Frozen Honey

[rockdoc]

Just went up to the loft to find some of my honey buckets seem frozen! Just a thought but does freezing harm honey?
Windchill of -7c here so Its very cold 'upstairs' the insulation is working, but the roof space is butt cold!

 

[Skyhook]

No, not at all. Freezing is a very good way to store honeycomb, to stop it setting.

.

 

[susbees]

Honey starts to slide towards solid at -42 getting there at -51 deg C so guess you've got a way to go! Liquid honey stored below 5 deg C will be very happy and stay in very good condition indefinately (I think)....so as Skyhook says sticking it in the freezer won't hurt (but not in glass jars).

 

[RoofTops]

If you put a jar of runny honey in a freezer you will find it will not set solid - just go more viscous. I have done this before, in glass jars, without problems as a way of keeping bottled runny honey in a runny state for longer as crystalisation is delayed. Put the jar in a poly bag so it is not covered in condensation when removed to warm up. This will reduce the risk of future corrosion of the lid.

However, wind chill only applies to things which are warmer than their surroundings, i.e. human skin. It is the chilling effect created by the airflow causing heat to be lost faster than it would if the air was still. Windchill does not make something colder than the ambient air temperature. It just feels that way as heat is being lost faster. For example, if the ambient temperature is 0C but due to wind the windchill factor is -5C this means you will lose heat as if the air was still and at -5C. It will not make anything -5C. inanimate objects will remain at 0C.

 

[Hombre]

I suspect that your loft may not be the best place for your honey stock as the weather moves towards late spring or the summer. A cool basement alongside the mead and wine would be good . . . hic

 

[Dishmop]

For example, if the ambient temperature is 0C but due to wind the windchill factor is -5C this means you will lose heat as if the air was still and at -5C. It will not make anything -5C. inanimate objects will remain at 0C.

Is that why it was so bloody cold in B&Q today?

 

[tonybloke]

was it pensioners discount day today? B&Q was bloody packed!! ( in Norwich )

 

[rockdoc]

Your right about storing in the loft. When my wife saw just how much was up there she had a fit! I think her fear was it being accidently knocked over by the giant mice we have in the loft (always after my walnuts, especially at 3am!). Thanks Rooftops for the windchill explanation, its the kind of thing we get used to down here stuck out into the southern North Sea. The honey in question is rape so its been solid for a long time, just seemed even more so this time, although the lime honey next to it which I neglected to check before putting in the OP was OK.

 

[Dishmop]

was it pensioners discount day today? B&Q was bloody packed!! ( in Norwich )

Yep. Need to save all the pennies I can to be able to run 3 vehicles.

 

[fincaazul]

was it pensioners discount day today? B&Q was bloody packed!! ( in Norwich )

B & Q packed? Went to my local branch for decorators caulk £2.98 a tube, Screwfix price £1.15, Sandpaper 10 sheets £4.98, local hardware shop 12 sheets for £1.30. bit like buying Oxalic acid from major suppliers!

 

[Dishmop]

A lot of thier prices have increased, and some by quite a lot.
I juggled with who has what and how far I have to go and get it.
Only one other place about the same distance but they dont have as big a selection or a cutting service.