2025 Berkshire Honey Show Classes

Open Class - Open to competitors from all invited associations including NDBKA

Honey must be exhibited in clear 454 g (1lb) British Standard squat glass jars with either standard gold lacquered screw caps with plastic liner, or white or gold plastic screw caps. Honey colour will be judged using standard grading glasses.

All these classes are sponsored and we will be giving prize money or vouchers with First Place £10, Second Place £5 and Third Place £3. There will be a prize card given with these awards.

Two 454g (1lb) Jars Light Honey
Two 454g (1lb) Jars Medium Honey
Two 454g (1lb) Jars Dark Honey
Two 454g (1lb) Jars Crystallized or Soft Set
Two 454g (1lb) Jars Heather Honey
Two 454g (1lb) Jars Chunk Honey
One Frame of honey. Combs can be of any size and must be protected by glass or cellophane or cling film.
One cut comb in standard container with transparent top and must have a gross weight between 200g and 255g (7 – 9 oz)
Six Uniform Beeswax Blocks, minimum weight, 28g (1oz)
Beeswax Cake. At least 454g (1lb) weight and with a uniform thickness of at least 25 mm (1 inch).
Pair of Matching Moulded Beeswax Candles. Candles to be displayed erect and one to be lit by the judge. Entrant should bring candlestick holders if required.
Pair of Matching Dipped Beeswax Candles. Candles to be displayed erect and one to be lit by the judge. Entrant should bring candlestick holders if required.
Beeswax Polish, 80g net weight in a suitable tin container with a lid bearing an adhesive descriptive label.
One bottle of Mead. The label should identify dry or Sweet
Metheglin or Melomel and other types of mead(cyser, pyment, hippocras etc). The label should identify dry or Sweet and which spice or fruit eg Raspberry Melomel Sweet.
Honey Cake made to the following recipe. (Should be presented on a paper plate and covered with cling film).

Sultana and Apricot Cake

Ingredients:

227g (8oz) self-raising Flour
113g (4oz) unsalted Butter
227g (8oz) Honey
2 Eggs (original size 3)(~ medium)
113g (4oz) Sultanas
60g (2oz) dried Apricots, soaked overnight & chopped
1 teaspoon of Lemon zest
3 tablespoons of whole Milk

Method:

Cream the butter and honey together. Start oven to pre heat.
Beat the eggs well, alternately adding the sifted flour to mix, and a pinch of salt.
Add sultanas, the softened ‘ready to eat’ chopped apricots, lemon zest and milk.
Beat in well and lightly. 5. Bake in buttered deep 16.5-19.0cm (6½ to 7½”) round tin for 1½ to 1¾ hours at ≤160°C, Gas Mark 2½-3.

17. Honey Cake made to the following recipe. (Should be presented on a paper plate and covered with cling film).

Plain Honey Cake

Ingredients:

227g (8oz) self-raising Flour
113g (4oz) unsalted Butter
227g (8oz) Honey
2 Eggs (original size 3)(~ medium)
Pinch of Salt

Method:

Cream the butter and honey together. Start oven to pre heat.
Beat the eggs well, alternately adding sifted flour at intervals, and salt. Add a little milk if required. 3. Bake in buttered deep 16.5-19.0cm (6½ to 7½”) round tin ~ 1¼ hours at ≤160°C, Gas Mark 2½ -3.

18. An art or craft exhibit related to bees or beekeeping. No dimension to exceed 0.5 m

19. A standard honey label, actual size, to comply with current UK regulations to be displayed on an empty honey jar or plain white paper no bigger than A5. (see regulations below). An attractive glass jar and lid to accentuate the label is preferred.

Labelling Regulations: Honey jar labels must comply with the following requirements:

a) The word HONEY is required.

b) The metric weight must be on the label – figures need to be at least 4mm high for jars exceeding 200g to 1kg weights. If the imperial weight is shown it must be in close proximity to the metric weight.

c) You can specify the area where the honey is produced. For example, Lincolnshire, Forest of Dean, Scottish Borders.

d) You can specify the type of honey. For example, Heather, Borage. The honey must be at least 75% of that particular type.

e) If you are selling the honey, you must have your name and address on the label. It does not need to be complete but you should be able to be found from the information.

f) If you are selling the honey through a third party, you must have a lot number or specific batch date e.g. 22.09.24.

g) You must have a best before date on the jar. We suggest 2-5 years from now.

h) You must have a country of origin on the jar. For example – Produce of England, Produced in Scotland, Harvested in Wales. Adding the country to the end of your address is not acceptable.

Overall points winner for classes 1 to 19. Points will be awarded for the first three places in
each class. 5 points for First, 3 points for Second and 2 points for Third. In this class there will
be a trophy and a £100 first prize. There will be no prize money for second or third apart but
will get a prize card. In the event of a tie the prize money will be shared.

Open Novice Class - Open to competitors from all invited associations including NDBKA who have never won first prize in a honey show

20. One 454g (1lb) or one 340g (12oz) jar of honey, any type, any colour.

21. Five 28g (1oz) blocks of beeswax.

22. Two matching beeswax candles (moulded or dipped). One candle to be lit by Judge. Entrant should bring candlestick holders if required.

23. One cut comb in standard container with transparent top and must have a gross weight between 200g and 255g (7 – 9 oz)

NDBKA Open Class - Only open to competitors who are members of NDBKA

All these classes are sponsored and we will be giving prize money or vouchers with First Place £10, Second Place £5 and Third Place £3. There will be a prize card given with these awards.

The person with the most overall points in Classes 23 to 30 will be presented the WBC Trophy.

The person with the most overall points in classes 31 to 35 will be presented with the Shefford Cup.

The person with the most overall points in classes 23 to 40 will win the Lady Teviot Cup.

23. Two 454g (1lb) Jars Light Honey

24. Two 454g (1lb) Jars Medium Honey

25. Two 454g (1lb) Jars Dark Honey

26. Two 454g (1lb) Jars Crystallized or Soft Set

27. Two 454g (1lb) Jars Heather Honey

28. Two 454g (1lb) Jars Chunk Honey

29. One frame of honey. Combs can be of any size and must be protected by glass or cellophane or cling film.

30. One cut comb in standard container with transparent top and must have a gross weight between 200g and 255g (7 – 9 oz)

31. 6 Uniform Beeswax Blocks, minimum weight, 28 g (1oz)

32. Beeswax Cake. At least 454 g (1lb) weight and with a uniform thickness of at least 25 mm (1 inch).

33. Pair of Matching Moulded Beeswax Candles. Candles to be displayed erect and one to be lit by the judge. Entrant should bring candlestick holders if required.

34. Pair of Matching Dipped Beeswax Candles. Candles to be displayed erect and one to be lit by the judge. Entrant should bring candlestick holders if required.

35. Beeswax Polish, 80g net weight in a suitable tin container with a lid bearing an adhesive descriptive label.

36. One bottle of Mead – The label should identify Sweet or Dry.

37. One bottle of Metheglin, Melomel and other types of Mead(cyser, pyment, hippocras etc). The label should identify dry or Sweet and which spice or fruit eg Raspberry Melomel Sweet.

38. Honey Cake made to the following recipe. (Should be presented on a paper plate and covered with cling film). The winner of this class will also be presented with the Cake Slice Trophy.

Sultana and Apricot Cake

Ingredients:

Method:

Cream the butter and honey together. Start oven to pre heat.
Beat the eggs well, alternately adding the sifted flour to mix, and a pinch of salt.
Add sultanas, the softened ‘ready to eat’ chopped apricots, lemon zest and milk.
Beat in well and lightly. 5. Bake in buttered deep 16.5-19.0cm (6½ to 7½”) round tin for 1½ to 1¾ hours at ≤160°C, Gas Mark 2½-3.

39. Honey Cake made to the following recipe. (Should be presented on a paper plate and covered with cling film).

Plain Honey Cake

Ingredients:

227g (8oz) self-raising Flour
113g (4oz) unsalted Butter
227g (8oz) Honey
2 Eggs (original size 3)(~ medium)
Pinch of Salt

Method:

Cream the butter and honey together. Start oven to pre heat.
Beat the eggs well, alternately adding sifted flour at intervals, and salt. Add a little milk if required. 3. Bake in buttered deep 16.5-19.0cm (6½ to 7½”) round tin ~ 1¼ hours at ≤160°C, Gas Mark 2½ -3.

40. An art or craft exhibit related to bees or beekeeping. No dimension to exceed 0.5 m The winner of this class will be presented the Frank Marshall Cup.

41. A standard honey label, actual size, to comply with current UK regulations to be displayed on an empty honey jar or plain white paper no bigger than A5. (see regulations below).

Labelling Regulations: Honey jar labels must comply with the following requirements:

a) The word HONEY is required.

c) You can specify the area where the honey is produced. For example, Lincolnshire, Forest of Dean, Scottish Borders.

d) You can specify the type of honey. For example, Heather, Borage. The honey must be at least 75% of that particular type.

e) If you are selling the honey, you must have your name and address on the label. It does not need to be complete but you should be able to be found from the information.

f) If you are selling the honey through a third party, you must have a lot number or specific batch date e.g. 22.09.19.

g) You must have a best before date on the jar. We suggest 2-5 years from now.

h) You must have a country of origin on the jar. For example – Produce of England, Produced in Scotland, Harvested in Wales. Adding the country to the end of your address is not acceptable.

42. Item, tool or article you have made to aid your beekeeping. A short explanation to accompany the article. For this class the Commercial Challenge Cup will be awarded.

NDBKA Novice Class - Open to any NDBKA member who have never won first prize in a honey show.

Open to any NDBKA member who has never won first prize in a honey show. The overall points winner of classes 41 to 44 will win the Colonel Peake Cup.

43. One 454g (1lb) or one 340g (12oz) jar of honey, any type, any colour.

44. Five 28g (1oz) blocks of beeswax.

45. Two matching beeswax candles (moulded or dipped). One candle to be lit by Judge. Entrant should bring candlestick holders if required.

46. One cut comb in standard container with transparent top and must have a gross weight between 200g and 255g (7 – 9 oz)

Honey Show Rules

Entry Forms