Solution to frosting?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I’ve used one of those corkscrew stirrers and they work if you keep the top underneath the surface of the honey.

I use one all the time, but you have to be mindful that whatever tool you use there is a chance of introducing bubbles. I tend to spin the corscrew anti clockwise so it raises stuff up from the bottom rather than push it down from the top

 

[Erichalfbee]

I use one all the time, but you have to be mindful that whatever tool you use there is a chance of introducing bubbles. I tend to spin the corscrew anti clockwise so it raises stuff up from the bottom rather than push it down from the top

Yes same here.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Whats your process for making soft set?
I was told that allowing too many air bubbles to become incoorporated into the honey during the stirring period predisposes to frosting.

About 65 % of my total yield is soft set as I have a lot of OSR around my apiary.

To reduce bubbles I stir regularly but slowly with a "cork screw" stirrer at 14C until the soft set is made, then warm to 30C and hold at that for 24hrs before jarring. I fill the jars slowly (not an issue as I only do around 60 jars at time). Also I went back to round jars for my soft set as I found bubbles get trapped in the top corners of the hex jars and are a PITA to remove.

Since I don’t have a very large proportion of OSR honey. (~10%) i seed mine as below.
Warm the honey to about 40deg then fine filter it before adding about 10% of seed.
I stir it slowly with a stainless steel cyklone paint stirrer (https://www.amazon.co.uk/CYKLONE-Mu...&hvtargid=pla-475746585287&psc=1&gad_source=1) until the seed is evenly distributed.
At this point the temperature has dropped to 25-30deg and ideal to put straight through my jarring machine.
I do get a few bubbles on the top of some jars but generally the top of the honey is bubble free. (My customers don’t seem worried by a few bubbles anyway.)
I’ve tried all sorts of stirrers (including a corkscrew one) and the cyklone is the best I’ve found for a 30lb bucket on a battery drill.

 

[Michael Palmer]

I wonder if frosting in creamed honey is due to improper moisture content. Here is a post from Cornell University that has a section
about moisture content. What was the moisture content of your honey?

https://www.bobsbeekeeping.com.au/image/bee-resources/Creamed-Honey.pdf

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I wonder if frosting in creamed honey is due to improper moisture content. Here is a post from Cornell University that has a section
about moisture content. What was the moisture content of your honey?

https://www.bobsbeekeeping.com.au/image/bee-resources/Creamed-Honey.pdf

I've never boiled my honey a la Dyce so I don't think it's the case - I've always found frosting occurs when the honey has crystalised and shrinks/moves away from the sides of the jar. I find it helps if the honey is not stored at temperatures not much lower than 10°C whilst it sets. the honey I set never has a water content much over 17%

 

[Jules59]

I think someone was pulling your wire

stirring tends to increase the chance of bubbles, not reduce it

yes. I meant as opposed to stirring regularly and vigourously. sorry i didnt make myself clear.

 

[Jules59]

I’ve used one of those corkscrew stirrers and they work if you keep the top underneath the surface of the honey.

i think it also depends which way you rotate it.

 

[Jules59]

I use one all the time, but you have to be mindful that whatever tool you use there is a chance of introducing bubbles. I tend to spin the corscrew anti clockwise so it raises stuff up from the bottom rather than push it down from the top

so do I

 

[Amari]

I’ve tried all sorts of stirrers (including a corkscrew one) and the cyklone is the best I’ve found for a 30lb bucket on a battery drill.

Thanks, I've ordered one

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ye

i think it also depends which way you rotate it.

Yes as JBM pointed out
Anticlockwise

 

[Newbeeneil]

Thanks, I've ordered one

If the honey is really stiff I found that the mixer slipped in the jaws of the drill so I squared it off with an angle grinder so it didn’t slip. Don’t be too vigorous or you can trap air bubbles but I get very few on a slow speed.