bucket of soft set, what to do

[hairywill]

I made a few buckets of set set about 4 weeks ago.
Unfortunately I didn't have time to jar one of the buckets (10 kg) up before I went on holiday.
It is now too far set to jar in its current state.
Possible options:

1. spoon into jars and gentle warm/vibrate so that it levels out
2. warm enough to get it to flow, I'm unsure if it will set properly after this, I know some soft set jars in my car during last summers heat never recovered
3. warm it up enough to be able to mix it up with another bucket of runny to get more soft set, I prefer soft set anyway
4. use it for anything personally, that does not require it to look pretty in jars

ideas/opinions and 'don't start from here' very welcome

 

[Ian123]

Just warm it until it gets to a point you think you can bottle… if you over do it keep in a cool place and stir over the next few days till you get to a point your happy then bottle.
It will readily re set, when stirring try not to fold air in!

 

[Jules59]

I made a few buckets of set set about 4 weeks ago.
Unfortunately I didn't have time to jar one of the buckets (10 kg) up before I went on holiday.
It is now too far set to jar in its current state.
Possible options:

1. spoon into jars and gentle warm/vibrate so that it levels out
2. warm enough to get it to flow, I'm unsure if it will set properly after this, I know some soft set jars in my car during last summers heat never recovered
3. warm it up enough to be able to mix it up with another bucket of runny to get more soft set, I prefer soft set anyway
4. use it for anything personally, that does not require it to look pretty in jars

ideas/opinions and 'don't start from here' very welcome

Out of interest was your soft set from runny honey that you seeded or from OSR honey ?
I make all my soft set from OSR and have never needed to seed it but you most stir regularly as it sets to obtain a smooth texture and prevent it going absolutely solid.
I invested in a "corkscrew stirrer and a dedicated cheap drill "

 

[Erichalfbee]

I make soft set from spring and summer honey. Last year I had 2 buckets of dandelion and soft set one. So much nicer than OSR. I think it’s worth doing

 

[hairywill]

Thank you.

Out of interest was your soft set from runny honey that you seeded or from OSR honey ?
I make all my soft set from OSR and have never needed to seed it but you most stir regularly as it sets to obtain a smooth texture and prevent it going absolutely solid.
I invested in a "corkscrew stirrer and a dedicated cheap drill "

I don't think there is any OSR within flying range. Very little arable farming near by. Both my apiaries are on the outskirts of large villages. Lots of small equestrian enclosures and hedgerows. Lots of fields with dandelions in the spring.

Last year the spring honey was a PITA to get through the sieve. I just gave it a mix with a stainless steel paint stirrer and it set to a lovely pale colour.

This year the sieving was easier so I did blend in one of last year's jars just in case.

5kg of runny plus jar of seed. Blend with drill+paint stirrer. Next day add another 5kg of runny and blend again. Following day blend again. Wait a couple of days, scrape off the delicious foamy scum for personal use and jar up 90% of it. Then add 5kg of runny and carry on from there. I'm on my 4th bucket.

I have an old fridge with an STC1000 set to 14 degrees that I use for setting it. Maybe that is overkill but it was cheap and it works.

On one batch I used honey from last summer but it had a more brown colour which I don't think is so attractive. So I think I will stick to soft setting the June harvest and leaving the later harvest as runny.