What does River Red Gum honey taste like?

Depends where and when it flowers. The Red Gum in the Desert jar is light and easy, with a gentle eucalyptus finish. Sweeter than Bloodwood, and not as strong. Off the Finke it goes into a darker blend with bloodwood and melaleuca.

Is Red Gum honey good for tea?

Yes. It dissolves in a warm cup and doesn't take the tea over. Let the water sit a minute if the honey is raw. Herbal, black, or coffee if that's your habit.

How is Red Gum different from Bloodwood?

Red Gum is light and it's most of the Desert jar. Off the Finke it ends up in a darker mix. Bloodwood is darker and stronger, and it grows on the sandy plains. Red Gum grows along the watercourses. Both are from around Alice Springs.

Does Red Gum honey crystallise?

All raw honey crystallises eventually. Red Gum sets at its own pace - faster than some, slower than Bloodwood. When it does, you get a fudgy, spreadable texture that's nicer on toast than runny honey. Don't like it? Warm water bath fixes it.

River Red Gum Honey

The Tree: Eucalyptus Camaldulensis

You can spot where water runs in Alice Springs by following the Red Gums. They line the Todd and Charles Rivers, big old things that have been standing there for centuries. When the Todd actually flows (every few years, if we're lucky), these are the trees holding the banks together.

Bloodwood flowers at a different time of year. Both answer to local rain more than the calendar, and the mix changes from one site to the next. "Reliable" is a strong word for anything in the desert.

River Red Gum tree in a dry sandy creek bed — Red Gums mark the watercourses. Where they grow, there's water underground.

What It Tastes Like

Red Gum honey changes with where and when it flowers. Off the Finke River it goes in with bloodwood, melaleuca and whatever else is out, and comes up dark and dense. That's our Finke River jar, and you can taste the two side by side. The Red Gum in the Desert jar is the light one. It sits in tea and on toast without taking over.

Colour: Clear golden amber. Looks like what most people think honey should look like.
Taste: Mild and smooth with a gentle eucalyptus finish. Sweetness without being cloying.
On the bench: Tea, toast, baking, and cooking, when you don't want the honey to be the whole dish.

When It Goes Solid

Red Gum crystallises at its own pace - faster than some honeys, slower than Bloodwood. When it does set, you get this fudgy consistency that spreads on toast without dripping everywhere. Some people prefer it that way.

Want it runny again? Warm water bath, 40 degrees, 15 minutes. Done. More on that here.

Where it fits

Kids take to it easier than Bloodwood. It adds moisture in a cake without shouting over the butter. It's the jar that stays on the bench.

Red Gum vs Bloodwood

Red Gum: Light and mild. Most of the Desert jar, and the one for everyday.
Bloodwood: Darker and stronger. It turns up in the Finke River jar, not the Desert one.

Neither is "better". They're different tools for different jobs. Our Desert jar is mostly Red Gum; Bloodwood turns up in the Finke River jar. Get both if you can't decide.

On the bench

Red Gum is the everyday jar. A cuppa, toast, a cake. Bloodwood is the stronger one, and it lives in the Finke River mix.

The Desert jar is the Red Gum one.

Shop Desert Collection

River Red GumThe Easy-Going One