Fermented Honey

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gwt_uk

House Bee
Joined
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Location
Scotland
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National
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Hello all, some OSR honey I took of this year that seems to have fermented. I was thinking of putting it in take away tubs and feeding it back to the bees. Any thoughts?

Thanks
 
Can't make mead, I have tried, hate the thought of feeding it to the bees so mine goes down the drain!
 
feeding it back to the bees
Fermented is said to cause dysentery in bees, though Randy Oliver's investigation concluded: pollen, dextrin, minerals, burned sugar, and fermenting syrup do not produce dysentery.

I get fermented honey every so often - including OSR - and sell it at market as Bakers' Honey at £18/kg. Some customers prefer the flavour and wait for it turn up.
 
I get fermented honey now and then. I portion it out in 1 litre tubs into the fridge and freezer and eat it
 
Not really any excuse for this. A quick check, after crystallisation, will reveal (quite clearly) any tendency to ferment. Another mistake is to not fully liquify a bucket of honey and jar up only the liquid.
 
Not really any excuse for this. A quick check, after crystallisation, will reveal (quite clearly) any tendency to ferment. Another mistake is to not fully liquify a bucket of honey and jar up only the liquid.
It might be helpful if you told them how you can check for tendency to ferment! Especially if it is that clear!
 
Not really any excuse for this. A quick check, after crystallisation, will reveal (quite clearly) any tendency to ferment. Another mistake is to not fully liquify a bucket of honey and jar up only the liquid.
have never had honey ferment before. How do you check for a tendency to ferment?
 
have never had honey ferment before. How do you check for a tendency to ferment?

If you count the yeast parts per million in your honey then deduct the number of yeast cells that don’t have a high sugar tolerance and multiply by the % moisture . Then multiply this by the square rout of the average storage temperature devided by the anticipated number of days the honey will be stored at the mean average temp.
If the number you get is a very high one then the honey is likely to ferment. 👃🐂 the truth is in there somewher
 
If you count the yeast parts per million in your honey then deduct the number of yeast cells that don’t have a high sugar tolerance and multiply by the % moisture . Then multiply this by the square rout of the average storage temperature devided by the anticipated number of days the honey will be stored at the mean average temp.
If the number you get is a very high one then the honey is likely to ferment. 👃🐂 the truth is in there somewher
It’s down to the moisture content . Below 20% nearer 18 or less your honey isn’t likely to ferment . Keep it covered as being hygroscopic it absorbs atmospheric moisture .
crystallised honey is another story. Course Crystalled honey has a weak enough sugar solution between the crystals to allow fermentation!
 
I get fermented honey now and then. I portion it out in 1 litre tubs into the fridge and freezer and eat it
Thanks. Can I heat it in the jar to pasteurization temp and use it for cooking etc?
 
have never had honey ferment before. How do you check for a tendency to ferment?
Buy a refractometer that measures moisture in honey; test frames randomly before extraction.

Below 18% you're safe for 3,000 years if the honey is sealed. At 18-20% the outcome is variable, based on yeast and temp, as Drex described. If you have a bucket at 18.5 and one at 16, mix them.
 
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Not really any excuse for this.
No excuse? If you say so, but several reasons spring to mind why honey might absorb enough moisture to ferment: beekeeper ill so leaves honey over winter; roof leaks or wind blows hive over; colony dies out; beekeeper forgets to take honey; beekeeper removes wild nest and discovers vast honey stores at one end and and small nest at the other...
 
No excuse? If you say so, but several reasons spring to mind why honey might absorb enough moisture to ferment: beekeeper ill so leaves honey over winter; roof leaks or wind blows hive over; colony dies out; beekeeper forgets to take honey; beekeeper removes wild nest and discovers vast honey stores at one end and and small nest at the other...
🙄
 
No excuse? If you say so, but several reasons spring to mind why honey might absorb enough moisture to ferment: beekeeper ill so leaves honey over winter; roof leaks or wind blows hive over; colony dies out; beekeeper forgets to take honey; beekeeper removes wild nest and discovers vast honey stores at one end and and small nest at the other...

I actually read the OP’s post (yes, the very first one, at the very top of the thread). Here it is again, which basically means your reply above is pretty well totally irelevant, not applicable and rather silly. Here it is for you to read, or read properly:

Hello all, some OSR honey I took of this year that seems to have fermented. I was thinking of putting it in take away tubs and feeding it back to the bees. Any thoughts?”

Most certainly doesn’t appear to have anything to do with honey left on a colony or not extracted? No need for a response - the question was rhetorical.
 
Buy a refractometer that measures moisture in honey; test frames randomly before extraction.

this maybe a separate post but will ask it here to begin with... but what make of refractometer would people recommend? i usually just extract capped combs and uncapped honey after the 'shake test' but should really get round to buying one. Any reliable recommendations welcome :)
thanks
Steve
 

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