Crystalised heather honey

[Paddy_Power]

Hi all,

I have a small amount of hetaher honey (7litres) that has crystised while I was waiting on a press to process it. Can I press it while it's crystallised or would I need to decrystalis it before pressing it. If so what's the best method to decrystalise without damaging the honey enzymes.

 

[Erichalfbee]

You mean it’s in the frames still?

 

[Paddy_Power]

You mean it’s in the frames still?

No I decamped it and scraped it off the frames leaving the foundation on the frame. It's in a bucket but it has comb mixed through it so it needs to be pressed but it has crystallised in the bucket while I was waiting on a press

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’m no heather expert but I have melted crystallised Heather in jars by putting them in a warmer at 45 degrees for a day. Would that work? It might take longer than a day and you’d have to let it cool before pressing

 

[Murox]

No I decamped it and scraped it off the frames leaving the foundation on the frame. It's in a bucket but it has comb mixed through it so it needs to be pressed but it has crystallised in the bucket while I was waiting on a press

Ive just dealt with some heather honey with my wine press and cloth mesh bag to filter - I had "ok" results with the whole mass at about 30 degrees , but mine had not crystallised. I left it in the press overnight in my warm conservatory to allow it to drain as fully as possible. I tightened the screw a few turns every hour or two throughout the afternoon and evening, Ok for small scale and a couple of supers.

 

[PeaBee]

If it is truly crystalised would stick it in the warming cabinet at about 40C . Otherwise you may struggle to get the crystals through the filter bag. If it is just heather honey being heather honey and turns liquid when agitated you could give it a go as is.

 

[Paddy_Power]

Yeah it's definitely crystallised. I will try and make the makeshift warming cabinate to get it de crystallised.

 

[Mabee]

Bumping this thread as i’ve got a heather blend (same consistency of heather), all jarred but realised that it had crystallised a little, would I just heat the jars to 40°c to de-crystallise? I don’t have a warming cabinet but could do in the oven maybe? I’m supposed to be dropping it off to a shop on Monday

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bumping this thread as i’ve got a heather blend (same consistency of heather), all jarred but realised that it had crystallised a little, would I just heat the jars to 40°c to de-crystallise? I don’t have a warming cabinet but could do in the oven maybe? I’m supposed to be dropping it off to a shop on Monday

All my Heather blends have crystallised like soft set. If it looks ok in the jar I wouldn’t bother doing anything with it

 

[ericbeaumont]

crystallised a little

Big crystals or small? First is slow, second happens quickly.

Big may be an issue for customers.

 

[Mabee]

Big crystals or small? First is slow, second happens quickly.

Big may be an issue for customers.

It’s not like soft set, has a grittiness. personally I don’t mind it but i’m not sure what customers will make of it.

 

[ericbeaumont]

not sure what customers will make of it.

Warm a jar of it overnight and see if the crystals dissolve. If warming doesn't improve the trial jar, or if it damages the flavour, you'll know where you stand. If it works and you do warm the lot, allow time for any warmed jars to cool before delivery.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I had some pure heather honey from a forum member a few years back and it did crystallise into a gritty texture. I put a batch of jars in the honey warmer for 24 hours and they were fine

Big crystals or small? First is slow, second happens quickly.

Big may be an issue for customers.

Do small crystals become big ones, Eric?

 

[Mabee]

Warm a jar of it overnight and see if the crystals dissolve. If warming doesn't improve the trial jar, or if it damages the flavour, you'll know where you stand. If it works and you do warm the lot, allow time for any warmed jars to cool before delivery.

will do, thank you

 

[Curly green finger's]

I’ve got some heather that has big crystals , soft set looking and some that has set if I had heather mash to process I would warm it at 40 c for a day then if it hasn’t become liquid continue at 45 c for no more than 2/3 hours which would separate from the wax .
Possibly put the mash into a nylon bag or muslin bag .

 

[robert gallacher]

2 10ltr buckets fit in my dish washer.