How to make rape set honey

[Dye29]

Hi all its my first harvest ever from rape and was wondering how i make set honey from the rape its like a syrup now but would like thicker please advice thanks ste

 

[BKF Admin]

set honey link



Video here

 

[Poly Hive]

There is a technical issue there, which is using light bulbs for the heat source. Could be a long long wait with the modern LED's.

Just a thought.

PH

 

[Ian123]

There is a technical issue there, which is using light bulbs for the heat source. Could be a long long wait with the modern LED's.

Just a thought.

PH

Doubt that will be an issue, most beeks are not liable to be aware of the invention of led's or 2 wont pay for them

 

[Beefriendly]

Hi all its my first harvest ever from rape and was wondering how i make set honey from the rape its like a syrup now but would like thicker please advice thanks ste

Set or soft set?
Just leave it if you want set...it will set. Usually a bit like concrete.
If you want soft set you will still need to leave it to set in a bucket.
You then remelt and there are several methods for producing soft set.

 

[enrico]

Made me smile.....just leave it and then buy a pick axe!
E

 

[mintmoth]

Set or soft set?
Just leave it if you want set...it will set. Usually a bit like concrete.
If you want soft set you will still need to leave it to set in a bucket.
You then remelt and there are several methods for producing soft set.

Why do you need to let it set before turning it into soft set? I let my OSR honey sit for a day for any air bubbles to clear, then seeded it, stirred it and jarred it. Got soft set honey with a texture smooth as butter.

 

[Beefriendly]

Why do you need to let it set before turning it into soft set? I let my OSR honey sit for a day for any air bubbles to clear, then seeded it, stirred it and jarred it. Got soft set honey with a texture smooth as butter.

Good point.....I make all my soft set that way.
More convenient for me to let it set and then make soft set later as required throughout the year.
Smooth as butter....well I'd need to do the tongue test....Mine is smoother than butter

 

[mintmoth]

Got soft set honey with a texture smooth as butter.

Smooth as butter....well I'd need to do the tongue test....Mine is smoother than butter

Of course it depends what butter you buy.....

 

[enrico]

Of course it depends what butter you buy.....

I can't believe it's not rape honey!! Or is it butter!!
E

 

[Dye29]

will rape honey set in jars as mines like syrup still after 3 days or does it take ages to set ive been told it will go white and set is this correct

 

[Finman]

.
Buy a jar of fine crystallized honey. Mix it to a 3 kg dose of honey. Keep the dose under 20C place. Stir it every day, that seeds of crystals brake smaller.

When you have that 3 kg soft set honey dose, mix it into a bigger amount and let it crystallize and stir it every day.

Idea is to split the sugar seeds with stirring.

When honey has been hardened into bucket, then warm it in a water bath.

I put the bucket (20 litre) into a bigger container. Water is 55C. Over night the honey drills, but it has not lost crystalls.

Mix the content of bucket. Let the air bubbles and foam rise up. Catch foam from surface with greese pape. This takes again over night. Then jar the honey.

Do not add extracted honey any more, it hardens the whole amount.
.

 

[masterBK]

Finman : Buy a jar of fine crystallized honey! ?

Spending money to buy honey ? This is a concept totally alien to most yorkshire beekeepers (unless they buy cheap and sell on at a higher price.

 

[Finman]

Finman : Buy a jar of fine crystallized honey! ?

Spending money to buy honey ? This is a concept totally alien to most yorkshire beekeepers (unless they buy cheap and sell on at a higher price.

Yorkshire beekeepers may buy one jar together. Cost may be then 50 cents per beekeeper.

 

[Millet]

will rape honey set in jars as mines like syrup still after 3 days or does it take ages to set ive been told it will go white and set is this correct

It can take up to three weeks and longer depending what other nectar is in there..leave it in the bucket for now as it is a pain in the backside having to warm every single jar back up to get it back into the bucket..

 

[simonforeman]

Does anybody use a reptile mat to stand buckets on to melt? Do they work?
I have seen ones that heat upto 35 degrees. I have around 12-15kg in each of 2 buckets wondering if they would melt or not to make soft set.

 

[Millet]

Does anybody use a reptile mat to stand buckets on to melt? Do they work?
I have seen ones that heat upto 35 degrees. I have around 12-15kg in each of 2 buckets wondering if they would melt or not to make soft set.

To be honest Simon you are wasting your life trying to warm rape honey to 45C using a reptile heat pad/mat .. you need a solid insulated box with a heater and thermostat to place any honey you have to be melted in... believe me i have messed about with chicken egg incubators of several kind and it just does not work..
Search honey warming cabinets in the search bar...it may help you a little..

 

[Beefriendly]

Does anybody use a reptile mat to stand buckets on to melt? Do they work?

No, they don't work.

 

[simonforeman]

Right so warming cabinet made and can reach 45 degrees in around 15mins....

So going to make my first batch of soft set. I have 9.5 kg of set OSR honey from 05/05/19. This will be my first test. How long will it take to become runny enough to add the seed?

Also the honey it in a bucket with no tap. How to jar it when seeded please? Do I need to get it into a bucket with a tap ? If so how to do this without adding any air to it?

Thanks in advance

 

[Beefriendly]

Time will depend on floral mixture...I'd go to 50C to ensure fully liquid.
Beware there are several ways of making a soft set honey. In some cases , as long as you are sure it's OSR nectar (it has a fine crystal structure) you can only partially melt then mix and mix at regular intervals until it turns white. I find the large "potato masher " type of creamer Thornes sell does a good job here. No seed needed. Personally I find this method makes it a little on the coarse side, others say theirs is as smooth as butter...

Assuming you are going down the fully remelt and seed you will need to do a lot of mixing and resting until you achieve a soft set (it looks very white). I have a machine that looks like a butter churn, works it for 15 minutes (mixes and breaks up any larger "clumps" of crystals, rests for an hour and so on. Takes a couple of days...mind I am doing about 45 litres in a batch....and the friction keeps it around 21C. If you can keep cooler it will get to soft set faster.
When happy, heat to 32C (or thereabouts) ...makes it easy to work work. I simply use a glass jug and pour into jars.

Be cautious if you buy one of those drill paddle attachments, they have a tendency to introduce a lot of air...which if jarred immediately leads to the honey separating with a soft set underneath a froth of bubbles...not a very desirable end product.