Freezing cut comb and chunk honey.

[bobba]

I know I should freeze cut comb to kill moth eggs/larvae, but how long for.

I have been freezing for 12h, is that long enough?

I have made some cut-comb with which I intend to make chunk honey.

Some of my customers buy their years supply of honey in one go when I get my harvest. I worry if they buy lots of chunk it may crystalize before they get to use it.

Is it possible to put jars of chunk honey in the freezer so they keep longer without crystalizing. Would the lids need to be removed why they freeze to prevent the jars cracking?

thanks as always.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Perfectly ok to freeze jars. They are not full to the top after all.
I have frozen chunk jars, cut comb and heather honey successfully

 

[Curly green finger's]

Perfectly ok to freeze jars. They are not full to the top after all.
I have frozen chunk jars, cut comb and heather honey successfully

Tutch wood I haven't had any honey ferment, I've been storing my honey at 8-12c in a cellar.
I have brood frames in the freezer ready for next season.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Tutch wood I haven't had any honey ferment, I've been storing my honey at 8-12c in a cellar.
I have brood frames in the freezer ready for next season.

It’s not to prevent fermentation
12 degrees wouldn’t do cut and chunk comb any favours

 

[steve1958]

I put all my cut comb in the freezer until needed as it prevents the honey in the comb crystallising.

I guess it depends on how much and how often you use chunk honey.
I would freeze the comb and defrost it the day before needing it and then add the honey.
But I don't use a lot of this

 

[Into the lions den]

It works. We have 7 pallets of whole 2020 heather combs in a cold store for cutting. It keeps it perfectly well even for years. If it goes in crystal free it comes out just the same.

This years will be following it in soon.

MUSTS. Seal the boxes when putting them into the freezer. This is not for the freezing process but to prevent condensation at DEFROST time. Condensation can mark the nice cappings, so need to prevent any more water vapour getting in than was there at the time of freezing.

Defrost VERY slowly....insulate well and allow it to take place over a week.

Handle whole combs from the freezer with great care..the wax at freezing temps is extremely brittle and it is very easy to damage the combs..

Not us..but have known of one guy who had over 40 tonnes of cutting combs in a freezer. Some came out 10 years later still perfect.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think bobba means can the buyer freeze

 

[Into the lions den]

OK..I should take time to read the thread! lol.

But answer would be similar ...should be perfectly fine.

 

[Erichalfbee]

OK..I should take time to read the thread! lol.

But answer would be similar ...should be perfectly fine.

Sorry Murray
Reply was to Steve who suggested adding runny honey after defrosting comb.
You posted in between type and send.

 

[bobba]

Thanks everyone.

What about time taken to kill wax moth eggs, I have read varying times from a few h to 2 days. Has anyone got any experience with this?