Chunk and comb Honey

[rwestoll]

Is there a prescribed formula for chunk honey, or can I put a chunk of comb in a jar and fill it up to weight with liquid honey?

Can the chunk honey comb be broken or in small bits, as you might get having cut out 8oz pieces of comb?

Does the chunk comb have to be capped or can I use the uncapped bits as well. If so, will empty uncapped comb, as you might get around the edge of a frame, fill up with honey if it is steeped in the jar or will the air in the cells stop this from happening?

Finally, I have some nice capped comb honey some on thin foundation, some on starter strip frames. When cut with a comb cutter, some of it it does not come up to 8oz weight, because the combs are a bit thin. Can I make up the weight with liquid honey or will I have to call this chunk honey? Conversely, some is so thick that it is hard to put the lids on. I don't want to be giving away an extra 2oz for free - Is it OK to charge pro rata or should one cut the big comb down to 8 oz?

Sorry for so many questions, but it is very exciting to have finally managed to produce a decent amount of this most precious commodity- more than we can use ourselves.

Richard

 

[victor meldrew]

Is there a prescribed formula for chunk honey, or can I put a chunk of comb in a jar and fill it up to weight with liquid honey?

Can the chunk honey comb be broken or in small bits, as you might get having cut out 8oz pieces of comb?

Does the chunk comb have to be capped or can I use the uncapped bits as well. If so, will empty uncapped comb, as you might get around the edge of a frame, fill up with honey if it is steeped in the jar or will the air in the cells stop this from happening?

Finally, I have some nice capped comb honey some on thin foundation, some on starter strip frames. When cut with a comb cutter, some of it it does not come up to 8oz weight, because the combs are a bit thin. Can I make up the weight with liquid honey or will I have to call this chunk honey? Conversely, some is so thick that it is hard to put the lids on. I don't want to be giving away an extra 2oz for free - Is it OK to charge pro rata or should one cut the big comb down to 8 oz?

Sorry for so many questions, but it is very exciting to have finally managed to produce a decent amount of this most precious commodity- more than we can use ourselves.

Richard

Check the regs but I believe the chunk must be 50% of the total?
I am advised that the chunk should be just short of the height of the container and narrow enough to fit into the width of same . The idea being that anything shorter than this width will float to the surface of the liquid honey and will therefore display badly and attract less customers
VM
Ps same goes for having bits of comb floating around.

 

[Swarm]

Only chunk honey I've seen contained a single piece of capped comb. Congrats on the harvest, I've been meaning to try cut comb for a couple of years but never got round to it. It's definitely on the agenda for next year.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Looks nice if cut out with a small hexaganol cutter,then three pieces placed one on top of the other on there sides, and facing different directions.
Then fill the jar with liquid honey and sell quite soon,don't make up large batches,heather comb is best.

 

[Poly Hive]

Right lets see what the experts say...

From the National Honey Show guidelines...

"Chunk Honey
Chunk honey is the term applied to pieces of comb honey which are placed in glass jars and the jars filled
up with clear liquid honey.
Chunk honey has never become very popular in this country, but commands a higher price than extracted
honey and there are chunk honey classes in many shows. It is also a useful addition in a display class.
To prepare-comb honey is produced then cut into pieces of the requisite size and thoroughly drained as
already described. The extracted honey should be heated to 150 deg. F. to retard granulation and allowed
to cool to 110 deg. F. before using. The pieces of comb honey should be placed in the jars and the jars
filled with liquid honey, the jars being tilted slightly so that the honey runs down the inside. The lid must
be screwed tightly on the jar at once and the jars laid on their sides until cool, to prevent crushing of the
comb against the lid of the jar. Chunk honey should only be prepared and marketed in small quantities so
that
it can be sold to the consumer before the liquid honey begins to granulate. For show work the writer
prefers a medium coloured piece of comb honey in very light coloured liquid honey. Any sign of incipient
granulation will render the sample unfiit for the show bench."

So no definition on weight as such more guidance on shape.

As for making up the weight with liquid honey in cut comb containers, a tea spoon is ok to make the weight right but not having the stuff swimming in it...

PH