Extracted honey at 21%

[Jimmy]

Extracted the last of my OSR honey this week as it was starting to granulate on the hive but with mixed results. I tested the water content after the first super, fine at 18.5%.
Tested at the end - 21%
The end of the OSR coincided with clover coming into flower in the neighbouring fields and I recall reading that clover is a high water % honey.

It's now in 30lb buckets, lids off in a small room with the dehumidifier on full. How long should it take to bring it down below 19%?

The other options I have are feeding back to the bees which I'm reluctant to do, as not much of a June gap near me or putting it in the warming cabinet with the lids off at 35 C and letting the vapour out every 12 hours or so.

Any advice please other than don't extract until it is below 19%?

 

[melon]

Sorry not to be able to help you, as I am in exactly the same situation, anthough I have got my honey in jars. I wouldn't have thought that keeping the lid off would help, and using a dehumidifier, as honey will absorb more water from the air.
I did read that you can only sell wet honey, as 'bakers' honey, whoever buys that? Also I read that as it ferments, it might explode the glass, or pop the lid off the bucket, but I don't know how long this takes. I haven't decided what to do yet...let's hope someone with more knowledge and ideas is reading and will have some good ideas.

 

[RoofTops]

I have used a dehumdifier to reduce the moisture content of honey, it will take several days but if you can wait it should work. Just ensure the open buckets are free from ants and the like.

 

[oliver90owner]

A warm room with a dehumidifier will work. How long? How long is a piece of string? Measure it!

You can pasteurise your honey - that would prevent fermentation.

How big is your warming cabinet? 'Cos letting out the vapour every 12 hours might be a slow process!

Put it in a freezer and feed it back later is another option.

A good test is to allow some to granulate and check the surface.

The last one might be to check the limits for trading standards, but the proof of the pudding.........

Regards, RAB

 

[Hivemaker.]

Better if you leave any unripe/unsealed honey in the combs / supers, in a small room with a dehumidifier. You could also pasteurize it of course.

 

[Jimmy]

After 4 days it's has come down by 1-1.5% to just under 20%.
I'll leave it another couple of days to make sure it's properly under 20% and closer to 19%. I've also checked the % water allowed and it has to be under 20% to be sold as honey.

Another lesson learnt for next time.

 

[Poly Hive]

I am going on wine fed memory here. So beware.

"Normal honey" is safe at 21% and Heather at 23%.

18% seems very low to me. Stats someone?

PH

 

[Jimmy]

The BBKA honey leaflet from 2007 says it has to be under 20% water, so I'm aiming for confidence and something around 19.5% rather than pushing my luck further at 19.9%.

I had searched for honey water content vs fermentation and didn't find anything conclusive. I may have been looking in the wrong place though.