slightly unripe honey

[MandF]

Quick question - if you have some ripe honey (<20% water) and some unripe (say 20-22%), if you just put that into a storage tub would the water content even out automatically via osmosis, or would you need to physically mix it?

I have just cleared the last of the frames with honey from one of my hives, only got 4 off, and the 8 sides ranged from 19.2 - 21% from what I sampled. If the resultant extraction is borderline or just over I want to know if I have to use it up, feed it back or i can add some more ripe honey and leave it to come back under 20%.

Thanks

 

[jezd]

Normal honey as prepared by the bees should be around 17.5%, if its 20%+ they its a) not ready and uncapped or b) uncapped and been left to absorb moisture

Its should not be close to 20% full stop.

Was it capped when you took it off?

Uncapped frames can still be ok but you cant leave them around taking in moisture from the air.

 

[harveyzone]

if its 20%+ they its a) not ready and uncapped or b) uncapped and been left to absorb moisture

Probably a stupid question, but is it possible to evaporate off the moisture other than letting the bees do it, or is it not that simple?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Probably a stupid question, but is it possible to evaporate off the moisture other than letting the bees do it, or is it not that simple?

Yes,small room with a decent dehumidifier in it,stack box's cross wise and direct air flow through stack.

 

[newportbuzz]

would you heat the room?? and if its in buckets would you heat those?
ive currently playing about trying to draw down the humidty with a small dehumidifier a bucket and a binbag.
honey in bucket dehumidifier ontop of open bucket all in the binbag. ive also heated the honey bucket but i am unsure if thats needed?
also do you think i should be stiring it as the density should increase so the unripe honey should float???
so many questions.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Best and fastest if left in the combs,the dehumidifier should provide the heat needed.

 

[MandF]

Normal honey as prepared by the bees should be around 17.5%, if its 20%+ they its a) not ready and uncapped or b) uncapped and been left to absorb moisture

Its should not be close to 20% full stop.

Was it capped when you took it off?

Uncapped frames can still be ok but you cant leave them around taking in moisture from the air.

20% is the legal cut off point I believe - anything over 20% is liable to ferment, 20% is what I have been told "honey" needs to be under. Apart from heather honey which can be slightly higher.

Yes these cells were uncapped, that is why I tested them. Previously if I have had uncapped cells it has been on frames where at least 50% of the frame (ie the whole other side) was capped, and an uncapped sample was below 20% anyway (although clearly I cannot test all uncapped cells so it is entirely possible even on those frames there were cells >20%.

I understand that I need to extract these asap, but what I really wanted to know was does the water content equalise in a tub of honey automatically (osmosis), or due to the viscosity should I mix the tub. I dont want to mix unless I have to as that will introduce bubbles.

What I intend doing is extract my other frames first, then not scrape out the extractor when I do these ones - there will therefore be a bit of good honey mixed in with these frames in the (small) tub. I am hoping that alone is enough for me to just leave the tub alone for a while assuming my test comes in below 20%. If it is above then the question is, do I give up and feed it back to the bees, or can I add some more honey to bring the average % below 20%.

I figured it was worth asking on here as I am sure there are a few people like me who are trying to clear as much honey off their hives now, including these "marginal" frames, before we apiguard?

 

[victor meldrew]

.
VM

 

[MandF]

also do you think i should be stiring it as the density should increase so the unripe honey should float???
so many questions.

That was my original question - will unripe honey remain separate from the rest, or will the water content automatically equalise.

 

[MandF]

Best and fastest if left in the combs,the dehumidifier should provide the heat needed.

Any cheap dehumidifier work ok? I dont want to spend lots of money trying to ripen a couple of pounds of honey

 

[victor meldrew]

I have seen novelty entries in honey shows where jars on display had three differing colours of honey in horizontal bands with no blurring at the junctions ?
VM

 

[Hivemaker.]

Any cheap dehumidifier work ok? I dont want to spend lots of money trying to ripen a couple of pounds of honey

Expect so, but may take longer,i don't have a cheap dehumidifier so cannot say how long.

Many outfits use dehumidifiers in hot rooms for the honey drying,but obviously as you mention, not worth it for two pounds of honey.

 

[drstitson]

if it's only a few pounds bottle it and use first.

 

[MandF]

if it's only a few pounds bottle it and use first.

This sounds like the easiest option so I think we'll do that - if its all over 20% we will just use it.

Thanks

 

[aberreef]

I'd have thought the water content will will equalise via osmosis. The honey will get a jolly good mix when you extract

 

[plumberman]

/anorak mode on
I hate to say this, but osmosis has got nothing to do with this. The excess water in the unripe honey will diffuse from an area of high concentration to low concentration naturally, but this would take some time. Mixing speeds this process up considerably.
/anorak mode off

 

[MandF]

/anorak mode on
I hate to say this, but osmosis has got nothing to do with this. The excess water in the unripe honey will diffuse from an area of high concentration to low concentration naturally, but this would take some time. Mixing speeds this process up considerably.
/anorak mode off

I know it was <cough> years ago I did my biology O' level, but I thought osmosis was the movement of water due to concentration differences.. I just remembered it refers specifically about that movement through a semi permeable membrane.

I will stir up the bucket and add some extra honey if necessary so I am sure it wont ferment.

 

[Black Comb]

Yes I was going to ask that. If you mix a bucket with (say) 18% and one with 20% will the total end up at 19% or do you risk spoiling the good honey?

 

[drstitson]

" If you mix a bucket with (say) 18% and one with 20% will the total end up at 19%"

yes - it's just like mixing anything else. end result is sum of parts. the problem would be with a just ok batch plus a not okay batch which might end up just not ok.

 

[preyingmantos]

i have found as the honey sets the higher water content rises to the top so yes if you use immediately the end results are the sum of the parts but if you leave for separation to occur then your left with a thin layer of fermenting honey on your 30lb bucket. Ive several buckets from 2 years ago which have gone like this.