Can sugar syrup be mixed using cold water? Is it just a time savings to mix it with hot water or will cold water never fully dissolve the sugar. Are there more issues with crystalization and molding syrup with cold water. Thanks for any advice.
For me the sugar dissolves better in warm water.
Sincerely,
Brendhan
if making small amounts like a gallon jug them hot tap water will work....
If you're making 1:1, I'd do it with hot tap water because it's easier to get it to dissolve. If you're making 2:1, I'd boil the water first, add the sugar, heat until it's dissolved and then turn off the heat. Actually boiling the water probably works better for the 1:1 anyway because the syrup keeps better. But if they are sucking it down fast enough it won't matter.
Yes as Mr. Bush says, boil the water first then add the sugar, it will disolve much faster and it won't fall out to crystals as fast. I have actually made syrup up to keep severial months with out crystalizing. I always turn the heat off the burner before I add the sugar to make double sure the suger won't burn. Burnt syrup will make the bees sick.
I have foung a hot tap water method to be slower to disolve and it is quick to crystize even 1:1.
Steve
No problem to use cold water to prepare 1:1 syrup. You pay for energy if warm/hot water is used. U only need to stir more for cold water, so larger container is needed. Cold syrup can be used instantly also.
Quote from: limyw on March 05, 2007, 10:50:02 AM
No problem to use cold water to prepare 1:1 syrup. You pay for energy if warm/hot water is used. U only need to stir more for cold water, so larger container is needed. Cold syrup can be used instantly also.
exactly!
People, where's the rush?
why bother boiling water if all you need to dissolve it completely is time? (of course, talking about 1:1) simply mix in in the afternoon, come by and give it a stir every time it pops to your mind, and voila, tommorow you're gonna have the syrup. i do use hot tap water, but only cause we have solar water heater, so...that energy would anyway go to waste.
I just mixed 2 gals with 1:1 and used hot tap water with a mixer. It took about 5 min. tops to mix completely. Hope this helps.
I've probably only fed syrup a few times before. Every time, I've always boiled water (by itself), or got it close to boiling, and poured it into a mixing bowl, added sugar and mixed, pure and simple. Once it's cooled down to just above room temp, I just pour it into a glass jar, and set that up through a hole in the cover. Probably, if you're mixing 1:1, room temp or luke warm water will be satisfactory in disolving the sugar. for 2:1 sugar to water, I'd suggest heading the water quite a bit, if not boiling before adding the sugar.
Biggest thing to remember: remove the water from the source of head when you add sugar. If you brown, or caramalize, the sugar, it will get your bees quite sick with indigestable solids.
>Cold syrup can be used instantly also.
But they will take warm syrup MUCH more quickly ESPECIALLY if it's cold out. I've actually taken cold syrup in the house, heated it and put it back on the hives.
Just make sure you can put your finger in without getting burned.
I'm just getting my local candy-maker to mix my syrup for me. He'll mix to my specifications, so when I say 67 Brix, that's what I get. And the price is not all that much different than just buying bags of granulated sugar.