Honey at 20%

[Tonyatcwfarm]

I have some 80lbs honey at 20%
have had in a sealed container in buckets with a dehumidifier running for 24 hours
not a drop of moisture pulled out in 24 hours
any suggestions
thanks

 

[Antipodes]

Perhaps it is something to do with the sealed container? Perhaps try unsealing it for a while and check if that makes any difference. Has it worked for you as you are currently doing it in the past?

 

[xray7]

I have some 80lbs honey at 20%
have had in a sealed container in buckets with a dehumidifier running for 24 hours
not a drop of moisture pulled out in 24 hours
any suggestions
thanks

Plenty of ideas on YouTube to deal with this !

Search ' reducing water content in honey '

 

[Newbeeneil]

I had about 40lbs of honey at 19% recently and put the two open buckets in my honey warmer at 40degC for 24hrs. The moisture content came down to 18% but would not reduce further over the next 24hrs.

 

[boywonder]

I did the same (warming cabinet for 24h), with similar results.

One thing that I do wonder, though, is whether this is actually counterproductive - as I presume that whilst it might remove a smidgen of the water, this warming might actually help activate the yeasts, and actually INCREASE the risk of fermentation.... which is, all told, what we are trying to mitigate.

Any brewers or biologists care to comment on this ?

At the end of the day, at 20% it's still honey, and if we can store in a cool, dark, airtight environment and/or shift it quickly to hungry customers, then maybe too much meddling is a bad thing ? Discuss !

 

[drex]

If honey is a bit too wet I stand an open bucket in my summerhouse for a couple of sunny days. I stir it a couple of times each day. Water content always drops by 1%, sometimes 2. No problems with fermentation thereafter
By the way I have had honey ferment at 20%, stored cool.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Would be nice to have 80lb of honey sold all mine

 

[Niv]

I have some 80lbs honey at 20%
have had in a sealed container in buckets with a dehumidifier running for 24 hours
not a drop of moisture pulled out in 24 hours
any suggestions
thanks

So what you are saying is you have compliant honey. Why are you needing to reduce it?

 

[Wingy]

Similar thing here, had about 70lb when extracted was showing 17.2%, a few weeks later when I came to jar some up it had risen to 19.8%.
I placed it in open buckets in my warming cabinet at 37 C, with my dehumidifier running, took nearly 1.5 litres of water in 48 hours. Reading was then 13.3%.
now into jars and nearly all sold.

 

[beeno]

So what you are saying is you have compliant honey. Why are you needing to reduce it?

Risk of fermentation unless you heat treat to kill yeasts which most packers do. Yeast may grow unless water content is below 17% or temperature is below 11°C according to honey packer video that was posted by Guy.... sorry.

 

[Angry_Mob]

Similar situation here, I tested several frames of honey this evening. Capped honey coming in as high as 23%. I re-calibrated the refractometer to be sure.

I think it was last Thursday I put uncapped supers with +20% moisture content in my warming cabinet which was set at 35°c; this is a large room with little foot traffic and I emptied the dehumidifier at least twice since. I checked them this evening and they are below 14%; I'm not sure if that's even sounds plausible reading previous posts on here but I've stuck another couple of uncapped supers in, will check back in a few days and see.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Similar situation here, I tested several frames of honey this evening. Capped honey coming in as high as 23%. I re-calibrated the refractometer to be sure.

I think it was last Thursday I put uncapped supers with +20% moisture content in my warming cabinet which was set at 35°c; this is a large room with little foot traffic and I emptied the dehumidifier at least twice since. I checked them this evening and they are below 14%; I'm not sure if that's even sounds plausible reading previous posts on here but I've stuck another couple of uncapped supers in, will check back in a few days and see.

That’s my experience too
Uncapped supers reduce nicely with heat and a dehumidifier

 

[Antipodes]

Similar situation here, I tested several frames of honey this evening. Capped honey coming in as high as 23%. I re-calibrated the refractometer to be sure.

I think it was last Thursday I put uncapped supers with +20% moisture content in my warming cabinet which was set at 35°c; this is a large room with little foot traffic and I emptied the dehumidifier at least twice since. I checked them this evening and they are below 14%; I'm not sure if that's even sounds plausible reading previous posts on here but I've stuck another couple of uncapped supers in, will check back in a few days and see.

Once can often read that "capped honey is fine and won't ferment because the bees won't cap it unless it is sufficiently dried". Has anyone taken frames out, found by testing that they were capped too wet, and then put them back with the bees for a month or so to see if they dry them further -even when capped?

 

[thorn]

If your container is sealed, it defeats the object. How can the moisture get out? Take the lid off and drape a thin cloth across the container.

 

[Antipodes]

I think (guessing), the sealed container contained the humidifier and perhaps the honey was in open buckets near it but also in the container?

 

[Niv]

Risk of fermentation unless you heat treat to kill yeasts which most packers do. Yeast may grow unless water content is below 17% or temperature is below 11°C according to honey packer video that was posted by Guy.... sorry.

Thanks for the info, good to know. Didn't see a video posted showing that.

 

[GuyNir]

Thanks for the info, good to know. Didn't see a video posted showing that.

That’s the one I believe

 

[beeno]

Many thanks for reposting that GuyNir!

 

[Niv]

Thanks Guy. Seems like I have found a use for my dehumidifier!

 

[Jaytee]

Nearly all my honey was capped at 19% this year, that's a first for me. I'll try it in my warming cabinet for 24 hours and see what happens.