Hawthorn honey

[alancooper]

Hi all,
I am extracting frames of Spring honey which I think is mainly hawthorn (from the taste) and dandelion (semi-gelatinous). The first super had to be almost pushed through a 0.5mm metal mesh sieve and I needed to squeeze much of it then though muslin into a honey bucket. I am not looking forward to the remaining seven supers, despite the magnificent taste. Crystalisation is not the issue - I think it is the gelatinous dandelion slowing the process.
Has anyone got advice on how to proceed?
Alan.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I think it has started to crystalise - dandelion sets like a shot once it's off the hive.

 

[Antipodes]

Hi all,
I am extracting frames of Spring honey which I think is mainly hawthorn (from the taste) and dandelion (semi-gelatinous). The first super had to be almost pushed through a 0.5mm metal mesh sieve and I needed to squeeze much of it then though muslin into a honey bucket. I am not looking forward to the remaining seven supers, despite the magnificent taste. Crystalisation is not the issue - I think it is the gelatinous dandelion slowing the process.
Has anyone got advice on how to proceed?
Alan.

Warm the honey in the frames before you extract and sieve. Pop them in your car to warm them up. Keep your extraction room warm too...heat the room as necessary.

 

[alancooper]

I think it has started to crystalise - dandelion sets like a shot once it's off the hive.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Warm the honey in the frames before you extract and sieve. Pop them in your car to warm them up. Keep your extraction room warm too...heat the room as necessary.

But be very very careful with that

 

[alancooper]

Super removal was in the morning, followed by afternoon extraction, which was done in a very warm conservatory and adjacent room. I am considering using a warming cabinet for a coarse-sieved, extracted super to get rid of crystals (which are not apparent by sight or taste) but do not want to lose the hawthorn fragrance by using a high temperature (from memory about 40 degrees C.
Any guidance on a temperature that will dissolve crystals with minimum impact on fragrance?

 

[Antipodes]

But be very very careful with that

What are your concerns please?

 

[Antipodes]

Super removal was in the morning, followed by afternoon extraction, which was done in a very warm conservatory and adjacent room. I am considering using a warming cabinet for a coarse-sieved, extracted super to get rid of crystals (which are not apparent by sight or taste) but do not want to lose the hawthorn fragrance by using a high temperature (from memory about 40 degrees C.
Any guidance on a temperature that will dissolve crystals with minimum impact on fragrance?

I'm confused, as in your original post you said "crystalisation (sic) is not the issue".

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What are your concerns please?

Melting comb
Melting honey
a vehicle packed full of robbing bees

 

[Erichalfbee]

What are your concerns please?

Presuming you haven’t been daft enough to let the warning go as far as JBMs warning
Most folk here use radial extraction where the combs are not supported. A warm comb can easily blow out if you are too vigorous. My husband blew a whole super of frames out the first time he offered to help.
He did offer to clean up but I threw him out to do something constructive while I fixed the carnage.
Tangential extractors offer better protection but you still have to be careful.
I prefer a warm room rather than warming the frames.

 

[Prof]

I think it has started to crystalise - dandelion sets like a shot once it's off the hive.

Do you use clearer boards and how long for? Does this make the crystallisation more of a problem?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Do you use clearer boards and how long for? Does this make the crystallisation more of a problem?

Clearer boards on for between 12 and 24 hours. I've never had an issue with crystalisation, but the longer the super of dandelion stays on the hive, the quicker it starts to set once removed and left lying around.
As an aside I've never felt the need or the urge to push any honey through muslin apart from sometimes when showing.

 

[Antipodes]

Melting comb
Melting honey
a vehicle packed full of robbing bees

Presuming you haven’t been daft enough to let the warning go as far as JBMs warning
Most folk here use radial extraction where the combs are not supported. A warm comb can easily blow out if you are too vigorous. My husband blew a whole super of frames out the first time he offered to help.
He did offer to clean up but I threw him out to do something constructive while I fixed the carnage.
Tangential extractors offer better protection but you still have to be careful.
I prefer a warm room rather than warming the frames.

Yeah, you'd have to be pretty thick. Pop a thermometer in the car and check every now and then to make sure it doesn't get too warm. If it looks like it will or is, move the vehicle to the shade. Very simple.

Jenkins, you can close the windows and doors of the car.

Dani, your tangential and radial extractors must somehow be different. See link below.

https://www.beesource.com/threads/extractors-tangential-vs-radial.191337/

 

[linoleum bonypart]

I dont use clearer boards shake n brush... Quick

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yeah, you'd have to be pretty thick. Pop a thermometer in the car and check every now and then to make sure it doesn't get too warm. If it looks like it will or is, move the vehicle to the shade. Very simple.

Jenkins, you can close the windows and doors of the car.

Dani, your tangential and radial extractors must somehow be different. See link below.

https://www.beesource.com/threads/extractors-tangential-vs-radial.191337/

Well there is routine for using a tangential extractor.
Of course if you put the frames in and just crank it up you’ll blow them out. You spin slowly, turn and spin faster tgen turn again. The screen supports the wax. I spin my brood combs resting on a screen. I would never dare spin them radially ( not that I have an extractor big enough, mind)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yeah, you'd have to be pretty thick. Pop a thermometer in the car and check every now and then to make sure it doesn't get too warm. If it looks like it will or is, move the vehicle to the shade. Very simple.
Jenkins, you can close the windows and doors of the car.

I think you'd have to be pretty thick to do it in the first place. If I didn't know better I'd suspect you were trying to troll us.

 

[alancooper]

I'm confused, as in your original post you said "crystalisation (sic) is not the issue".

When I was running the honey through a muslin cloth to remove wax fragments, the honey looked clear. It did not seem to be an issue. Now that I have been told that Dandelion honey crystalises quickly it is an issue for me.

 

[Swarm]

Extract through a coarse sieve into buckets. Warm and run through a fine sieve when you intend to jar it.

 

[alancooper]

Clearer boards on for between 12 and 24 hours. I've never had an issue with crystalisation, but the longer the super of dandelion stays on the hive, the quicker it starts to set once removed and left lying around.

After Willow stops flowering in Fermanagh, Dandelion follows, along with hedge/woodland plants such as Blackthorn, Gean then Sycamore.
Both Dandelion and Hawthorn gave a lot of honey this year. The Dandelion would have been on the frames for much of the Spring - and there were patches of crystallised honey remaining on the frames post-extraction. Would the clear gelatinous globules running out of my extractor have been some other plant, rather than Dandelion?

 

[alancooper]

Extract through a coarse sieve into buckets. Warm and run through a fine sieve when you intend to jar it.

I will do this for the remaining supers. Thanks.