The California Master Beekeeper Program (CAMBP) at UC Davis is partnering with The HIVE Tasting Room and Kitchen in Woodland to offer two educational courses focused on honey and mead. The Science of Honey Tasting will be held on Saturday, January 24, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., while The Science of Mead Tasting is scheduled for Sunday, January 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Participants can register for either course separately or attend both at a reduced rate. Completion of the courses provides a certificate that fulfills the Journey-level honey tasting requirement for CAMBP candidates.
“For anyone who has ever wondered why honey tastes the way it does, or how the world’s oldest fermented beverage continues to surprise modern palates, these classes offer rare, hands-on access to scientific, cultural, and sensory expertise,” organizers said. “They are also a unique holiday gift for the bee and food lovers on your list.”
The Science of Honey Tasting course explores topics such as colony behavior, environmental factors affecting honey production, and the process by which nectar becomes honey. Attendees will also learn about pollen’s role in identifying honey origins and receive training in evaluating different types of honey through guided tastings.
According to organizers: “Honey is more than a sweetener—it is a living record of landscapes, blooms, weather patterns, and the tireless foraging behavior of honey bees and their native bee counterparts. The Science of Honey Tasting invites participants into this world through a blend of apiculture, ecology, chemistry, sensory training, and cultural history.”
The instructors include Elina Niño (UC Davis Professor of Cooperative Extension in Apiculture), Amina Harris (founding director emerita of the UC Davis Honey and Pollination Center), Jean-Philippe Marelli (global Integrated Pest Management specialist), and Mark Carlson (honey educator). Refreshments will be served during the class; attendees also receive a discount at The HIVE Tasting Room and Kitchen.
The following day’s course on mead covers fermentation science—from yeast metabolism to brewing techniques—and includes tastings paired with food. Organizers describe it as follows: “If honey is a product of the hive, mead is its alchemical counterpart—where sugars meet yeast, fermentation, culture, and craft. The Science of Mead Tasting offers participants a full-day exploration of mead from microbiology to sensory analysis.”
Instructors include Billy Beltz (co-founder of Lost Cause Meadery), Matt Ford (homebrewer), Lucy Joseph (fermentation microbiologist), Amina Harris, and Shoshana Zeldner (sensory guides). Lunch is provided; participants also get discounts at The HIVE.
Each class costs $200 individually or $350 when bundled together. Those completing both receive certification that counts toward CAMBP requirements.
Organizers emphasized: “Not only do participants walk away with expanded knowledge and refined tasting skills, but their enrollment helps support science-based honey bee health research and education through the CAMBP.”
Space for both classes is limited; early registration is recommended via https://cambp.ucdavis.edu/classes/class-schedule.