White 'mousse' on top of honey after warming. Cause for concern?

[BeeKeyPlayer]

I’ve noticed an unusually large amount (c.5mm thick) of smooth, white, creamy foam on top of the honey I just warmed for jarring. I know that this can sometimes be harmless (and is sometimes jarred up for consumption!) but I’m concerned that it might indicate something bad.

This batch was the final harvest of the season in early September. The bees filled the supers quickly after I replaced the empty ones in August. Although the honey was fully capped, it had a relatively high moisture content (19%). I’m wondering if the warming process could have activated yeasts and triggered fermentation.

I tasted and smelled the honey, and although it seems fine overall, there’s a faint aftertaste I can’t identify. It’s different from usual.

Could this ‘mousse’ indicate early fermentation, or is it something harmless like air bubbles from the warming process?

Thanks for your thoughts / comments.

 

[pargyle]

Fermenting honey has a very distinctive 'yeasty' smell.

Was the honey set in the tub ? If it was then I find that there is sometimes a foamy layer of wax on the top of the tub when I melt it - what I do is skim it off into a jug and leave it for a few days to settle and this is what you end up with. I tend to use these skimmings for my own consumption but the rest of the tub is usually completely clear and perfectly normal.

Like this:

 

[Amari]

Yes, my honey when warmed from buckets for jarring this autumn has had more gunge/scum than I can remember in the past. Here is some advice I received
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threa...-when-warming-stored-honey.57629/#post-919944

 

[Swarm]

I stir in any top layer during the warming process and end up with clear honey.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Thanks for the above. I've read the thread mentioned above too. There isn't any yeasty smell so I'm happy fermentation is not the problem. However, now that I've noticed the after taste, I think I can't sell this honey. I tipped a little into a half full jar and the sharp flavour dominated. My guess is that it is from ragwort. The honey was collected very rapidly at the end of August and to my eyes, ragwort - loads of it - was the only available forage.

There's endless talk of ragwort on here which I've still to go through, but I remember hearing about it having a bitter taste.

Does it go away in time?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Does it go away in time?

I’m sure it does. Put it away in the shed and try again in a year?