Runny Honey! too much water question?

[einsteinagogo]

I've just started extracting the first two supers off a "strong colony" (two supers to go), all the frames are capped, in all the supers.

This is my second season, so the only experience of extraction and comparison is last year in August 2013, and this season in April 2014.

Last year, the honey in August 2013 seemed thicker, left for three weeks in buckets, and then jarred, all was fine, and after a two weeks in the jars it started to granulate! (solid!), and was very pale - white - possible OSR but strange because none was around, and there was no granulation in the comb!

Extracted this year, in April 2014, OSR, extracted fine, no granulation in comb, extracted, into buckets, and within days, it started to granulate (I've got it to cream later!).

so, just extracted two supers, and the honey seems very runny, it could be nothing to worry about, as the last two extractions I've seen have been OSR based.....

maybe time to purchase a refractometer ?

but if the readings are too high, e.g. too much water.....is there much I can do now....???

is it best to extract all other supers from other colonies into different buckets to preserve, or does mixing other honeys from different sources, water content help ?

another four hives to extract...

 

[oliver90owner]

Bees know best? Do you think they would have capped it if it was going to ferment? Either that, or you have stupid bees, which I think is unlikely.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I extracted a batch in May which contained OSR and it set in the jars although not so hard that it was unable to spread on bread and butter. My July batch remained runny for several weeks but is now becoming quite viscous. The first August batch contained some frames which were starting to granulate and the jarred honey has set already. I shall be taking a final crop off next weekend and await discovery of its eventual consistency.
Subtle difference in flavour between the batches but all delicious and well received by the consumers.

 

[einsteinagogo]

Bees know best? Do you think they would have capped it if it was going to ferment? Either that, or you have stupid bees, which I think is unlikely.

Yes, they do know best, but I have read articles, that some years, capped honey can have a higher water content!

I'll let you know in due course Oliver if it ferments, and you can put it in your notebook, I have stupid bees....if that happens!

 

[einsteinagogo]

I extracted a batch in May which contained OSR and it set in the jars although not so hard that it was unable to spread on bread and butter. My July batch remained runny for several weeks but is now becoming quite viscous. The first August batch contained some frames which were starting to granulate and the jarred honey has set already. I shall be taking a final crop off next weekend and await discovery of its eventual consistency.
Subtle difference in flavour between the batches but all delicious and well received by the consumers.

John

Thanks

Andy

 

[Fatbee]

It has been a very different season this year compared to last year. My summer honey is clearer and runnier compared to 2013 and not granulating - which is normal given quite a lot of the forage sources in midsummer. Last year I had some spring sown OSR which contributed to this.

It's all down to what they foraged. If they capped it relax and enjoy.

 

[oliver90owner]

I am confident that you will not be telling me it is fermenting. Exteeemly unlikely your bees are that stupid. Their survival depended on it - until you shnuck it away.

 

[psafloyd]

Einsteinagogo, my latest batch is just under 17% and is VERY runny. The stuff I took off earlier in the year was 18-18.5%. All were capped.

 

[Loubee7]

Hey,this is my first season - I extracted capped honey in June which set in a matter of weeks, and I extracted some more honey in July which again was capped, this is very runny and is still not setting yet. I was taking it that if the bees have capped it then that was all good! Tastes delicious! Clever bees!

 

[beeno]

Hi Andy,
Most peoples' honey has been lighter and runnier than last years'. Mine has firmed up since I extracted it, but perhaps this is due to the fall in temperatures. I would go with the recommendation that if it's capped its ok, as most people do not measure water content of capped honey. Enjoy.

 

[YorkshireBees]

I've just started extracting the first two supers off a "strong colony" (two supers to go), all the frames are capped, in all the supers.

This is my second season, so the only experience of extraction and comparison is last year in August 2013, and this season in April 2014.

Last year, the honey in August 2013 seemed thicker, left for three weeks in buckets, and then jarred, all was fine, and after a two weeks in the jars it started to granulate! (solid!), and was very pale - white - possible OSR but strange because none was around, and there was no granulation in the comb!

Extracted this year, in April 2014, OSR, extracted fine, no granulation in comb, extracted, into buckets, and within days, it started to granulate (I've got it to cream later!).

so, just extracted two supers, and the honey seems very runny, it could be nothing to worry about, as the last two extractions I've seen have been OSR based.....

maybe time to purchase a refractometer ?

but if the readings are too high, e.g. too much water.....is there much I can do now....???

is it best to extract all other supers from other colonies into different buckets to preserve, or does mixing other honeys from different sources, water content help ?

another four hives to extract...

Yes spend the money to give you piece of mind.

As Oliver has said, if it's capped nothing to worry about.

No two extractions are ever the same in my opinion. I do mix honey from different suppers as I don't have enough buckets or storage to keep them all separate!!

The Spring crop this year set as normal and so far the Summer crop seems pretty runny and no sign of crystallising.

Yet to take the final supers off as I'm waiting till I have time.

Anything capped will be extracted, anything not capped will be tested and either extracted for me / extracted and fed back to the bees using a feeder or left in the frames for next Spring.

I never jar Honey straight after extraction as:-

1. I wouldn't have the time
2. I only keep enough jarred for immediate orders and some spare stock.
3. BBE dates are relevant to when it was jarred NOT when it was extracted.

 

[einsteinagogo]

Yes spend the money to give you piece of mind.

As Oliver has said, if it's capped nothing to worry about.

No two extractions are ever the same in my opinion. I do mix honey from different suppers as I don't have enough buckets or storage to keep them all separate!!

The Spring crop this year set as normal and so far the Summer crop seems pretty runny and no sign of crystallising.

Yet to take the final supers off as I'm waiting till I have time.

Anything capped will be extracted, anything not capped will be tested and either extracted for me / extracted and fed back to the bees using a feeder or left in the frames for next Spring.

I never jar Honey straight after extraction as:-

1. I wouldn't have the time
2. I only keep enough jarred for immediate orders and some spare stock.
3. BBE dates are relevant to when it was jarred NOT when it was extracted.

Good information here, thanks

Any pointers to a Refractometer....I see T* sell one it's £80, and says Made In China, and looks like the ones on fleabay for £15!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

go for the fleabay £15.00 ones

 

[einsteinagogo]

go for the fleabay £15.00 ones

Jenkins

diolch

Andy

 

[Hivemaker.]

I have found that sometimes sealed heather honey can be of high enough moisture content to ferment, perhaps the bees are stupid.

....and Manley appears to have noticed the same.

when we are
pressing it we always find a few combs here and there that are
obviously fermenting, and these combs are just as often fully sealed
ones as not.

 

[REDWOOD]

Clover honey can have a low viscosity and can appear runny

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Clover honey can have a low viscosity and can appear runny

...and have a high water content

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

...and have a high water content

I was helping with extraction of the association honey from 3 different sites on Sunday and noticed that there were different viscosities, some honey running out of the frames as they were stacked waiting for the extractors and some staying put untill very fast spin-speeds were reached.

 

[drex]

Shake testing and checking with refractometer on my recent extraction, showed me the shake test is not infallible a lot of the time

 

[user 6228]

seen a lot of variation in water content this summer from 22%(uncapped) to below 16% (the lowest we have ever seen).

The shake test is not infallible

(we had to dessicate the small quantity of 22% down to 18%)