Soft set runny honey

[Monbees]

My summer honey crop this year (and last year) is very runny. 17 - 18% moisture. I am wondering, although it shows no sign of crystallizing, whether I can seed it with some of the same soft set honey I have used effectively with crystallized OSR? Will seeding kick start the honey into action? Incidentally, after seeding, does the original honey take on the flavour of the seed?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes. You need 10% seed and ut will taste like the honey it is, not the seed.

 

[drex]

Having a hard job getting my seeded soft set to set, despite being in a cooler. It is so hot I cannot get the temp down to optimum of 14 degrees. It is slowly getting there.

 

[The Poot]

Having a hard job getting my seeded soft set to set, despite being in a cooler. It is so hot I cannot get the temp down to optimum of 14 degrees. It is slowly getting there.

I’m having the same issue and have made some Fred Karno chiller boxes with ice packs to try to get them started.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Having a hard job getting my seeded soft set to set, despite being in a cooler. It is so hot I cannot get the temp down to optimum of 14 degrees. It is slowly getting there.

Same with me, mine normally starts to set within a couple of days! This last lot has take 2 weeks to gel. As you say it’s difficult to keep them at 14deg in these temps!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Has anybody bought a wine cooler as discussed previously?

 

[jeff33]

Glad I am not the only one having this problem. It is definitely thicker but still quite yellow.

 

[WoodenBeam]

Has anybody bought a wine cooler as discussed previously?

Yep, works a treat

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yep, works a treat

Christmas list.....hmmmmm

 

[John Twidle]

I managed to find a wine chiller for a few quid at a local garage sale and it worked a treat for soft set honey. When it died, however, it was a struggle to get any of the local Council recycling centres to accept it. In the end, I had to get a special dispensation from someone at Council HQ for it to be accepted.

 

[steve1958]

 

[steve1958]

 

[steve1958]

Not as big as some would like, but it suits me. I can use it in summer for keeping soft set soft at 15°c
And then the remainder of the year I can use it as a drinks cabinet at 5°c

 

[Gumbers]

I used a ‘butchers box’ -similar to a fish box but a bit bigger, with 2 x frozen 1lt water bottles rotated every 24 hours. Sat nicely at 12-14c & did a lovely job of setting about 25 jars + a couple of kgs of seed for the next batch..

 

[drex]

I used a decommissioned fridge for my warming cabinet, which with ice blocks is now serving as my honey cooler. Now looking for a cheap working fridge to transfer the fan and tubular heater into. My stat is an STC with warming and cooling circuits, so could do both jobs

 

[The Poot]

I used a ‘butchers box’ -similar to a fish box but a bit bigger, with 2 x frozen 1lt water bottles rotated every 24 hours. Sat nicely at 12-14c & did a lovely job of setting about 25 jars + a couple of kgs of seed for the next batch..

Snap! Only started a couple of days ago, so don’t know how effective it has been yet. I now feel encouraged

 

[jeff33]

1st time attempt at making soft set. For the moment it's in a cool box to get it set but it's not white like all others, it still has a golden colour albeit being a lot thicker and opaque. Is this normal and it will turn white when set? I have used 1/10 seed.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

1st time attempt at making soft set. For the moment it's in a cool box to get it set but it's not white like all others, it still has a golden colour albeit being a lot thicker and opaque. Is this normal and it will turn white when set? I have used 1/10 seed.

yes, it's normal, it doesn't go white until properly set

 

[Erichalfbee]

And sometimes not even then

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

tes, if you select a darker honey it does have more of a tan shade than white.
With some honeys the set honey is even a really bright white