Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: SouthAussieBeekeeper on July 30, 2018, 07:18:58 PM

Title: How to tell if honey is fermenting?
Post by: SouthAussieBeekeeper on July 30, 2018, 07:18:58 PM
I have some honey and it has a mild "wine" smell to it. I'm not sure if this is just due to the strain, or whether it's because it's fermenting. I know that one can gain a measure of the moisture content to determine whether it'll ferment with time, but how can one determine whether honey has already experienced the early stages of fermentation?
Title: Re: How to tell if honey is fermenting?
Post by: Van, Arkansas, USA on July 30, 2018, 08:56:04 PM
Fermentation produces bubbles, the microbes that ferment have to breathe.
Title: Re: How to tell if honey is fermenting?
Post by: Acebird on July 30, 2018, 09:20:28 PM
It has the usually foam on top and when you unscrew the cap you can hear a little hiss.
Title: Re: How to tell if honey is fermenting?
Post by: Beeboy01 on July 31, 2018, 05:27:29 PM
I've had some that would foam when stirred with a spoon.
Title: Re: How to tell if honey is fermenting?
Post by: Acebird on July 31, 2018, 09:03:44 PM
Yeah, and you can whip cream into a foam.  I am talking about honey you put in a jar and it has no foam.  A month later it does have foam... not from whipping.
Title: Re: How to tell if honey is fermenting?
Post by: SouthAussieBeekeeper on August 01, 2018, 07:35:21 PM
I don't see any bubbles or signs of gas. I just have that mild wine smell.
Title: Re: How to tell if honey is fermenting?
Post by: BeeMaster2 on August 01, 2018, 08:11:28 PM
First thing I would do is find someone in your area/club that has a Refractometer and test it to see what the water content is.
Sometimes certain honeys will have a funny smell.
Jim
Title: Re: How to tell if honey is fermenting?
Post by: Acebird on August 02, 2018, 08:29:24 AM
Quote from: SouthAussieBeekeeper on August 01, 2018, 07:35:21 PM
I don't see any bubbles or signs of gas.
It isn't fermenting.
Title: Re: How to tell if honey is fermenting?
Post by: Hops Brewster on August 02, 2018, 10:22:34 AM
Take a sip.  If you feel warm and fuzzy after a few minutes, it's fermenting. :cool: