Mountain Honey: origin, benefits and types

The true honey amateur knows separate honey types present truly distinct experiences in terms of taste, aroma and color that can really make a difference. Mountain Honey provides one of the most original sensorial experiences, given the huge potential of pollen diversity it’s made of. 

In a context where more and more consumers are showing a marked preference for natural ingredients as part of their diets, supplements and medicines, a growing number of companies are rushing to align with this inclination. 

Find out what Mountain Honey is and how retail, food and pharma companies are successfully incorporating pure Mountain Honey into their catalogs.

 

 

What is Mountain Honey?

The term Mountain Honey describes a honey variety that is collected at a minimum altitude of 800m. 

It thus represents a unique honey variety due to the distinct flora growing at higher altitudes. At the same time, raw Mountain Honey will present different characteristics depending on the particular area where it’s been harvested, as outstanding diversities of pollen may be present in different mountain areas.

However, some typical organoleptic notes related to Mountain Honey include:

• Dark color
• Dominant floral aroma with some fruity, malted or earthy undertones, which will vary according to the specific blossoms present in the honey.
• Sweet taste where slight salty notes might be perceived
• Variable crystallization, again depending on the blossoms

 

 

Mountain Honey vs. Forest Honey

The question of comparing Mountain Honey vs Forest Honey often comes up when looking into multifloral honey varieties. 

Here, it’s key to understand the crucial factor that defines Mountain Honey is the pollen spectrum present in a sample: as such, Mountain Honey will show the presence of plant species from mountainous areas and, at the same time, the absence of pollen from plants from coastal/low/mid altitudes. 

In the case of Spanish Mountain Honey, the most common honey variety is produced by bees from honeydew Forest Honey (with typical tree species including holm oak, oak and chestnut) as well as other multifloral varieties.

As such, its usual organoleptic notes include: 

• A color that ranges from amber to dark 
• Floral aroma which may include fruity notes and that can be described as intense and slightly persistent.
• Sweet taste with salty and acid notes. 
• A particular liquid consistency that presents a slow crystallization

However, Spain is not the only geographical location where raw Mountain Honey can be obtained. In fact, the most common Mountain Honey variety comes originally from Brazil.

 

Brazilian Mountain Honey

Brazil’s Southernmost regions are responsible for producing 3.000 metric tonnes of Mountain Honey every year, a volume of production which provides an estimation of the importance of this honey variety for the country. 

These states are both the biggest producers and consumers of pure Mountain Honey, a tradition that was incorporated with the arrival of European colonists, which brought both beekeeping and honey consumption with them. 

 

Beehives of our Brazilian Mountain honey

Types of Mountain Honey

The intricacy and outstanding varieties within the Mountain Honey category also represent an appealing reason to choose it.

When it comes to Brazilian Mountain Honey, there are many types and categories that respond to the different botanical origins of its production. 

• Honeydew honey: produced from the bracatinga tree, it’s harvested in even years
• Broom honey: it presents a golden, yellowy or clear-amber color, is very aromatic and thick and can present a sour aftertaste
• Multifloral honey: this honey variety is produced at the height of spring, has a clear amber color, is very aromatic and has a soft, floral taste. Forest Honey varieties, produced from the leaves of trees, can also be included in this category, full-bodied and highly conductive.

 

What are the benefits of Mountain Honey?

Honey represents an extraordinary source of a number of important nutritional ingredients which include vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. In fact, the numerous and well-known health advantages of honey have turned this natural ingredient into a favorite for a number of industries, including the growing use of honey in the nutritional supplements’ industry.

When it comes to Mountain Honey in particular, the health advantages intrinsic to this honey variety include:

• Outstanding antimicrobial properties, offering an efficient way of strengthening the immune system.
• Provides relief for coughs, colds, flu and sore throats. This includes help in suppressing coughing in children
• Promotes fast healing for certain burns and wounds 
• Acts as a natural antioxidant

 

Main uses of Mountain Honey

Building from the advantages of Mountain Honey we’ve mentioned above, as well as its sweet taste and pleasant aromas, companies across a number of industries have been quick to harness increasing consumer interest in the benefits of honey.

This growth is, in turn, reflected in the present and forecasted global honey market size, which was valued at USD 8.58 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at CAGR of 5.2% in the next decade, according to Grand View Research.

In this context, some successful uses of Mountain Honey include its high value as sweet & spreads honey and natural sweetener  due to its outstanding taste and aromatic variety; and its application, in combination with medicinal plants, as part of pharma products to alleviate flu and cold symptoms.

 

 

 

Buy Mountain Honey wholesale

At Honey Green we commit to providing high-quality, organic raw Mountain Honey in bulk to help companies generate successful formulas that enhance their catalogs and align with current consumer preferences.

As such, our Mountain Honey presents an outstanding, certified origin from Serra Santa Catarina (Brazil), where beekeeping takes place in legal forest reserves where environmental preservation and sustainability are 100% guaranteed.

 

These outstanding crops are harvested during the months of November and December to guarantee the highest Mountain Honey quality, which we then facilitate in 300kg and 1.400kg IBC honey drums.

Want to learn more about Mountain Honey and how to successfully incorporate it into your catalog? Take a look at our list of free honey resources to get inspired, learn more about our mission and vision through our corporate presentation, or get in touch with us to speak directly to our team and see how we can help you.