Sweet as Honey: Meet the Local Beekeeper Everyone’s Buzzing About

What started as a spontaneous Covid lockdown idea on a balcony in Newport has turned into one of the Northern Beaches’ sweetest success stories.

Five years ago, Adam Brown had never kept bees in his life. Now, he has ten hives, a growing local following and a collection of medals from two of Australia’s most respected agricultural shows.

Not bad for what was originally supposed to be a hobby.

“It began as a fun thing to do during Covid,” Adam says.

“I was sitting on the balcony overlooking my garden one night with a friend talking about what we could do throughout lockdown and they said, ‘Why don’t you get bees? You love all that stuff.’”

The idea stuck.

Adam called a local beekeeper that very evening and by the next day, his first hive had arrived.

“I fell in love with it,” he says. “Five years and ten hives later I have a small apiary.”

Today, Adam is the face behind Brown Bears Honey, producing small batch local honey from hives based across Newport and Ingleside, where bees forage from native flowers and suburban gardens throughout the Northern Beaches.

His honey recently picked up a silver medal and two bronze medals at the Sydney Royal Easter Show before taking home gold at the Hawkesbury Show, an achievement Adam still struggles to fully process.

“It is honestly one of the coolest and most meaningful things that has ever happened to me,” he says.

“I think it’s one thing to be acknowledged for things we do professionally, but when you get recognised for something personal that you’ve poured so much time and love into, it carries more weight.”

For Adam, the Sydney Royal Easter Show had long felt symbolic.

“When I first started keeping bees, I remember seeing the honey competition entries at the Easter Show and thinking, ‘How cool would it be to have honey in here one day?’”

Years later, he walked away with three podium finishes.

“The pride I have in being able to show the Sydney Royal silver emblem on my honey is very important to me.”

Then came Hawkesbury.

Adam entered a different batch of honey into the competition and was awarded first place.

“To be recognised publicly for a lot of hard work done privately has truly been an honour,” he says. “The whole experience has been quite moving.”

What makes Brown Bears Honey stand out is its flavour profile, something Adam credits to the unique local environment his bees forage in.

“My honey is extremely light, sweet and floral,” he explains.

“I’m lucky because of the hives’ locations. The bees mainly pollinate from all the local wildflowers in people’s gardens.”

That lighter colour and clarity helped separate his honey in competition judging, where factors like density, colour and consistency are carefully assessed.

Despite the recent recognition, Brown Bears Honey still feels deeply local and community driven.

The business itself began with a simple honesty box outside Adam’s home after neighbours started asking if they could buy honey directly from him.

“It started small and was really just a way to help cover some of the costs because beekeeping equipment can be expensive,” he says.

“But the honesty box kept selling out surprisingly quickly.”

Soon, Adam decided to test the waters at Narrabeen Lakeside Markets and demand took off.

“I had people asking where they could buy more and wanting a regular supply. So, I committed to more hives and more markets and here we are.”

Recognition from the awards circuit has helped shine a spotlight on the small business, but Adam says the support from locals has meant just as much.

“There are beekeepers with fifty plus hives who have been doing this for fifty years competing,” he says.

“So for a small independent producer like me, it means the world.”

“Lots of locals have reached out wanting to try the award-winning honey and it’s really helped get me off the ground.”

Beyond the honey itself, Adam hopes more Australians begin to understand just how essential bees are to everyday life.

“If we don’t have bees, we don’t have food,” he says plainly.

“They aren’t important. They’re essential.”

Like many Australian beekeepers, Adam is deeply concerned about the growing impact of the Varroa mite, an invasive parasite devastating bee colonies around the country.

“It’s the biggest agricultural problem we have right now,” he says.

“It needs far more awareness.”

Despite the challenges, including losing several hives over winter in recent years, Adam says he has never once considered giving it up.

“I’m a beekeeper for life.”

Part of the appeal, he says, is the simplicity and calmness of the process itself.

“Being outside, working with my hands and literally being part of nature is awesome,” he says.

“Beekeeping is surprisingly calming. My bees are very gentle, so it’s actually a lovely experience.”

For Northern Beaches locals wanting to try Brown Bears Honey, Adam is a permanent stallholder at Narrabeen Lakeside Markets every third Sunday of the month and has recently secured a spot at Manly Village Markets.

You can also follow along with the bees, workshops and honey drops via Instagram at @brownbearshoney.