fermenting honey

[bbadger07]

my honey from my spring flow has gone from a clear nice tasting honey to a cloudy bitter affair, i think i have not got the air out thus making it ferment, should i of used some kind of vacuum extractor to remove the air so that the honey would store better,

again thanks everyone for your replies as it is much appreciated, kind regards..

 

[Moggs]

Fermenting honey has a well pronounced smell to it as the products of fermentation are gassed off. Honey should not spoil if the moisture content is <20%. Cloudiness in your honey may be a natural granulation process, especially if the spring flow was primarily of Oil Seed Rape. Are you sure it's fermenting / fermented?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

I believe fermentation occurs due to too high a water content when extracting.

 

[bbadger07]

ive just tasted it, its seems granulated, sugary and has lost it original taste and its gloopy? bite, its completely changed

 

[Luna]

It is not the air content but the water content that makes honey ferment

 

[the worker and the drone]

When you removed the frames were they capped?
If not then they hadn't finished reducing water content, if it's capped then water content should be fine and it shouldn't ferment. Don't be to eager to remove the frames until absolutely ready. Hope that helps

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

ive just tasted it, its seems granulated, sugary and has lost it original taste and its gloopy? bite, its completely changed

That just sounds like normal OSR progression. Fermentaiton has a distinct, nasty flavour and odour. Try warming it up again gently.

 

[Midland Beek]

ive just tasted it, its seems granulated, sugary and has lost it original taste and its gloopy? bite, its completely changed

What are you expecting from OSR honey?

 

[bbadger07]

yes most were and there was no spill from combs, i went to see old beekeeper, he says all honey goes this colour its natural, my honeys has been cross contaminated with osr honey already in extractor thus causing granulation, thanks for your reply

 

[bbadger07]

thanks, ive just warmed it up and its starting to liquify, i think i jumped the gun and flapped when i saw had solidified, the taste is not bitter, think i just flapped and panicked methinks, got to remember this beekeeping and how to handle and treat honey are 2 different things to contemplate

 

[bbadger07]

no, i was, its granulating. The extractor had some osr left in it this cross contaminating it thus starting the granulating process.

 

[bbadger07]

warmed it up

ive just warmed it through and its clear again now, so ive learned a little more today

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

With OSR in it will soon solidify again.

You cannot stop it from going cloudy, but you can stop it from setting rock hard by turning it into soft set (see numerous posts).

 

[user 6228]

It may be possible to reduce water content using a vacuum pump.

 

[oliver90owner]

It may be possible to reduce water content using a vacuum pump.

Reduced pressure will certainly depress the boiling point of a liquid, and the vapour pressure equilibrium (for evaporation) will accelerate surface loss, but anywhere near a good 'vacuum' is likely to collapse a thin-walled vessel (thinking honey tank here).

I actually know someone who blocked off the overflow pipe from a hot water cylinder and then later proceeded to drain the system after closing the feed valve above it. Emptied almost completely, but the copper cylinder was as flat as a pancake in places.

RAB