Scum on honey.

[Newbeeneil]

I've been asked to liquefy a friends OSR honey so they can jar it. All went well and all three buckets are lovely and runny, however all three have a thick layer of sludge on the surface. I expect some but this is 5-10mm thick and so I assumed it was fermenting but there is no yeasty smell and the refractometer readings are 18%.
They extracted this honey with my help at the same time as I extracted my spring crop so I'm at a loss as to what has happened.
Is sludge of this magnitude normal but something I've not experienced before or is something else happening

 

[blackcloud]

Sludge at the top? or is it foam?

 

[Ian123]

I've been asked to liquefy a friends OSR honey so they can jar it. All went well and all three buckets are lovely and runny, however all three have a thick layer of sludge on the surface. I expect some but this is 5-10mm thick and so I assumed it was fermenting but there is no yeasty smell and the refractometer readings are 18%.
They extracted this honey with my help at the same time as I extracted my spring crop so I'm at a loss as to what has happened.
Is sludge of this magnitude normal but something I've not experienced before or is something else happening

Probably just air trapped in the honey coming to the surface. Use the trick of putting a layer of cling film across the top, pat down so its in contact and peal off. When it’s set in buckets you can always scrape a little of the white scum off top to remove some at that stage.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

just skim it off, if it is a grainy consistency (like a very soft set honey) just stir it in and warm for a bit longer, if it is just foamy stuff, dispose

 

[Newbeeneil]

I do use the cling film trick on my honey but I've never experienced such depth of foam. I must say I was relieved that there was no yeasty smell when I opened it tho!
Thanks for your reassurance!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

just skim it off, if it is a grainy consistency (like a very soft set honey) just stir it in and warm for a bit longer, if it is just foamy stuff, dispose

I use the foam stirred in to my morning porridge or spread on toast. Waste not want not!

 

[Mint Bee]

Fairly typical for my spring honey from bees that have access to OSR. Even after mixing warmed bucket it will still form a top layer when standing. I find it is best to scrape of as much as possible prior to warming. As I filter and leave to settle prior to bucketing, I wonder whether it is some form of emulsion of fine wax, pollen and trapped air. I have fed this layer back to nucs in the past, and when they have finished there is a fine residue the bees leave behind, which I assumed was wax. We use the skimmed off layer at home and family like flavour, with comment it is not a sweet as the rest of honey.

 

[Swarm]

Fairly typical for my spring honey from bees that have access to OSR. Even after mixing warmed bucket it will still form a top layer when standing. I find it is best to scrape of as much as possible prior to warming. As I filter and leave to settle prior to bucketing, I wonder whether it is some form of emulsion of fine wax, pollen and trapped air. I have fed this layer back to nucs in the past, and when they have finished there is a fine residue the bees leave behind, which I assumed was wax. We use the skimmed off layer at home and family like flavour, with comment it is not a sweet as the rest of honey.

I find a similar residue of very fine particles around the rim of my coffee cup.

 

[ics19]

however all three have a thick layer of sludge on the surface.

Yep, as others have said, par for the course with OSR - assuming you're going to seed it, then I normally scroop off and keep for mead making, rather than let it potentially upset seed. I did mix it in once, but never got a good set, but that could of been due to something else

 

[Belgianbeekeeper]

If it's foam,w've buyers for that that don't want anything else,its best tasting ever,and don't dispose,jeee,if y've no other use for it keep aside and use it up in your wintering in paste.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

I wonder whether it is some form of emulsion of fine wax, pollen and trapped air. I have fed this layer back to nucs in the past, and when they have finished there is a fine residue the bees leave behind, which I assumed was wax.

I found a thick layer of creamy scum in just one bucket of honey that I warmed last week. It's the first time I've seen this, and, as it was not from my own hives, the fact that this was the only one is understandable. It made me wonder what scum on honey is actually made of. A search brought up this thread and the above guess ('some form of emulsion of fine wax, pollen and trapped air') seems very plausible.

As others have mentioned, there was no foul aroma or hint of fermentation.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I keep it all for myself. It tastes lovely
I’ve seen it for sale as honey mousse

 

[Curly green finger's]

Beekeepers honey ?
I have some On my osr I scrap the majority of before warming and keep it for myself .