Begginer- Heather honey

[mystil]

Hello Guys

Just finished extracting heather honey from 2 supers we have.

What a pain in the A*S!

Luckily afew local beeks have the equipment to extract, which we borrowed.

Have filtered 3 times (twice through a Th**nes settling/sieve tank and also a Nylon filter) and now letting it settle.

How long should be leave it before putting in tubs and anything else we need to do?

Everyone says heather honey is not for beginners but we did not have a choice as we were offered this hive and we could not say no.

Have just put varroa strips in today and also feeding like crazy. Yes we know it is late.

So just to recap our 4 months of keeping bees- Had swarming, dying queens, introducing queens and also heather honey. Not a bad start for a beginner!
And also gone from one Nuc on 6 frames to 2 National hives and another with double brood.

Thanks

 

[Hivemaker.]

anything else we need to do?

Check the moisture content.

 

[MandF]

Remember the water content is legally allowed to be higher for heather honey.

 

[johnandyrob]

Did you not do any cut comb. I find it allot easier.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Remember the water content is legally allowed to be higher for heather honey.

It is,and it also loves to ferment if not stored correctly.

 

[mystil]

Did you not do any cut comb. I find it allot easier.

Nope. The supers were wired so did not want to mess about. Have now bought some unwired super wax for next year to try.

What level is the water content allowed to be for storage?

We wont be selling it.

 

[johnandyrob]

I believe its 23%

 

[mystil]

Thanks.

We are going to store in 15Ib tubs. Is that okay to do?

 

[Poly Hive]

23% it is and what ever tub size suits you sir.


PH

 

[wondervet]

Hivemaker,

Can i ask, what are proper storage conditions for heather honey?

Different from polyfloral?

All ours 23% water and capped.

Takes a while for the bubbles to come out too I'm finding.

Thanks in anticipation

 

[Poly Hive]

Keep it in the same conditions as any honey. Reasonably warm and dry, esp dry.

That's it really.

I have the occasional drop on some toast, and the heather I am using is a good ten years old if not more... lovely stuff. Out of a honey bucket not a jar BTW.

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

Can i ask, what are proper storage conditions for heather honey?
Takes a while for the bubbles to come out too I'm finding

I always store it is as cool a place as possible,if any is more than 23% it has a habit of fermenting and blowing the lids off if it gets warm,some heat treat higher moisture honey for a short while, to kill the yeasts, and prevent fermentation
The bubbles in ling are normal.

Link below on a previous thread about this subject.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7293

 

[mystil]

Is there any point in trying to put it in a settling tank?
or just sieve it and then store it.

 

[adrian wilford]

the aroma and taste are well worth the effort

 

[bluesman]

I had heather but cut into junks instead -my foundations were wired -i first snipped the wire (old scissors) around the inside frame edge-let it all drop out of the frame in one slab -pull wires out gently and then slice into blocks like cake- rap each block in cling film -many i gave my cut comb were amazed -some cut it up in littl slices and spread on toast of some queezed the honey out when they need it- i gave some to a school and the kids were really interested how the honey is stored --bluesman

 

[mystil]

Is there any point in trying to put it in a settling tank?
or just sieve it and then store it.

???

 

[johnandyrob]

I put my honey into a settling tank so that the air rises to the top this doesnt happen with heather honey so no point

 

[mystil]

I put my honey into a settling tank so that the air rises to the top this doesnt happen with heather honey so no point

Thank you.

Will start bottling.