FAQ
Beesou is Britain’s only bitter honey aperitif — all-natural, multi-award winning, and the first of it’s kind to use honey wine as its base. It’s made from ethically sourced Cotswold honey, fermented with champagne yeast for five months, then infused with five all-natural botanicals: cinchona bark and chinotto for bitterness, pink grapefruit and bitter orange for citrus brightness, and safflower for its distinctive golden colour. At 11% ABV, it’s lighter than most Aperitif, completely natural in colour and flavour, and utterly unlike anything else on the market.
Beesou is built on delicate balance — the smooth sweetness of honey underpinned by a refreshing bitter twist. You’ll find notes of citrus brightness from pink grapefruit and bitter orange, earthy bitterness from cinchona bark and chinotto, and a lingering floral honey finish. It’s bittersweet, complex and moreish, whether sipped neat or mixed into a cocktail.
You can enjoy Beesou in lots of ways. The easiest? Beesou & Tonic over ice with a slice of grapefruit. For something spritzier, top it with sparkling wine. Or swap it into your favourite aperitif cocktails, like a Negroni or Margarita for a natural twist.
Beesou is completely transparent, it contains no artificial colouring, no artificial flavouring, and no refined sugars. Its vibrant yellow hue comes entirely from safflower extract, not dyes or E numbers. The base is honey wine rather than neutral grain spirit, giving it a depth and character you simply can’t find elsewhere. At 11% ABV it’s also lighter than most, making it a more mindful, natural and genuinely premium choice
Yes, completely. Every ingredient in Beesou is natural and listed transparently on the bottle. There are no artificial colours, no artificial flavours, no refined sugars and no preservatives. The golden hue comes from safflower extract, the bitterness from cinchona bark and chinotto, the citrus from real pink grapefruit and bitter orange peel, and the sweetness from British honey.
Champagne yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is the same strain used to ferment fine sparkling wines. It’s prized for producing a clean, elegant fermentation with minimal off-notes — ideal for allowing the delicate character of Cotswold honey to shine. We source food-grade champagne yeast from specialist suppliers to ensure consistency and quality in every batch.
Beesou contains honey an animal product but not a declared allergen under UK food law which is. Beesou contains only a trace of sulphites, just enough to protect its purity and ensure a perfectly stable pour. It does not contain gluten, nuts, dairy, eggs, or any of the 14 major allergens regulated by UK law. However, as with all food and drink products, if you have specific allergies or intolerances, we recommend checking the label or contacting us directly.
We work with ethical beekeepers primarily in the Cotswolds and across the UK. Our beekeepers share our values: they practise sustainable beekeeping, leave enough honey for the bees to thrive through winter, and take only what the hive can responsibly spare. British provenance and ethical sourcing are non-negotiable for us.
Honey is harvested only in summer, when hive populations are at their strongest and stores are plentiful. Our beekeepers follow a ‘bees first’ principle — taking only the surplus, leaving the colony with everything it needs to survive the colder months. This approach respects the natural cycle of the hive and ensures the long-term health of our bee populations.
We work with a small, carefully selected group of British beekeepers. Keeping our supply chain close and transparent allows us to maintain the quality and ethical standards that matter to us.
We donate 10% of all profits to Bees for Development, a charity that supports sustainable beekeeping communities worldwide — helping both bees and people thrive together. Every bottle of Beesou sold is a direct contribution to their work.
Beesou is proudly made in the UK. The honey is ethically sourced primarily from the Cotswolds, and production takes place in London, reflecting our commitment to British provenance from hive to bottle.
Yes, it’s at the heart of what we do. Our packaging is fully recyclable and biodegradable, and our cardboard is FSC certified. Plus, 10% of our profits go to Bees for Development, a charity that helps people and bees thrive together through sustainable beekeeping. Our bottle is plastic free and we are proud to be a certified B Corp.
Yes. Beesou is suitable for vegetarians. It contains ethically sourced honey, but no meat, fish, or other animal-derived products.
Without bees, we lose much of the world’s biodiversity and many of the foods we love. Beesou was created to celebrate and protect them. Every bottle supports Bees for Development, helping communities around the world build sustainable livelihoods through beekeeping. Beesou is a proud to be a brand with a purpose.
You can order Beesou right here on our website, or find it in selected bars, restaurants, and stores across the UK. It’s also available on Amazon if you prefer next-day delivery.
Sustainability is central to everything we do. Our packaging is fully recyclable and biodegradable, our cardboard is FSC certified, and our bottle is plastic-free. We are proud B Corp certified, meaning we’ve been independently assessed and verified against the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility. And of course, 10% of our profits go directly to Bees for Development.
B Corp certification is awarded by B Lab to companies that meet rigorous standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. It’s a mark that balancing profit with purpose isn’t just possible — it’s better business. Beesou is the first aperitif brand being certified back in December 2021and one of a small number of aperitif brands in the world to hold this certification.
https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/find-a-b-corp/company/beehave-beverages-ltd/
Beesou is not currently certified Organic or Biodynamic. Our focus has been on achieving and maintaining B Corp certification, which holds us to broad standards of environmental and social responsibility. Our honey is ethically sourced from British beekeepers who prioritise bee welfare and sustainable practices. We continue to explore additional certifications as the brand grows.
Beesou contains honey, which means it is not suitable for those following a strict vegan diet. We’re transparent about this and proud of the ethical standards upheld by our beekeepers. For those who consume honey as part of a flexitarian or vegetarian diet, Beesou is a perfect fit.
https://beesou.london/taste-beesou/
You can order Beesou directly from our website at https://beesou.london/product/beesou-all-natural-bitter-aperitif-700ml/, or find it on Amazon for next-day delivery. In the on-trade, we’re stocked across London’s top bars, hotels and restaurants. Use the Find Beesou page on our website to discover your nearest stockist. If you’d like to see Beesou in your local bar or restaurant, ask them to get in touch with us directly.