Friday, Jan. 9 is the deadline to register for the two long-awaited workshops: The Science of Honey Tasting and The Science of Mead Tasting.
Coordinated by the California Master Beekeeper Program (CAMBP), based at the University of California, Davis, and Z Food Specialty/The HIVE, Woodland, both of the workshops, open to the public, will take place in The HIVE Tasting Room and Kitchen, located in Woodland at 1221 Harter Ave.
The honey tasting workshop is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Saturday, Jan. 24, and the mead tasting workshop is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 25. You can register for one or bundle them (take both at a discount)
"This immersive weekend brings together experts in honey bee biology, honey and pollen analysis, sanitation and fermentation, alongside one of California's leading mead makers, for a learning experience you can truly taste," according to the CAMBP newsletter. "Honey is one of nature’s most complex and misunderstood foods. Its flavor, aroma, texture, and color are shaped by floral sources, chemistry, bee biology, and beekeeping practices. No two honeys are ever the same. In the Science of Honey Tasting, we move beyond appearance to explore what research tells us about enzymes, antioxidants, microbial properties, sugar ratios, moisture content, and crystallization—then apply that knowledge through intentional, structured tasting grounded in chemistry, ecology, and bee health."
Mead (made from honey, water and yeast) "is one of humanity's oldest fermented beverages and it’s experiencing a modern revival," the CAMBP newsletter related. "In the Science of Mead Tasting, you’ll explore how fermentation transforms honey into mead, and how yeast selection, sanitation, chemistry, and technique shape aroma, body, balance, and flavor expression."
Bee scientist Elina Lastro Niño, professor of apiculture (UC Cooperative Extension and the Department of Entomology and Nematology) is the founder and director of CAMBP. Amina Harris, "queen bee" of Z Food Specialty/The HIVE, is the emerita founder/director of the UC Davis Honey and Pollination Center, UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Harris and her son, Joshua Zeldner, and her daughter, Shoshana Zeldner, form the administrative team at Z Food Specialty/The HIVE.
Honey Tasting Workshop on Saturday, Jan. 24
For the honey tasting, participants will
- Understand how honey bee colonies are structured and the seasonal rhythms of beekeeping
- Follow nectar’s transformation into honey and explore key chemical factors such as sugars, water content, and crystallization
- Learn the essential role of pollen in bee nutrition, honey identity, and agricultural forensics
- Examine the honey bee’s (and native bees) importance to agriculture and ecosystems
- Sharpen your senses as you taste varietal honeys and observe their unique flavor profiles, aromas, colors and textures
Instructors, besides Niño, Harris and Shoshana Zeldner are:
- Wendy Mather, co-manager, California Master Beekeeper Program
- Mark Carlson, CAMPB Master Beekeeper, lead honey judge at The Good Food Awards
- Jean-Philippe Marelli, Cacao Integrated Pest Management director for Mars Wrigley Confectionary, and Arimubee owner
Mead Tasting Workshop on Sunday, Jan. 25
Participants will discover how the alchemy of honey and fermentation comes together in one of the world’s oldest and fastest-growing beverages: mead. This course introduces the chemistry that makes honey the perfect foundation for fermentation, then walks you through the essentials of yeast, sugars, enzymes, and alcohol formation. This workshop includes lunch and 15 percent off purchases in The HIVE. Participants will:
- Learn how sanitation, brewing techniques, and bottling practices impact mead’s flavor, quality, and character
- Trace mead’s cultural journey from ancient traditions to its modern global revival
- Explore major mead styles and understand what makes each unique
- Participate in a guided tasting that connects key course information
- Discover food pairings that complement and elevate each mead style
Instructors, in addition to Harris, are
- Billy Beltz, founder/owner, Lost Cause Meadery
- Matt Ford, Food Science and Technology, UC Davis
- Lucy Joseph, fermentation expert, Ferminkasi
Participants may register for one day or bundle both courses to save $50. The bundle includes a Certificate of Completion and fulfills the CAMBP Journey Level honey tasting requirement. Access this website to register and learn more about the workshops.
Niño and Harris comment that "Whether you’re a beekeeper, mead maker, food professional, or curious taster, you’ll leave with shared language, sharper senses, and science-backed insight you’ll use long after the last tasting."
Cover image: Honey bee on honeycomb. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)