Scum on top of honey.

[Liz123]

This is my first year of actually getting some honey. The honey has been sat in a lidded bucket for 3 days ( I’m waiting for jars and labels) I see that is white scum on the top of it. what caused this? Can it be avoided next time? Please.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It’s difficult to avoid but that’s what a settling tank is for. Extract the honey into a bucket with a honey valve through your double sieve. Let it sit for a couple of days for the tiny bits of wax and air to rise to the top. Empty your honey into another honey bucket from which you can jar leaving the scum behind. If there isn’t much you can remove it with cling film. Lay a layer of cling film over the honey pressing it lightly down till all of it’s in contact. Pinch the middle and quickly remove. That will take most of it away

 

[enrico]

This is my first year of actually getting some honey. The honey has been sat in a lidded bucket for 3 days ( I’m waiting for jars and labels) I see that is white scum on the top of it. what caused this? Can it be avoided next time? Please.

If you jar it carefully the scum goes in the last two or three jars which I then use for cooking. There is nothing wrong with it. That is a part of honey extraction.

 

[Liz123]

Thank for the help, I will have to do the cling film method this time as it’s in a bucket that doesn’t have a valve. Will get a bucket with a valve for next year.

 

[pargyle]

Thank for the help, I will have to do the cling film method this time as it’s in a bucket that doesn’t have a valve. Will get a bucket with a valve for next year.

The cling film trick gets about 90% of the scum off the top ... if needs be push the remaining scum into the centre with the back of a tablespoon and do the cling film thing again. What little is left after that you can just spoon up and eat ! Don't waste the honey and scum you pull off with the cling film - let it drain into a basin and jar it up for your own use - it's just beeswax, pollen and bubbles ... you won't notice any difference in taste (indeed, there are those who think it tastes better !).

Your honey will be lovely and clear after a couple of days settling - I always let mine setttle for about 48 hours before transferring to storage buckets.

Well done for getting a crop !

 

[Curly green finger's]

Thank for the help, I will have to do the cling film method this time as it’s in a bucket that doesn’t have a valve. Will get a bucket with a valve for next year.

Cling film method.
You can buy honey Gates or valves for a few pounds of the Internet and fit it to a bucket if you have one spare it would be cheaper than buying a bucket with the honey Gate.

 

[Ian123]

Thank for the help, I will have to do the cling film method this time as it’s in a bucket that doesn’t have a valve. Will get a bucket with a valve for next year.

Hopefully you’ll have more honey than will fit in your 1 bucket with a tap, many of us store in buckets but put into a bottling/settling tank with a valve. They are available at a vastly differing price range in plastic and steel. But get the best you can afford or is sensible as cheap gates are a pain in the butt.

 

[Amari]

This is my first year of actually getting some honey. The honey has been sat in a lidded bucket for 3 days ( I’m waiting for jars and labels) I see that is white scum on the top of it. what caused this? Can it be avoided next time? Please.

I've become more aware of scum in the last couple of years. No idea why. Some call it 'honey mousse'.
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/scum-curds-floating-on-honey-buckets-why.49642/

 

[hemo]

I carefully use a large flatish SS spoon to remove the mousse aka beekeepers honey off in to a separate jar and use it for personal use.

 

[oliver90owner]

The amount of ‘scum’ (if that is what you want to call it) may de-end on how you uncapped the frames. Scratching with a fork will produce far more than slicing off the cappings with a knife.

Will get a bucket with a valve for next year.

Valves are available separately. They are clearly made as replacements for old ones or for fitting to buckets.

I have never ever bought a bucket with a tap already fitted. If you are strong enough and have a warming box, a 25l bucket could be used to store honey.

They have other uses, too. I kept my stored honey in mostly food-grade buckets sourced from a place I worked at for a short period. 10, 12 1/2, 15 and 20 litre. Some of my 25l buckets were later used as fermenting bins for wines.