Why won't my honey crystallize?

[Jules59]

No it doesnt cost anything, they even supply the return envelope stamped. You just fill three plastic vials and put the date and area on the labels provided and send it back. It's a bit of a gimmick but a little bit of fun as eventually they send the results of what the honey consists of in terms of forage.

That's interesting. Can you supply a link to this lab please.

 

[roche]

Rooftops posted on making soft set honey quite a while ago. It might be worth watching his video - Soft set Honey - It was quite widely acclaimed at the time, and has been referred to since...

 

[enrico]

That's interesting. Can you supply a link to this lab please.

https://honey-monitoring.ac.uk/

 

[Levitt53]

There is always OSR around me. In previous years my spring honey has never crystallised. Last year it crystallised really quickly. This year's spring honey is now still so runny I can hardly spoon it out. I just sell it with a crystallisation info sticker on the back.

 

[drex]

When do you take off your spring crop then? Until this year I have had OSR every spring. Even though I keep a good eye on the crop some will have started to set in the comb. No rape this year and the spring honey is still clear and runny

 

[Erichalfbee]

That's interesting. Can you supply a link to this lab please.

Be aware though they may not do you a dna analysis. You will certainly get a water content though. If there are lots of samples from a particular area only some are analysed

 

[the shed man]

For the first time ever I had no OSR near me this year. The Spring crop was a gorgeous colour, crystal clear and remained liquid in its bucket, so I jarred it up as runny honey. Even though I said to customers it is all I had, and I did not like to mess with my honey, a lot still insisted the wanted soft set.
I eventually gave in and seeded a bucket with soft set kept over from last year. It has slowly thickened, but after a couple of months it has still not set properly, even after putting some in the fridge.
I guess it is due to the balance of sugars in the original runny honey. I know it will set eventually. I intend to set some of my Autumn crop now.

I read the post above and you are discribing what has happened to my honey this season. But I have OSR. the water content is as low as it should be but still it is runny. I have not put it in the fridge, but I have done every thing else. Still runny............

 

[user 819]

Yes, I've done all the normal things in extraction and straining. It tastes grand but it just won't set.

It's probably high in Fructose or could be honey dew.

 

[enrico]

The lim

It's probably high in Fructose or could be honey dew.

The lime was good this year. Maybe a high mix?

 

[Jonnyl]

The lim
The lime was good this year. Maybe a high mix?

Mmm, not sure there is lime around me but I could certainly be wrong. Not to worry though, it tastes great (of course I'm biased) and that's the main thing. I'll seed with shop bought.

 

[fizzle]

I've been trying to have a go at soft honey using the internet

Is soft set not to do with the fructose/glucose content?

I've plenty off it from the spring harvest.

 

[Jules59]

https://honey-monitoring.ac.uk/

many thanks

 

[Curly green finger's]

Any thoughts on seeding heather honey to make soft set?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Any thoughts on seeding heather honey to make soft set?

Ask Lawrence he sells it.

 

[elainemary]

You don’t just want any old honey setting. Pick something slow setting and you get a large Crystal that’s like having a mouth full of sugar crystals. You want a fast fine crystal setting honey like rape/clover. The reason why they say spring honey is a lot contains rape maybe dandelion. If it doesn’t contain any you may as well use a summer honey. Go get a couple of jars of rape or even foreign clover if it’s for yourself. Fridges are fine and will get it started.

I’d like to try making a soft set honey. My spring honey is mainly from trees, summer honey is wildflowers and balsam and in certain apiaries heather. Which in your opinion would be best to try a soft set honey with? A beekeeping friend who lives near OSR could give me some honey to seed with.

 

[GuyNir]

I’d like to try making a soft set honey. My spring honey is mainly from trees, summer honey is wildflowers and balsam and in certain apiaries heather. Which in your opinion would be best to try a soft set honey with? A beekeeping friend who lives near OSR could give me some honey to seed with.

I believe you should make soft set with honey which is more prone to crystallise, so spring or autumn.

 

[elainemary]

I believe you should make soft set with honey which is more prone to crystallise, so spring or autumn.

I did try it once with summer and took forever and didn’t really work, presumably due to high fructose and low glucose. My spring honey is a lovely deep amber colour so wondering if this will look right for a soft set? Maybe that doesn’t matter…only autumn honey is heather

 

[GuyNir]

I’d like to try making a soft set honey. My spring honey is mainly from trees, summer honey is wildflowers and balsam and in certain apiaries heather. Which in your opinion would be best to try a soft set honey with? A beekeeping friend who lives near OSR could give me some honey to seed with.

I intend to use my new toy for the 1st time later this year (Abelo 50L heating/creaming machine)

 

[GuyNir]

I did try it once with summer and took forever and didn’t really work, presumably due to high fructose and low glucose. My spring honey is a lovely deep amber colour so wondering if this will look right for a soft set? Maybe that doesn’t matter…only autumn honey is heather

Early days for me also regarding soft set, but I believe the colour is less important. The texture/smoothness has to end up right…

 

[Poly Hive]

When I was in the east mids I had a massive lime flow and it certainly set. Not fast mind you but it did set to a pleasant consistency. I have a pound in the garage yet from 2014 and yep it's set. Back in the day I used 30 pounds of seed to 300 pounds of liquid, pumped it overnight and it was ready in the morning to jar up. Now the pump was fit for ton batches so the honey actually was quite warm the next day from the friction but it was a beautiful consistency. I am wondering if the OP has stirred it enough. I am currently creaming 60 pounds and it gets a good stir every three of four hours and it is definitely changing as there is a whiteness that comes up from the bottom of the bucket which is what I expect to see, it's a bit cooler down there and it's where the crystals are growing.

PH