Had always been curious about beekeeping and mead so signed up for this experience via Airbnb. Our host was incredibly knowledgeable about bees and I loved the educational aspect, from beekeeping to the honey industry. We were able to see the hive with all the proper gear - totally safe - and then went in for our tasting. We were able to try all the different seasonal honeys and eventually try our hand at making our own mead based off the mead tasting we had. Was a really lovely and new experience that I'd recommend to anyone. Plus got some cool photos, mead, and a honey sample out of it! read more

PurrFect Honey - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me

It was amazing! Dr Ali was super knowledgeable and she was extremely patient with my two young boys! We had a wonderful hands on experience and learnt so much about honey bees and beekeeping! the food tasting with different crackers, almonds, raisins, homemade goat cheese and blue cheese at the end made my son's day!!!! he is crazy about cheese and honey and that combo made him the happiest kid on the block:) it was truly unforgettable and something we will talk about for a long time! read more

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Such a fun, educational and exciting event. So glad we did this beekeeper experience, even/esp during the mental isolation from the last few months! We did it while safely social distancing with friends, everyone masked up and keeping a safe distance while learning about the bees and the mission of PurrFect Honey (and meeting our wonderfully chill tabby friend Hobbes). You really get up close and personal with the bees, who are really relaxed and friendly, even if the buzzing might seem alarming. Even with allergies, I lost my fears quickly, esp with a host who used to be allergic to bees. The cute bees are clearly not interested at all in hurting anyone. They crawl around, eat, clean themselves, or perch on you just as a convenient resting spot for a minute or two before taking off again. They are very much single-mindedly interested in collecting food and then going back home to tend to their hive. It was really refreshing to learn that, and I'm inspired to maybe one day adopt a hive myself. Really fun and engaging experience - check it out! read more

PurrFect Honey - In our bee gear! - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me

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My husband got this airbnb experience as a surprise for me and it was a very unique and interesting. We arrived at her house and another couple joined us. She went over her passion for bees and the story of how she became a beekeeper. Then we got our gear on and headed to her patio where we learned how to smoke the bees to get them to calm down. She showed us the beehive cases, how to lift the frames gently, we petting the bees, touched beeswax, and sampled the honey from different frames. We then went inside for honey tasting and tried 4 different seasonal (summer, winter, spring, and fall) honey with cheese, nuts, and bread, which was delicious! We created our own pairings and figured out which flavors we preferred. At the end she gave us a sample honey bear to take home with us, and also had samples of lavender soap which she makes at home. We also had plenty of photo ops. For anyone craving a unique experience and want to get over their fear of bees, I highly recommend it! I used to run away when I saw a bee..now, after petting one, I admire and appreciate them. If you are scared of being stung, wear full length white/light colored clothes and covered shoes. On top of this, you'll be wearing a beekeepers costume, so you'll be fine! read more

Making mead with Alison and Hobbes was amazing! We had such a good time and Alison was so warm and easy to talk to. We loved learning about the bees and I can't wait to get a bee hive of my own. If you're considering doing this experience, I highly suggest it!! (We will only buy local honey from now on). read more

Super fun and unique experience! I booked a mead making class as an anniversary present last year for my husband. He volunteers for a local youth group and works with the project, he's taught me so much about bees, so when I came across this I knew it was the perfect idea! Alison is very sweet and welcoming, she gives off a warm vibe. She talked us through the mead making process and introduced us to her bees! We had a lot of fun working with her. We recently opened up one of our meads (got wait about 9months for it to brew) and it turned out pretty good! We want to test out more flavors in the future! read more

The tours at PurrFect Honey really are perfect. Allison thinks of everything, and will tailor the experience directly to your needs. The best part is how hands on and customized the tours are. Allison creates a safe and open environment for you to learn, meeting you where you are in your journey with bees. You'll get to hold and observe the bees and their hives, taste honey right from the source, and learn all about how doable it is to be a beekeeper yourself. These tours would be perfect for a group of friends, or a family, and for people of any age. I met Allison over Airbnb, and we worked together to create a video about the organization. The entire process was so much fun because of Allison's charming personality and the way she instantly makes you feel warmly welcomed into her world. This attitude translates to a fun, well-rounded, and comfortable encounter with the bees! She is knowledgeable and generous, so you will learn a lot, and taste and eat a lot of delicious honey and mead. My boyfriend and I were just saying the other day how we need to put in another order of honey! Want to see more? Here's the video we made! https://vimeo.com/371066956 read more

Instead of your typical physical birthday gift, I do experiences with my nephews so we both can have a memorable experience we can take with us for the rest of our lives. This past year, I gifted a beekeeping class with Alison for my 17 year old nephew, and we both left wondering how we can get a hive of our own. Alison's knowledge and passion about bees and their future is evident. The class is hands on, literally, bees on your hands and fingers dipped honey to taste. For those who are afraid of bees, Alison's approach helps ease any fears. The mead tasting afterwards capped off the amazing time we had. I have such a great appreciation for bees, and when I walk past a bush full of them, I am so happy that people like Alison have hives in their backyards to ensure we have flowers, fruits, and vegetables for years to come! I cannot recommend this enough! Note: My nephew did not taste any of the mead because of his age, but he told me that he is looking forward to when he can try it in the future! read more

My boyfriend and I did the mead making and bee tour and it was by far one of the most fun things I've ever done. So creative and educational. Allison is so sweet and detailed with the whole event. And all the goodies at the end were so thoughtful. I want to come back again every year to taste the new seasonal honeys! I'm not kidding, if you are thinking of something creative to do with family, friends, or your partner, THIS is it. read more

The delivery was on time and accurate and friendly and the honey is delicious. It's almost gone and I plan to order more very soon. It's very nice to have good quality local honey and this honey is perfect read more

Alison is amazing. She does a great job at teaching you about bees. I learned so much about bees. I'd highly recommend PurrFect Honey.

I didn't know what to expect, however, somehow this experience exceeded my expectations! I did the bee tour, and the meade making too. Allison is a great host, and she really knows Honey !! read more

When bees land in your backyard, do you create houses for them from scratch and take care of them with love? Why yes, according to Alison. This cute little bee sanctuary produces wonderfully delicious honey. I attended the full tour experience, where we got into bee keeper suits, visited the bees, and even sampled some honey right on the spot. The honey flavor was rich and tasted like a red delicious apple. Alison also ended the experience with a tasting of different honeys harvested during different seasons and provided a mini jar of honey as a keepsake. I'd highly recommend purchasing all your honey here and stopping by to see nature at work at its finest! Thanks, Alison! read more

My partner and I did this over a year ago through Airbnb and we still talk about how amazing it was. We got to taste fresh warm (!) honey straight from the comb, totally unforgettable. We also got to gently "pet" the bees (with gloves on) and lose our fear of bees. Finally my favorite part was tasting the difference between spring and fall honey and learning my favorite season. Alison has a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm and we learned so much about these precious creatures. Highly recommended! read more

This was one of the best experiences we have had in a very long time. Alison is very knowledgeable about honey and bees. Honey sampling was very good. I didn't even know honey could be paired with so many things . I also bought some honey home, which is the main flavor in many of the desserts I make. Will go back for sure. Thank you Alison and Hobbes for a beautiful experience. read more

This is a wonderful local apiary in the South Bay, with thoughtfully decorated facilities. Dr. Ali is knowledgeable, engaging, and has a great sense of humor. Not to mention, the honey is delicious! I highly recommend visiting PurrFect Honey and the wide selection of products it offers. read more

Alison was such an amazing host! I was scrambling for an anniversary present last minute and found this experience and Alison was more than willing to help me enjoy her bees! I personally am not a fan of any sort of bugs but Alison made me very comfortable and excited about the bee keeping experience. The food and wine afterwards was the icing on the cake. Absolutely no complaints about any part of our time with Alison. The experience in its entirety was one to remember and I can't wait to come back again and recommend Alison to everyone!!! read more

This was my first beekeeping experience and it was an absolute delight! Alison is kind and accommodating. She provides an unforgettable experience and her passion inspires you to one day follow beekeeping too. Her tasting is top tier and there will be good you won't ever forget! Definitely consider doing this if you are in the area! read more

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My friends and I did the mead making experience back in May 2019, and it was awesome! Alison was so kind, welcoming, and thoughtful. I think this type of experience is perfect for these concerning times. You and your household can get together to create some really incredible mead. The honey that her bees produce is amazing, and you get to choose the fruit and honey profile to use in your mead. I highly recommend this experience! read more

We did a mead making session with Alison and it was very informative and fun. We tried different types of honey and they were all very delicious. Would recommend! read more

Alison is an amazing host. I had lot of fun, got to taste 4 different types of honey, I was initially afraid of bees but after the experience I'm not afraid anymore. Bees are your friends :), I would definitely try again. read more

I just had the best bee experience ever. I learned thank honey bees are basically golden retrievers. I held up a slab of a thousand honey bees with my bear hands! Also we had great tasty snacks and my wife bought some honey as well! This is a non-profit and all proceeds are going to help the bees. If we lose our bees we lose 70% of our food supply! Fun facts from this great place! read more

This was such a special experience I will never forget. Honestly the highlight of my trip. From the beginning to the tasting in the end. You have to try it! read more

I wish I could add an extra star considering this was one of the greatest educational experiences I have ever had! So much so, that I added taking my family back for a private session to my bucket list! Now, after 2 visits it's safe to say Alison is one of the best teachers I have ever had! She gave me and now my family members a new found love and respect for bees. This was quite an accomplishment considering half my family members WERE afraid of bees! This is something I believe every human being should experience. Thanks for sharing your gift Alison! read more

If you look in my post history, you'll see that I don't take the time to write a lot of reviews. I'm making an exception because my husband and I had a fantastic time learning all about beekeeping with Alison. Our workshop was informative, and Alison was very welcoming and funny. It is clear that she has a lot of knowledge and love for what she does, as well as respect for the bees. I was a little nervous because I'm afraid of bugs that sting, but Alison put us at ease and I felt very confident that no harm would come to us. We got to do a tasting after learning about the beehives in an interactive manner (and getting tons of cool pictures!). The taste of pure honey that is raised by bees that have been cared for so we'll cannot compare to the crap at the grocery store. We even got to take some honey home with us. I recommend attending a workshop with her 100%. In fact, the next time I'm in San Jose, I'm planning on booking another one. I'll try to remember to update my review with some of the great pictures we got. read more

I've been 3 times. The last time was when my high school aged neice came to the Bay. It was one of our airbnb experiences. She loved it. Each time was fun and unique to me and my party. The host is bubbly and filled with good energy. She is very passionate about bees and honey. She even has a non profit benefitting bees. She talked me off the ledge and calmed me down when I was in the mist of the swarm of bees and began to panic. Great host!!! Great honey!!! I'll be back again, im almost out of real honey. read more

Buzzzz! So much yum from PurrFect Honey. Alison and Hobbes take great care of their bee families. Those lovely bees produce wonderfully delicious honey. It's good for the soul. read more

This was a really fun and unique way to spend an evening. I also took what I learned and started making mead on my own. And, the host has made herself available after the fact to answer questions as I'm learning. read more

This was such a wonderful experience! My fiancé and I did this with his parents as a Christmas present (in January 2020). Alison is very welcoming, knowledgeable, and passionate. She asked how she could best tailor the experience to what we wanted to learn and shared a lot about bees, honey, and the mead-making process. We loved that we got to individualize our meads based on our preferences from the honey, fruit, and mead tastings. We learned a lot and had a lot of fun doing it. We can't wait to taste our mead when it's ready and we would love to come back. Hobbes is an adorable and cuddly cat who adds even more to the experience :) read more

Great event for couples, I booked as an AirBnB experience and it totally exceeded my expectations. The group was small, 6 people total. Alison was really entertaining, talking about her origins as a bee keeper before having us don our gear and walking us through the steps of extracting honey and caring for the bees. Great pace, and everyone got to partake in each step, so no one was left out. The most amazing part was both getting to touch the bees and see them up close, as well as sampling honey straight from the hive. Like nothing we had tasted before, and worth the experience alone. We ended with snacks and samples that were very generous, trying the different seasonal honey with various crackers/nuts/cheese/fruit to get some ideas on how to use it ourselves. So tasty we walked away with a full jar of our favorite honey as well. read more

This is a phenomenal tour! Allison is very kind, safe, knowledgeable and FUN! We've experienced this tour three times. Each tour was tailored and unique. During our third trip, we brought our niece. She loved every moment. Definitely a tour for all ages, no experience required. read more

Scheduled this Airbnb experience (mead making) during a weekend trip to San Jose and could not be more ecstatic about our time spent there. The love for their work is infectious and gave so much attention to us it felt personal. Would love to visit again and enjoy another round of mead tasting! read more

This was a really unique, memorable experience for our family that taught us a lot. Alison did everything right: she had beekeeping suits for everyone in our group, from small children to big men. She did a great job teaching us tons of things about bees, hives, honey production, how to stay safe, the tools that are used...on and on. We each got a hands-on chance to do some beekeeping, which my kids LOVED. They actually overcame their fear of bees (not what I expected!) and learned a lot. Favorite parts were sampling honey from different seasons, and seeing how their food sources change the honey flavor. Really a great activity. read more

Aliso and Hobbes were great to make meade with! We got to try out some different meades and honey, we also got to choose our fruit. It was last summer that I made meade, and we opened it up and started drinking it last month. WONDERFUL STUFF and a great experience! read more

This was an amazing tour. I am totally afraid of bees and this experience completely changed my perspective. I went with a group of ladies for a birthday. The experience was amazing and then the hospitality afterwards was totally delightful. read more

Alison is wonderful! She is so knowledgeable and very clearly loves what she does. We had a weird mix-up with our reservation and she was so accommodating and flexible. I would definitely recommend her beekeeping class to anyone! read more

My partner and I did the beekeeping and mead making class back in July, 2019. Alison is a bright and cheerful person with a wealth of knowledge to share, and her cat Hobbes is the friendliest! Our class was just me and my partner, allowing personal one-on-one interaction and customization to what we were interested in. I got to learn and experience far more than I was expecting, from sticking my finger directly into fresh honeycomb pulled right out of the beehive to experimenting with different honey & fruit flavor combinations for the mead. Alison has been available to answer all questions we've had since then while our mead has been fermenting, like when to take out the fruit and how to bottle it once it's done. After waiting 9+ months, we just sampled the two types of mead we made, and the one we made with strawberries is quite tasty! The other one is a bit too sweet, so we'll let it ferment a while longer. It's a fun science experiment, with a tasty treat at the end! read more