I have some honey I jarred up recently from a deadout. A good portion of the honey was not capped, and the refractometer was around 19% for most of it. I've had it sitting out on the counter so that everyone knows to use it up first, and I've been keeping a eye on it because I'm worried about it fermenting (and adding to my stash of fermented honey that I mentioned on another thread). Several of the jars seem to be turning opaque on the bottom half, and we got down to that layer in one of the jars today. I was worried it was going bad, but to my surprise, it seems to be crystalizing instead. It's an odd sort of crystallization; the crystals are so small that it's not really granular, it's almost like a gel, but when I taste it, I can feel the sugar grains on my tongue. I'm surprised that honey with too much water would crystallize. Has anyone else ever experienced this?
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I had a number of jars do just as you described, Lots of people love it that way. I sold mine at the farmers market as creamed honey, it sold out so fast I plan on making some more. Great as a spread for bread or toast, use it in tea, coffee, or cooking.
Mr MCquilkin, what type and size jars or containers did you use for marketing your creamed honey?
Quote from: Ben Framed on September 05, 2021, 09:30:22 PM
Mr MCquilkin, what type and size jars or containers did you use for marketing your creamed honey?
I used creamed honey containers, I got them from a local supplier. B & B Honey farms Houston Minnesota.
Thanks
The original question is a good question. I also wonder why such a high moisture percentage honey is crystalizing. I would have thought Member, it would have fermented first?
Quote from: Brian MCquilkin on September 05, 2021, 10:11:58 PM
Quote from: Ben Framed on September 05, 2021, 09:30:22 PM
Mr MCquilkin, what type and size jars or containers did you use for marketing your creamed honey?
I used creamed honey containers, I got them from a local supplier. B & B Honey farms Houston Minnesota.
Those look great, Brian. I can see why they sell well. I'd buy that if I was at a farmer's market! :happy:
Quote from: Ben Framed on September 06, 2021, 12:15:44 AM
The original question is a good question. I also wonder why such a high moisture percentage honey is crystalizing. I would have thought Member, it would have fermented first?
I know, it seems very strange. Not only are bees continually doing unexplainable things, but their honey is too! :cheesy:
The honey that I have had ferment in the jar would separate with the crystals in the bottom, then the upper liquid portion is where the fermentation would begin. The sugar content in the upper liquid portion would become less so it supports yeast growth.
Quote from: AR Beekeeper on September 06, 2021, 05:21:09 PM
The honey that I have had ferment in the jar would separate with the crystals in the bottom, then the upper liquid portion is where the fermentation would begin. The sugar content in the upper liquid portion would become less so it supports yeast growth.
That makes total sense and would explain the thin layer of crystals on the bottoms of some of my fermented jars. Thanks, AR.
You mention it came from dead out. Could it be possible that some of that `honey` is sugar feed syrup? Mentioning as sugar tends to drop out to the bottom and crystallize before the actual honey does. Just a thought to consider, whether there is syrup blended in with that honey.
Quote from: TheHoneyPump on September 07, 2021, 01:14:15 PM
You mention it came from dead out. Could it be possible that some of that `honey` is sugar feed syrup? Mentioning as sugar tends to drop out to the bottom and crystallize before the actual honey does. Just a thought to consider, whether there is syrup blended in with that honey.
I doubt it, unless they robbed out sugar from someone else's feeder. I was not feeding them sugar water.