Creamed honey fermenting or something else?

[steve_e]

Hi -
I made some set honey about a year ago that has been fine until recently when it started going patchy (photos attached) hopefully.

The only thing I can think of is that it's started fermenting, although it was below (although close to) 20% moisture content. Is that what it looks like to you? If not, does anyone have further suggestions?

The strange thing is I made half clear and half set, and the clear is still fine, with no sign of fermentation.

Is there anything I can do to remedy this, apart from warm it up and start again?

 

[snelgrove]

fermentation looks like to me, honey is hygroscopic that's it will obsorb moisture from the air, has it been exposed to the environment.

 

[Thymallus]

When you jarred it did it have a slight froth on top? (Honey and air bubbles with moisture in them).
I've found that this will some times absorb water and dilute the top layer, allowing yeasts to act.
Sometimes as it crystallizes over time the water content is raised in the non solid portion with the same effect.

 

[oliver90owner]

''Close to 20%'' is sailing close to the wind, as they say. It is fermenting.

Not really sure what you mean by 'half clear and half set'? Clear usually means liquid. Liquid honey usually sets spontaneously in time (not all, but most).

I am also wondering what the exact moisture was that you recorded, and how you determined it.

You got it wrong and the fermented part is scrap, as far as marketing. You may like fermenting honey, or you could ditch the fermenting fraction. You are not going to 'unferment it, that is for sure.

 

[steve_e]

Thanks for the replies:

1 Half and half just means I made half of my honey (about 50 jars) clear and the other half set, all from the same basic harvest. It seemed to me that if it was all the same crop the clear jars ought to also be fermenting but they're not. However:

2 Obviously I left the set honey longer in a bucket to set, so it could have taken in more moisture as you're suggesting? A week or too longer could possibly take it over the threshold?

3 I only have a small crop, and once I've taken it off and filtered it if it turns out to be under 20% overall it's difficult to do anything about it.

4 The honey is for my use only (and for friends I give it to) so I'm only concerned with what I can do to use it for myself. Is it best just to dispose of it? I've heated a jar just as an experiment and it's clear and looks and tastes like honey.

 

[Eyeman]

To reduce the water content in the jars you can take the lids off and put them in a 'warming cabinet' at 40 degrees C. I leave the top of the cabinets door open slightly to let the moist air out.
I've a small bucket of honey in the cabinet now that was 24% water content. It's dropping by 1% every 3 days.
The jars should lose water much faster, last batch I did a few years ago lost 1% a day.

 

[Eyeman]

Fermentation produces a vinegar/alcohol smell and taste. If your honey does not have a bad smell or taste then I would use it. If you keep it cold, ie. in the fridge, you will reduce any further fermentation.

 

[oliver90owner]

Honey, as it sets, can release excess water from the crystalline structure. That interstitial water can percolate to the upper layers (to the surface) where the marginal water content may become chronic and fermentation is the result.

The simple test, if there is any doubt with a crop, is to allow it to set in the bucket before melting and jarring. If the surface of the set honey is dry and powdery, the water content is OK; if a wet or 'greasy' appearance - beware - it may well start to ferment.

I have only once had a batch of jars where the honey fermented. I used only the liquid part of a melted bucket of honey (possibly only partly crystallised, as well) and jarred the liquid fraction - it fermented. The latter half (mainly the unmelted lump) was perfectly OK.

I tried never to store any honey crop if the water content was thought to be close to marginal. The refractometer came along and gets used occasionally, but anyone who tells you the water content to three significant figures, from a refractometer test, is in cloud cuckoo land. I reckon there is likely a tolerance of plus or minus one percent for any result. That means that 19% would be too marginal.

 

[alldigging]

''Close to 20%'' is sailing close to the wind, as they say. It is fermenting.

At the Oldham honey show at their last meeting someone checked all the entries with a refractometer. All the set honey was over 20%

 

[Thymallus]

At the Oldham honey show at their last meeting someone checked all the entries with a refractometer. All the set honey was over 20%

How did they test the set honey? You need to use a liquid on your refractometer for it to work.

 

[oliver90owner]

At the Oldham honey show at their last meeting someone checked all the entries with a refractometer. All the set honey was over 20%

So? What type of refractometer? ATC version? Calibration details? Where was the sample taken from? As above, must be liquid. How much over 20%?. Competency of the tester? They could easily have been 19% and not 20%. So many variables as to raise the likelihood of erroneous conclusions to probable rather than possible on the probability scale.

 

[alldigging]

How did they test the set honey? You need to use a liquid on your refractometer for it to work.

They just put it on. Someone did ask him that and he said it still worked with set stuff.

 

[Thymallus]

They just put it on. Someone did ask him that and he said it still worked with set stuff.

Fair point.
I just tried some of my soft set on mine and yes it does!
Although the "reading line" is bit blurry....can't quite work out whether it's 18 or 19% water content.

 

[steve_e]

Thanks Eyeman, that's very useful. I don't have a warming cabinet but do have an Aga, so I could probably get the temperature correct if I experimented a bit with the warming oven and door slightly ajar.

The honey actually smells and tastes fine, which surprised me.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Honey, as it sets, can release excess water from the crystalline structure. That interstitial water can percolate to the upper layers (to the surface) where the marginal water content may become chronic and fermentation is the result.

I had a batch once that started fermenting, I stuck it in the freezer and use it for baking only. Doesn't taste of fermentation but I would never sell it (or give it to friends and family either).