Warner's Honeybee Gin, 70cl

Product Information

I find the hum not frightening but rather hypnotic. And then there is a loud buzz in my left ear. It’s disconcerting. Is it in my suit or outside?

They are also spotlessly clean, creating propolis to sterilise the hive, a substance that has been used for centuries for its healing properties. ‘It’s got lots of wonderful and antibacterial properties to it, so the hive is one of the cleanest places on earth.' When Andre takes out the first honey frame covered with bees there is a collective intake of breath from the group. It is incredible to see these creatures at work and I feel rather privileged.A total winner with Mediterranean tonic and a sprig of sage if you’ve got one nearby. What's the story?

Andre continues: ‘When scout bees find a good source of nectar or pollen they tell the other bees of their discovery by doing a special dance on the honeycomb called the waggle dance which communicates the distance and direction of the source.' Andre points out that the nectar they collect is a different colour depending on what flower it has been collected from and you can visibly see this. Nectar is very high in water, so the honey bees collectively flap their wings to drive off the water until its moisture content is reduced from approximately 90% to 18% at most — though this can vary. If the water content is too high, the honey will ferment. But these incredible creatures instinctively know when the nectar is sufficiently dry enough to create the perfect consistency of honey. But the focus is also to continue to spread the message about the importance of bees. ‘We've loved introducing people to our honeybees over the summer - it's been so rewarding to watch people interacting with honeybees for the very first time.

BEE-GINNING SHOP

Frank Meier's ownership is reasserted in his 1936 book, The Artistry of Mixing Drinks, where the recipe is accompanied by a design that signifies the recipe was one of his own. Andre’s approach to the hives is slow and methodical and I take note that he advises the group not to wave their arms around, as this in fact is more likely to attract them. I am surprised that I feel quite calm. Early in the book I spoke in disparaging terms of the Bee's Knees. This, however, was because as it originally came out during prohibition days it consisted of equal parts of lemon juice, honey, and gin. If made as a variation of the standard Gin Sour, merely substituting honey for the sugar syrup, it is acceptable. David A. Embury, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, 1948 How do you like your honey? Swirled in a smoothie? Spread on toast? Drizzled over pancakes? This iconic ingredient truly takes any tasty treat to the next level and is so naturally moreish, there’s no doubt you’d devour that honey-laden loveliness in seconds. What’s ultra-impressive is that it’s all thanks to a lifetime of work by a tiny — but incredibly talented — creature: the honey bee.