DrApis' artisanal raw honey is produced and extracted using exclusively traditional methods, preserving all the natural vitamins, enzymes, phytonutrients and other nutritional elements produced by bees.

It is made in Alentejo (Southern Portugal) by the local subspecie of honey bees, Apis mellifera iberiensis. These bees work during Spring and Summer, gathering nectar from the annual wildflowers that sprout in Alentejo's dehesa.

Unlike industrial honey packagers, DrApis does not mix honey to normalize batches. Thus, honey colour and flavour will change with every new harvest. During Spring our honey is light coloured with a delicate and mild flavour, derived from a floral source dominated by clovers (Trifolium spp.), wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) and lavender (Lavandula stoechas luisieri). As we reach the end of Summer, honey gets darker and acquires a bolder and richer flavour, coming from the nectar of late blooming flowers, mostly thistles (Carduus, Cirsium, Cynara and Galactites spp.) and pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium).

At DrApis we let nature take its time. We let bees brew their honey until the fermentation and dehydration processes are fully complete. This renders a ripe and nutrient-rich honey with down to 16% humidity level, ready to be stored for millennia without spoiling.

These are glass jars that we cram from top to bottom with capped honeycombs chunks. We then add just enough raw honey to fill in the void spaces. Both combs and honey come from the same hive, keeping colour and flavour as pristine as you can get. The end result is a treat for all true honey lovers.

Honey aficionados will tell you that honey tastes specially delicious and fresh when eaten from combs. Just as honey, the flavour of beeswax also varies according to what bees are foraging at the time. This adds a richness to the flavour that extracted honey doesn't have.

Combs are a great way to eat straight honey. You just put them in your mouth and suck the honey out. Some people also chew on the beeswax afterwards, much like a chewing gum, and then discard it.

We choose to store our comb honey in glass containers instead of plastic to avoid BPA (bisphenol A) exposure and allow for easy decrystallization.

DrApis' raw beeswax is unfiltered and chemical free. We currently offer two types of beeswax.

Yellow beeswax

• skin care and cosmetics;
• culinary arts;
• boot polishing (bulling);
• furniture polishing;
• cool water surfboard wax (15-20 °C / 58-68 °F).

Brown beeswax

• candle-making;
• sculpture;
• soap-making;
• didgeridoo mouthpieces;
• warm water surf wax (19-24 °C / 65-75 °F).

Propolis, also known as bee glue, is a sticky resin produced by worker bees. These gather sap from nearby plants and trees and mix it with beeswax, pollen, essential oils and saliva. Bees use it to seal small gaps in the hive and to inhibit fungal and bacterial growth.

Propolis has been used in folk medicine for thousands of years for it's antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antiseptic properties.

Propolis tinctures are used as a natural antibiotic to heal sore throat, pharyngitis, laryngitis, ear infections, and hinder the development of colds and influenza.

Propolis ointments have been successfully used to heal genital herpes, cold sores (herpes labialis) and other skin injuries, as they limit the development of scars and accelerate wound healing.

Raw propolis can be consumed as is. The usual method is to take it on the first signs of a sore throat, by placing a small amount (1/2 teaspoon or less) in the mouth, keeping it there for up to 6 hours. In the Persian culture raw propolis is rolled into a small ball and ingested straight like a pill.

To take a tincture dilute 3-4 drops in half glass of warm water, then drink or gargle. Use it once to twice a day. You can also apply to the skin where necessary using a cotton bud or piece of linen moistened with the liquid.

Raw propolis should be stored in the freezer. This prevents mold formation and makes propolis hard and brittle, thus easier to handle when preparing ointments or tinctures.

Worker bees hop from flower to flower gathering nectar, and pollen. While nectar is used to produce honey, the bees' carbohydrates source. Pollen is packed into separate honeycombs, and mixed with some nectar and enzymes secreted by bees. After slightly fermenting, it turns into bee bread, also known as perga.

Bee bread is consumed by bees for its high protein, minerals and vitamins content, making up for honey's deficiencies. It can be consumed by vegetarians as a rich protein source. The fermentation process changes the composition and nutritional value of pollen, making it easier to digest and absorb by the organism. It is said to alleviate digestive disorders and pollen allergies. Bee bread is used by athletes for its antioxidant properties. Athletes also believe it boosts performance and accelerates recovery after training.

Bee bread has a fruit-like taste, lingering between sour and sweet. It can be eaten plain or added to yoghurt or breakfast cereals.