Runny Honey!

[kittietrixie]

Hi. First go at extracting - used a manual extractor which seemed to go well. Only problem is that the honey is very runny - I probably extracted too early but no choice as I'm not going to be near the hives again until mid September. My question is whether there is any way of now extracting what I assume to be excessive levels of water that's left in the extracted honey. Any ideas greatfully received as always.

 

[richardbees]

I have to ask - were the frames of honey capped?

further comment depends on your reply!

 

[kittietrixie]

Some were. Some were'nt.

 

[huntsman666]

Next time if cells are uncapped and you're in a hurry, give the frames a good flat shake. Cells with a high water content will drop their contents, extract what remains.

 

[Skyhook]

A beek of my aquaintance swears by the fan oven. Put the honey in a clean roasting tin, leave it running on lowest heat, or warm the oven up then leave it running on fan only. Don't get it too hot or you'll spoil it.

 

[richardbees]

Oh dear!

The technical advice is to get hold of a hydrometer and test the water content but if it was noticeably too runny ..... I think you already know the answer, which is that it won't keep as "honey"

You can't reverse what you've done - but you could think about making mead?

.

 

[richardbees]

PS

Just seen Skyhooks reply ....it's got to be worth a try!

 

[Moggs]

Honey will ferment quite readily with a high water content. The only surefire way to determine if it's OK is with a refractometer. Less than 20% water, essential; better preferable.

If many cells were uncapped and the honey is noticeably runny rather than gloopy (lovely word) then you are likely to have a problem. You'll probably struggle to get the water out of it safely (maybe more trouble than it's worth).

Anybody around you have a refractometer?

 

[Phil280]

Hi there.

How much time do you have left with the bees now? If it would be possible to put the super back on the hives with the extracted combs and feed the honey back to them, the bees will refill the comb and lower the water content by a good 1-2%.
The bees shoud have done the job in 48 hours - depending on the amount of honey. Then re-extract the honey.

Greets
Phil

 

[MrB]

What is runny?
Mine was runny as well but less than 20% water (mostly capped AND tested with refractometer)
you can get a refractometer for around £12, its the only way you are going to be sure now.

 

[oliver90owner]

You need a refractometer to test for water content, but there is a severe risk that the crop will ferment if the water content is high. Assuming is a bad thing - it depends a lot on type of forage, temperature, etc. as well as water content. But choices as always.

Feed back to the colony (as you only have the one) and let them reprocess it; run the risk of spoiling it in the oven (or whatever) as the surface area is so reduced from being in the comb); use a dehumidifier in a warm room to reduce the moisture (really need that refractometer to know how you are doing?); you could consign your harvest to the freezer and hope the weather will be better later; you could use it all from the freezer, as you give no idea say how much of this product you have; you could heat to over about 65 Celsius (to kill off fermenting yeasts and consume fairly quickly, use in cooking etc (but not consider selling the product).

Most of the rest of the advice is pertinent too. Hope this helps.

Regards, RAB

 

[kittietrixie]

Thanks to everybody for great advice. My time with the bees finishes this afternoon so I think the only sure way is to feed it back to them and at least they can have it as winter stores rather than it fermenting on me and just being thrown away. Thanks again to everybody in the forum for your help. A refractomer looks like the next purchase needed!!

 

[Skyhook]

Thanks to everybody for great advice. My time with the bees finishes this afternoon so I think the only sure way is to feed it back to them and at least they can have it as winter stores rather than it fermenting on me and just being thrown away. Thanks again to everybody in the forum for your help. A refractomer looks like the next purchase needed!!

Chinese ones surprisingly cheap, and surprisingly good for the money, on ebay- I think mine was about £15 plus postage.

 

[Poly Hive]

20% is good and less is better?

The legal standard for blossom used to be 21% and heather 23%

How odd.

PH

 

[colin]

runny honey.

Hi,if the honey is medium in colour it could be clover or honey dew which is very runny.

 

[Winker]

can anyone give me a link for a honey refractomere please, at a low price

 

[Black Comb]

I typed refractometer in the search engine of this site and in 6 seconds came up with this.



http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2232&highlight=refractometer

Hope it helps.

 

[Winker]

I typed refractometer in the search engine of this site and in 6 seconds came up with this.



http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2232&highlight=refractometer

Hope it helps.

i went to ebay direct and i must have done a spelling mistake as it give me 0 results. Thx for the link to the other thread found one now thx

 

[richardbees]

Don't buy a refractometer or hydrometer...

Before extracting honey from unsealed combs...hold the frame horizontally and vigorously shake downwards a few times. If no drops of liquid come out - it's good enough to extract.

 

[Moggs]

PH - I'm sure that this will not be needed but:

Honey (England) Regulations 2003:

Moisture content:
In general not more than 20%
Heather and bakers' honey in general not more than 23%
Bakers' honey from heather not more than 25%

Anybody who is so moved, please take note.