lindsay s
07-09-2010, 07:05 PM
This year after removing the supers from my hives I found I had a lot more unsealed honey than usual. All the frames that were more than 80% sealed I extracted first, the rest were set to one side.
In the past any frames I had containing unripe honey were extracted separately and the contents were given back to my bees. I have a refractometer and I check the water content of my honey at all stages of processing.
Last month I read in Beecraft about using a de-humidifier to reduce the water content of unsealed honey. I thought lets give that a go but my other half was more sceptical and she wasn't pleased when I turned the airing cupboard into a honey warming cabinet.
In went the supers with the unsealed honey, the de-humidifier was switched on and the cupboard door was shut. The combs will melt and you’ll be left with a sticky mess she said.
One week later she has the airing cupboard back and I have honey with a water content of 16.5%. It worked much better than I expected and the honey is viscous. I checked the cupboard everyday to make sure it wasn’t to hot.
I would like to blend this honey with my other honey and then sell it does anyone know of any reasons why not to.
In the past any frames I had containing unripe honey were extracted separately and the contents were given back to my bees. I have a refractometer and I check the water content of my honey at all stages of processing.
Last month I read in Beecraft about using a de-humidifier to reduce the water content of unsealed honey. I thought lets give that a go but my other half was more sceptical and she wasn't pleased when I turned the airing cupboard into a honey warming cabinet.
In went the supers with the unsealed honey, the de-humidifier was switched on and the cupboard door was shut. The combs will melt and you’ll be left with a sticky mess she said.
One week later she has the airing cupboard back and I have honey with a water content of 16.5%. It worked much better than I expected and the honey is viscous. I checked the cupboard everyday to make sure it wasn’t to hot.
I would like to blend this honey with my other honey and then sell it does anyone know of any reasons why not to.