Frequently Asked Questions

General Honey

Generally speaking, different honeys tend to possess different tastes and colors. Clover honey is known for its sweet, mild flavor and light, golden color, while wildflower honey has a richer, more fragrant flavor and deeper, amber color.

The presence of natural debris in honey can lead to eventual crystallization. Some consumers mistake crystallization as a sign of spoiled honey, but crystallization is a natural process, and crystallized honey is safe to consume. However, many commercial honey brands implement a filtering process to remove debris like wings, stingers, and pollen from their honey in order to prevent crystallization. AR’s honeys only undergo basic filtering to remove large debris, allowing the natural pollen to remain in the final product.

Product & Production

We start with a mix of 100% pure clover and wildflower honeys, then infuse the honey with either de Árbol red chili peppers (for AR’s Hot-Mild Southern Honey) or habanero peppers (for AR’s Hot-Hot Southern Honey).

All of AR’s honeys are manufactured in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. AR’s Peach Hot Sauce comes from Henderson, North Carolina, and AR’s Spicy Honey Peanut Butter is produced in Richmond, Virginia.

AR’s Hot Southern Honey is based in hot and southern Richmond, Virginia.

AR’s seeks out the purest, most flavorful raw ingredients. AR’s honey always comes from Appalachian hives, and the peanuts in AR’s Spicy Honey Peanut Butter always come from Virginia. Peppers and peaches require sourcing from multiple locations, and are subject to stringent quality thresholds to ensure they meet AR’s standards.

For the average consumer, even AR’s hottest products aren’t too hot—most people find they’re just the right mix of sweet and heat. See below to learn more about where AR’s products fall on the heat spectrum.

No Heat

  • AR’s Southern Clover Honey
  • AR’s Southern Wildflower Honey

Little Heat

  • AR’s Hot-Mild Southern Honey

Lotta Heat

  • AR’s Hot-Hot Southern Honey
  • AR’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Hot-Hot Southern Honey
  • AR’s Peach Hot Sauce
  • AR’s Spicy Honey Peanut Butter

Allergens & Dietary Concerns

AR’s Spicy Honey Peanut Butter contains peanuts.

AR’s honeys and hot sauce do not contain major allergens. Our honeys are manufactured in nut-free facilities, but our hot sauce is not. See individual product pages for ingredient information.

Yes, all of AR’s products are gluten-free.

Please note that AR’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Hot-Hot Southern Honey is aged in barrels previously used to distill whiskey. As such, the barrels themselves may contain small traces of wheat.

All of AR’s honeys are paleo, but AR’s Peach Hot Sauce and AR’s Spicy Honey Peanut Butter are not.

Yes, all of AR’s products are sodium-free.

Storage

Optimal storage conditions depend on the product type. All products should be tightly resealed after opening.

Honey  |  To delay crystallization, store honey in a pantry with a temperature of 65°F or above.

Hot Sauce  |  Refrigerate AR’s Peach Hot Sauce after opening to maintain freshness.

Peanut Butter  |  Refrigerate AR’s Spicy Honey Peanut Butter after opening to maintain freshness.

Crystallization occurs naturally in all pure honeys. To slow the crystallization process, we recommend tightly sealing honey immediately after use and storing honey in a pantry with a temperature of 65°F or above.

Don’t worry! Crystallization occurs when sugar crystals form within honey, resulting in grainy or solidified honey. Crystallization is a natural process, and doesn’t mean that honey has spoiled. When honey crystallizes, you have two options:

  • Eat crystallized honey as is. Honey in crystallized form tastes great on toast or in yogurt or oatmeal.
  • Decrystallize honey by introducing heat. Transfer the desired portion from its original plastic bottle to a glass jar with a lid. Submerge the sealed jar in a hot water bath, removing occasionally to stir the honey and reincorporate the crystallized sugar. Alternatively, microwave a glass jar of honey in increments of 20 seconds.

Please note: do not heat the original plastic packaging.

Foodservice

We work with a variety of foodservice distributors. Feel free to contact us directly by emailing ames@hotsouthernhoney.com or submitting a request via our Contact Us form.

There are endless options for incorporating hot honey into menu offerings. Founder Ames Russell’s favorite applications are:

  • Fried chicken
  • Ham biscuits
  • Cheese and charcuterie boards
  • Pizza
  • Dressings and sauces
  • Cocktails

For more inspiration, visit Recipes.

There are a handful of reasons to buy AR’s hot honeys for your restaurant.

  • Convenience. Making hot honey is a sticky, time-consuming process! Let us do the hard work for you.
  • Quality. All of AR’s products are all-natural, and ingredients are pure, simple, and sourced according to stringent quality thresholds. With AR’s, you can be sure that the texture and flavor is the same with every order.
  • Cost efficiency. AR’s offers a lower cost per ounce than is possible for in-house production as well as other major hot honey producers.

We think AR’s Hot Southern Honey is the best hot honey out there. Request a sample through our Contact Us form.

Of course! If you’d like access to high-resolution logo files or other creative assets, please email ames@hotsouthernhoney.com or submit a request via our Contact Us form.

Event Partnerships

Definitely! We appreciate your interest and are always looking for opportunities to partner with brands, chefs, and restaurants. Please reach out to ames@hotsouthernhoney.com or submit a request via our Contact Us form to discuss how we can best support you.