find your favorite before committing to a full jar.
Where can I taste Mitchem Bee Company honey varietals in person?
We'd love to meet you. Come find us at:
Mitchem Bee Company Shop 761 Carpenter Ave, Leesburg, FL 34748 Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday | 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Brownwood Farmers Market The Villages, FL Every Saturday | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Nothing beats tasting honey side by side with someone who can tell you the story behind each jar. We'll pour you a flight and let the honey speak for itself. Can't make it in person? Our 2 oz Varietal Sampler ships nationwide and gives you the same side-by-side experience at home.
Varietal Honey Guide
Florida Wildflower Honey
What is Florida Wildflower honey?
Our Florida Wildflower honey is sourced from beehives nestled among the vibrant wildflowers of Lake and Sumter Counties in Central Florida — as local as it gets. Raw and unfiltered, every spoonful captures the full diversity of local flora with a delicate sweetness and subtle floral notes that shift naturally with the seasons and the bloom. Never blended with inferior or imported honey. Pure Central Florida, bottled fresh by our family.
What does Florida Wildflower honey taste like?
A delicate sweetness with subtle, ever-changing floral notes that reflect the season and the land. It's approachable and versatile — familiar enough for everyday use, interesting enough to keep you reaching for it. Because it's raw and local, every jar tastes a little different depending on what was blooming when your bees were working. That's not a flaw — that's the point.
What makes Mitchem Bee Company Florida Wildflower honey the best?
Most wildflower honey in stores is blended from multiple sources — often including imported honey — which strips away the regional character that makes wildflower honey worth buying in the first place. Ours is sourced exclusively from the wildflowers of Lake and Sumter Counties in Central Florida, raw, unfiltered, and never blended. It's a genuine expression of a specific place and season, bottled fresh by a Florida family that has never compromised on sourcing. Local honey done right. Wildflower is our best-selling raw honey varietal in our shop and at our farmers markets!
Is Florida Wildflower honey good for seasonal allergies?
Many of our customers swear by a teaspoon of our raw Florida Wildflower honey in the morning and evening for seasonal allergy relief. The theory: local raw honey contains trace amounts of local pollen, which some believe may help the body build tolerance over time. We always recommend consulting your healthcare provider — but we genuinely love hearing those stories. It's one of the most common reasons people make our Wildflower honey part of their daily routine.
What are the best ways to use Florida Wildflower honey?
It's our most versatile everyday honey. Drizzle over fruit, yogurt, toast, oatmeal, or granola. Stir into tea, coffee, or lemonade. Use as a natural sweetener in baking or cooking. Keep it on the counter and reach for it every single day. It's the honey that earns its place in your kitchen and stays there.
Why is Mitchem Bee Company Florida Wildflower honey the most affordable varietal?
Our raw wildflower honey enjoys a longer harvest window—roughly 4 to 6 months—giving us the opportunity to blend nectar from many flowering species. Single-origin varietals work differently. They depend on brief bloom cycles, and we typically have just 4 to 6 weeks to capture each varietal's peak nectar before the window closes. That's why single-origin honey is so rare and sought after. Our Wildflower honey is the delicious 'daily driver' of the Mitchem Bee Company honey world—approachable, versatile, and an affordable fan favorite.
Varietal Honey Guide
Florida Orange Blossom Honey
What is Florida Orange Blossom honey?
Florida Orange Blossom honey is one of the most iconic and beloved honey varietals in the world — and Florida is its natural home. Our bees gather nectar directly from Florida orange groves, producing a raw, unfiltered honey that captures the true essence of Florida's citrus landscape. No blending, no imports, no shortcuts — just pure Florida Orange Blossom honey exactly as nature intended.
What does Florida Orange Blossom honey taste like?
A delicate sweetness with subtle citrus notes that captures the true essence of Florida's citrus groves. Clean, bright, and universally loved — it has a lightness and floral quality that makes it one of the most recognizable and approachable honey flavors in the world. The real thing tastes completely different from the blended Orange Blossom honey most people have tried.
What makes Mitchem Bee Company Florida Orange Blossom honey the best?
Most Orange Blossom honey in stores — even premium-priced brands — is blended with cheaper imported honey to meet demand, which dilutes both the flavor and the quality. Ours is single-origin: our bees gather nectar directly from Florida orange groves, full stop. Raw, unfiltered, and never blended with anything. We're a Florida family who sources exclusively from US beekeepers and has never compromised on that standard. When you taste the difference, you'll understand why it matters.
What are the potential health benefits of Florida Orange Blossom honey?
Like all our honeys, Orange Blossom is 100% raw and unfiltered, preserving naturally occurring enzymes, antioxidants, bee pollen, and trace minerals that heat-processing destroys. The information we share reflects traditional uses and beliefs — these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your healthcare provider.
What foods pair best with Florida Orange Blossom honey?
Its clean citrus sweetness makes it one of the most versatile honeys we carry. Drizzle over fresh fruit, ice cream, toast, pie, or a cheese board. Use as a natural sweetener in tea, lemonade, or baking recipes. It's equally at home in a simple weekday breakfast as it is on a holiday dessert table — and it makes a beautiful, crowd-pleasing gift.
Varietal Honey Guide
Florida Tupelo Honey
What is Florida Tupelo honey?
Florida Tupelo honey is sourced exclusively from the rare Tupelo tree blossoms found only in the pristine swamps of the Florida Panhandle. The Tupelo tree blooms briefly just once a year, making this one of the most limited and sought-after honeys in the world. The result is a light amber honey with buttery, cinnamon-kissed sweetness and delicate floral notes — prized by chefs and honey connoisseurs worldwide and widely regarded as one of America's finest honeys.
What does Florida Tupelo honey taste like?
Buttery, floral, and unlike anything else. Florida Tupelo honey has a light amber color and a delicate sweetness with notes of cinnamon and flowers that linger beautifully. It's smooth, complex, and never cloying — the kind of honey that makes people stop and ask what they're tasting. Pure Tupelo also resists crystallization almost indefinitely, a hallmark of its authenticity and unique fructose-to-glucose ratio.
What makes Mitchem Bee Company Florida Tupelo honey the best?
Authentic Florida Tupelo honey is one of the most counterfeited and misrepresented honeys in the world — many brands blend it with cheaper honeys and still call it Tupelo. Ours is the real thing: single-origin, sourced exclusively from the Tupelo tree blossoms of the Florida Panhandle, raw, unfiltered, and never blended. We're a Florida family who has built our entire reputation on putting exactly what's on the label in the jar — nothing more, nothing less. If you want genuine Florida Tupelo honey, this is it.
Is Florida Tupelo honey good for people watching their blood sugar?
Tupelo honey has a naturally low glycemic index, which causes a slower rise in blood sugar than most honeys — a characteristic unique to its fructose-to-glucose ratio. Many people with dietary sensitivities find it easier to enjoy than other honeys. Always consult your doctor for guidance specific to your health needs. Pure Tupelo honey also resists crystallization almost indefinitely — a hallmark of its authenticity and purity.
What foods pair best with Florida Tupelo honey?
Tupelo's buttery, floral sweetness makes it incredibly versatile. Exceptional drizzled over fresh fruit, yogurt, pancakes, biscuits, or ice cream. It elevates a cheese board, complements roasted vegetables and meats, and transforms a simple cup of tea or lemonade. It also makes a stunning and memorable gift — the kind people remember long after the jar is empty.
Varietal Honey Guide
Florida Saw Palmetto Honey
What is Florida Saw Palmetto honey?
Florida Saw Palmetto honey is sourced from the blooms of the native Saw Palmetto plant — a species deeply rooted in Florida's natural and cultural history. When the Saw Palmetto flowers, our bees gather its nectar to produce one of the rarest and most distinctive honeys in our lineup. It's 100% raw, unfiltered, and never blended — a true expression of Florida's wild landscape in every jar.
What does Florida Saw Palmetto honey taste like?
Dark, bold, and built for sophisticated palates. Our Saw Palmetto honey delivers a complex, layered flavor — notes of caramel, spice, and earthiness that create a true sensory experience unlike anything else in our lineup. Many describe it as one of the most interesting honeys they've ever tasted. It pairs beautifully with aged cheeses, charcuterie, marinades, and BBQ sauces, and holds its own drizzled over yogurt or stirred into tea.
What makes Mitchem Bee Company Florida Saw Palmetto honey the best?
Because we don't cut corners — and with Saw Palmetto, that matters more than almost any other varietal. Our Saw Palmetto honey is 100% raw, unfiltered, and sourced exclusively from Florida's native Saw Palmetto blooms. It's never blended with cheaper honeys, never heat-processed, and every bottle reflects a specific season and bloom. We're a Florida family with deep roots in ethical beekeeping — and we've staked our name on never putting anything in a jar we're not fully proud of. When you buy Mitchem Bee Company Saw Palmetto honey, you're getting the real thing.
What are the potential health benefits of Florida Saw Palmetto honey?
Saw palmetto has been valued for centuries for its natural properties. Many people seek out raw Saw Palmetto honey for its potential wellness associations, which have historically included prostate and urinary health support, hormonal balance, anti-inflammatory properties, immune support, and hair health. Saw palmetto is often studied for its potential to block DHT — a hormone linked to hair thinning. Kept raw, it's naturally rich in vitamins, live enzymes, phytonutrients, antioxidants, and amino acids. Research is ongoing — always consult your healthcare provider.
What foods pair best with Florida Saw Palmetto honey?
Saw Palmetto's bold, complex character makes it a natural match for strong flavors. It shines on a charcuterie board alongside aged cheeses, in marinades and BBQ sauces where you want depth and richness, and drizzled over yogurt or stirred into tea for an everyday wellness ritual. Its caramel and spice notes also make it a surprisingly excellent cocktail sweetener.
Varietal Honey Guide
Florida Brazilian Pepper Honey
What is Florida Brazilian Pepper honey?
Florida Brazilian Pepper honey is sourced from the pink peppercorn plants known as "Florida Holly" — a species that thrives in Florida's sunny climate and produces a distinctive nectar unlike anything else in our lineup. It's one of our most unique and conversation-starting varietals, and a genuine expression of Florida's diverse and sometimes surprising flora.
What does Florida Brazilian Pepper honey taste like?
Light golden in color with a mild, slightly sweet flavor and a subtle hint of earthy spice. Despite the name, it's not spicy — it's approachable, distinctive, and genuinely unlike anything most people have tasted before. One of our most conversation-starting varietals, it rewards curious palates who want something beyond the expected.
What makes Mitchem Bee Company Florida Brazilian Pepper honey the best?
Brazilian Pepper honey is one of the rarest and most misunderstood Florida honeys — most people have never heard of it, let alone tasted it. Ours is sourced directly from Florida's native Brazilian Pepper blooms, raw, unfiltered, and never blended. It's a genuine single-origin varietal that tells the story of Florida's unique and diverse flora. If you're looking for something truly one-of-a-kind from a family that sources with integrity, this is it.
What are the potential health benefits of Florida Brazilian Pepper honey?
Like all our honeys, Brazilian Pepper is 100% raw and unfiltered, preserving naturally occurring enzymes, antioxidants, bee pollen, and trace minerals that heat-processing destroys. The information we share reflects traditional uses and beliefs — these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your healthcare provider.
What foods and drinks pair well with Florida Brazilian Pepper honey?
It pairs beautifully with fresh fruits, strong cheeses, roasted vegetables, and grilled meats. For a tropical twist, add it to cocktails or use it as a glaze. If you're looking for something genuinely unique that sparks curiosity at a dinner party or on a cheese board, Brazilian Pepper is your honey.
Varietal Honey Guide
Florida Gallberry Honey
What is Florida Gallberry honey?
Florida Gallberry honey is sourced from the delicate white flowers of the native Gallberry bush — an evergreen holly also known as inkberry — that grows wild across Florida's natural landscape. It's one of the most distinctively Floridian honeys you can find, deeply rooted in the state's natural heritage and prized by honey enthusiasts across the country for its bold character and potential wellness properties.
What does Florida Gallberry honey taste like?
Bold, strongly flavored, and deeply floral. Gallberry honey has a character and depth that sets it apart from milder varietals — this is not a subtle honey. It has luscious floral accents layered over a rich, robust base that honey lovers who try it tend to remember. If you've only ever had mild clover or wildflower honey, Gallberry will be a revelation.
What makes Mitchem Bee Company Florida Gallberry honey the best?
Florida Gallberry honey is increasingly hard to find as development encroaches on the native Gallberry habitat. Ours is sourced directly from Florida's native Gallberry shrubs near the Ocala National Forest, raw, unfiltered, and never blended — a pure expression of one of Florida's most iconic native plants. We're a Florida family committed to ethical beekeeping and the preservation of Florida's natural ecosystem. Every jar of our Gallberry honey supports that mission directly.
Why is Florida Gallberry honey called "America's Manuka"?
Gallberry honey has been historically prized for its potential immune-supporting and throat-soothing properties, and it's widely regarded among serious honey enthusiasts as the American equivalent of New Zealand's famous Manuka honey — sharing many of the same characteristics that have made Manuka a global wellness phenomenon, but sourced right here in the USA from Florida's native Gallberry shrubs. At Mitchem Bee Company, we only carry 100% USA honey — so Florida Gallberry is our answer to Manuka, and we'll put it up against anything imported on taste, quality, and value.
What foods pair well with Florida Gallberry honey?
Gallberry's bold character makes it a natural match for strong flavors. Drizzle over fresh fruit, yogurt, or waffles for a flavor-forward breakfast. Stir into tea or lemonade. Use over roasted vegetables or meats where you want the honey to hold its own. Its versatility as an everyday honey is one of the reasons it's become one of our most beloved varietals.
Varietal Honey Guide
Georgia Blackberry Honey
What is Georgia Blackberry honey?
Our Central Georgia Blackberry Honey is sourced from the blooms of wild blackberry plants across the verdant landscape of Central Georgia. It captures the essence of sweet summer memories — front porch sitting, picking berries with granny, simpler times. A genuinely regional honey that reflects the character of the land it comes from, raw, unfiltered, and never blended.
What does Georgia Blackberry honey taste like?
Bursting with the sweet-tart essence of freshly ripened blackberries, Georgia Blackberry honey carries a delicate floral aroma with a hint of wild berry that lingers beautifully. It's lighter and more nuanced than our bolder Florida varietals — a honey that rewards those who appreciate subtlety. Don't let that fool you though; its versatility is remarkable.
What makes Mitchem Bee Company Georgia Blackberry honey the best?
Most flavored or fruit-forward honeys are either artificially flavored or blended with cheap imported honey to hit a price point. Ours is neither. Our Georgia Blackberry honey is a true single-origin varietal — the flavor comes entirely from the nectar the bees gathered from wild blackberry blooms in Central Georgia, not from additives or flavorings. Raw, unfiltered, and exactly what it says on the label. That's the Mitchem difference.
What are the potential health benefits of Georgia Blackberry honey?
Like all our honeys, Georgia Blackberry is 100% raw and unfiltered, preserving naturally occurring enzymes, antioxidants, bee pollen, and trace minerals that heat-processing destroys. The information we share reflects traditional uses and beliefs — these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your healthcare provider.
What foods pair best with Georgia Blackberry honey?
Its gentle berry character makes it remarkably versatile. Pairs beautifully with warm cornbread, creamy goat cheese, a refreshing glass of iced tea, fresh fruit, yogurt, or oatmeal. Anywhere you want a gentle, fruity lift without overpowering the dish — Georgia Blackberry is your honey.
Varietal Honey Guide
North Carolina Sourwood Honey
What is North Carolina Sourwood honey?
North Carolina Sourwood honey is one of America's most celebrated and sought-after honeys — legendary Appalachian ambrosia long revered for generations as a true mountain delicacy. Our bees travel from Florida to the mountains of North Carolina to feed from the elusive Sourwood trees, which bloom only briefly each year. The result is a genuinely rare, single-origin honey that reflects the specific season and terrain of the Appalachian mountains.
What does North Carolina Sourwood honey taste like?
Extraordinary. A symphony of buttery caramel with hints of clove and a delicate maple finish — and despite the name, there is absolutely no sourness. It's one of the most complex and nuanced honeys we carry, the kind that makes first-time tasters stop mid-bite. Long celebrated by honey lovers across the country as one of America's finest, Sourwood is a honey that rewards those who appreciate something truly special.
What makes Mitchem Bee Company North Carolina Sourwood honey the best?
Authentic Sourwood honey is genuinely rare — the bloom window is short, the terrain is remote, and there's simply no way to produce it at scale without compromising quality. Ours is sourced directly from the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina, raw, unfiltered, and never blended with cheaper honeys to stretch supply. Every jar is a direct reflection of a specific season and those specific mountains. We're a family that has staked our name on never cutting corners — and with a honey this special, we wouldn't dream of it. So far, it's our best-selling raw honey varietal on our website!
What are the potential health benefits of North Carolina Sourwood honey?
Like all our honeys, Sourwood is 100% raw and unfiltered, preserving naturally occurring enzymes, antioxidants, bee pollen, and trace minerals that heat-processing destroys. Many of our customers incorporate it into their daily wellness routines. The information we share reflects traditional uses and beliefs — these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your healthcare provider.
What foods pair best with North Carolina Sourwood honey?
Drizzle Mitchem Bee Company Sourwood honey over fresh biscuits and butter for nostalgic Southern comfort. Use it to elevate a cheese board or your favorite marinades. Enjoy it over bananas, key lime pie, or ice cream. Its caramel-clove-maple complexity makes it a showstopper in any application — and a conversation starter every time.
Varietal Honey Guide
North Dakota Clover Honey
What is North Dakota Clover honey?
Our North Dakota Clover honey is sourced from the vast, wildflower-strewn plains of North Dakota, where our bees gather nectar from endless fields of vibrant clover. It's a single-origin, raw, unfiltered clover honey that represents the benchmark of what this classic varietal is supposed to taste like — before blending, heat-processing, and mass production turned it into something generic.
What does North Dakota Clover honey taste like?
Light and golden with a clean floral sweetness, it carries a subtle complexity — a hint of buttery richness balanced by a touch of fresh hay — that processed clover honey simply can't replicate. This is the benchmark honey: familiar enough to be universally loved, honest enough to taste like something real.
What makes Mitchem Bee Company North Dakota Clover honey the best?
Most clover honey in stores is ultra-filtered, heat-processed, and blended with cheaper honeys — often imported — to hit a price point. The result is something that looks like honey but tastes like nothing in particular. Ours is raw, unfiltered, and single-origin from the clover fields of North Dakota. No blending, no processing, no shortcuts. It's clover honey the way it was always meant to be — and the difference in taste is immediate and undeniable.
What are the potential health benefits of North Dakota Clover honey?
Like all our honeys, North Dakota Clover is 100% raw and unfiltered, preserving naturally occurring enzymes, antioxidants, bee pollen, and trace minerals that heat-processing destroys. The information we share reflects traditional uses and beliefs — these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your healthcare provider.
What foods pair best with North Dakota Clover honey?
Similar to our Florida Wildflower, Mitchem Bee Company's Clover honey is the ultimate all-purpose honey. Drizzle over warm biscuits, stir into sweet tea, use in baking, spread on toast, or enjoy straight off the spoon. Its clean, mild sweetness complements virtually everything without overpowering — which is exactly why it's been a kitchen staple for generations. If you're new to Mitchem Bee Company, this is a great place to start.