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Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: papabear on October 12, 2008, 11:58:40 AM

Title: Crystalized honey
Post by: papabear on October 12, 2008, 11:58:40 AM
I have 2 five gal buckets of honey that are crystalizing. What is the best way to heat the honey so I can filter and bottle? Please help! I have some people who want some jars.
Title: Re: Crystalized honey
Post by: asprince on October 12, 2008, 12:22:04 PM
Place honey on back seat of a dark colored car. Roll up windows. Park car in full sun. Will take about a week for that volume, less if placed in smaller containers.

I did several cases of pint jars this summer. Worked great, took a couple of days.

Steve
Title: Re: Crystalized honey
Post by: Michael Bush on October 12, 2008, 12:23:21 PM
How hot is your water heater set?  You can fill the tub with hot water and put the bucket of honey in that.  The hotter the better.  Make sure you have the water low enough that the bucket doesn't try to float.
Title: Re: Crystalized honey
Post by: Michael Bush on October 12, 2008, 12:27:15 PM
Or how about putting the bucket in a car in the sun with the windows up?
Title: Re: Crystalized honey
Post by: asprince on October 12, 2008, 01:59:06 PM
Hot water even for small volumes is slow. You will have to continuously reheat the water as it cools. But, it will work.

Steve 
Title: Re: Crystalized honey
Post by: Greg Peck on October 12, 2008, 11:32:02 PM
Last year I had half a bucket start to crystallize on me. I took a 2 deep HBs and set them on the basement (concrete) floor, then I put a shop light with a 100 watt bulb inside the deeps. Next I put a metal queen excluder then  2 more deeps on top of that. I set the bucket inside on the queen excluder then put an inner cover on top and covered the center hole. I checked the temps and if I remember right it keeps it at around 108. It took a few days but it worked fine. Just make sure the light is in the center of the bottom box and not touching one of the sides (fire hazard). I also use this method for bottles, instead of 2 deeps on top of the queen excluder I just use a super. make sure when doing bottles that you put 2 deeps then the excluder. I found that when using only one deep the bottles got too hot and some bears lost some of there shape being to close to the bulb.

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