Bottling is the last step before the honey reaches the customer. What matters is speed, cleanliness and consistent fill weight.

The equipment

• A tap on the settling tank: The simplest form; the honey is drawn straight into the jar
• A bottling valve that closes without dripping — the difference between a clean and a sticky operation
• Scales to check the fill weight
• A stand to hold the jar under the tap

Fill weight

The declared weight must be there. Under-filling is a legal problem; systematic over-filling is a cost that runs unnoticed across hundreds of jars.

Weigh regularly during the run, not once at the start. Honey flows differently as the tank empties and as it cools.

Air bubbles

Filling too fast beats in air, which forms a foam layer at the top of the jar. It is harmless but looks like a fault to the customer.

Fill slowly, let the honey run down the wall of the jar, and let filled jars stand briefly before capping.

The room

• Bee-proof
• Dry; honey draws moisture from the air during bottling too
• Odour-free
• Washable surfaces, clean hands, clean clothing

Jars and lids

• Clean and completely dry; a damp jar raises the moisture content
• Glass or food-grade plastic
• Lids that seal; honey takes up smells and moisture

Labelling

Rules differ by country but usually require product name, net weight, a date, country of origin and producer details.

Health claims are prohibited in most countries — on the label and spoken at the stall.

Traceability

Record per batch: which apiary, which period, which forage, which bottling date. That is the basis for an origin claim and for finding the source if a problem arises.