Warming without a cabinet

[scuttlefish]

There's probably an obvious answer that I'm missing (other than "build/buy a warming cabinet" - it's on the list, just not yet...) but is there a handy makshift way of warming honey in buckets ready for bottling? If I can borrow a cabinet I will, but in case I can't...

I'm thinking the easiest option will be to stand the bucket in a tub of warm water - but that'll probably require regular hot drops to keep the water warm enough. And take ages. Has anyone tried that?

Other probably silly ideas include leaving the (sealed) bucket out in the greenhouse all day, or using an aquarium heater in the water bath (goes up to 30 degrees I think - close enough for fine filtering and bottling?).

The honey needs to be sellable, and I'm told that if I bottle straight from the settling tank (without letting it crystallise then warming it back to liquid) it'll crystallise & frost in the jars - or is that rubbish?

 

[enrico]

Old style lightbulb underneath, insulation round outside. Careful not to melt bucket if plastic!

 

[enrico]

Further to that, in my opinion nearly all honey crystallises ( we have threads with opposing beliefs!) unless you heat it properly to a set temperature for a set time and sieve all grains of pollen out and then call it gales! It depends what temperature it is kept at once bought etc. I add a label explaining how real honey will set and how gentle warming can turn it 'runny' again.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I have a combi microwave/fan oven

i set the temp to 40c and leave a 15lb tub of honey over night and jar it up in the morning...

every thing goes alright unless my daughter wants to heat up some thing for her breakfast

 

[hedgerow pete]

whats wrong with some thing very very simple like say an electric under blanket and a couple of blankets over the top and leave it for a few days to warm through??

K>I>S>S

 

[burren]

Do we really need to heat it at all? Do you/should you heat if you know from experience that your "honey" sets quickly. I know it all depends on what nectar the bees have been gathering and from the tv programme tonight ( that would be last night as I am still jarring up my 1st little harvest of the year- 23 lbs) the levels of fructose and glucose is also an important factor.

Or is the heat to help the flowing and filling? My honey is quite runny, 17.5-18 on the refract so I dont heat, but would there be any advantage to me doing so?

 

[steve1958]

whats wrong with some thing very very simple like say an electric under blanket and a couple of blankets over the top and leave it for a few days to warm through??

K>I>S>S

Or maybe take it to bed with you

 

[scuttlefish]

Do we really need to heat it at all? Do you/should you heat if you know from experience that your "honey" sets quickly. I know it all depends on what nectar the bees have been gathering and from the tv programme tonight ( that would be last night as I am still jarring up my 1st little harvest of the year- 23 lbs) the levels of fructose and glucose is also an important factor.

Or is the heat to help the flowing and filling? My honey is quite runny, 17.5-18 on the refract so I dont heat, but would there be any advantage to me doing so?

No idea, I've only taken honey for myself before, but I'll be selling this year and my copy of Hooper says you get a white scum on top if you jar straight from the settling tank.

KISS? I'd jar the filtered liquid honey at extraction if it was that simple, I wasn't planning on letting it granulate for the craic.