Honey from the wax melter

[ShaneJ]

I've had my solar wax melter running full time the last few weeks trying to melt down all my cappings etc. Each time I remove a full pan and leave it set I end up with at least a 3rd of the pan full of honey(under the wax).
Apart from tipping this honey down the sink like I've been doing, can I do something useful with it? Can I feed it back to the bees?

Thanks

[my-smokepole]

Feed it back to the bees. Are you letting them clean the wax of honey before melting it down
David

[ShaneJ]

I don't feed my bees at all or let them clean up any mess. Not because doing so teaches them to rob, but because I don't want other (bees possibly with diseases) to infect my bees.

I'd be happy to feed this honey back using an entrance feeder though if I knew it wasn't going to cause any problems.

[danno]

wax melter honey should be carmelized and shouldn't be feed back.  You can cook with it.   I know beekeepers that mix it into there extracted honey.  It will darken in up.  I dont do this.   I like the honey I sell to be very light.   Instead I found a market in bear hunters.   Last year I sold 10 gals to them.   I have also been approached by granola makers

[ShaneJ]

Yes the honey from the melter is very dark and carmelised which is why I have been disposing of it down the sink. I thought the bees might be able to make use of it rather than wasting it,

[Michael Bush]

If you keep the melter clean enough for food, you can harvest that honey.  Even if you heat wax to just melt it and separate the honey from the cappings and it gets dark, you can still use it for baking honey.

[Finski]

.
What ever melted wax honey tasted awfull. Besides it has living diseases.

When you compare to sugar price, melted honeys is not even value of sugar.

It is better then that first bees rob the old honey and then you melt--- if you need that honey.

[10framer]

.
What ever melted wax honey tasted awfull. Besides it has living diseases.

When you compare to sugar price, melted honeys is not even value of sugar.

It is better then that first bees rob the old honey and then you melt--- if you need that honey.

living diseases?  do you mean foulbrood spores? 

[Finski]

living diseases?  do you mean foulbrood spores?  

Many others but AFB is the worst.

When honey melts and drills down, the temp is not very high, about 40C.

[Lone]

Shane Shane Shane
Have you ever been called garbage guts?
Fancy wanting to eat waste products from a refinery. 

Have you thought about draining the honey from your cappings for about 3 days after extraction and using the honey then instead?

I do that then rinse out the cappings again before putting them in the solar wax melter so there is not such a mess of honey about.

Take care.  Sounds like you need it and a dose of mylanta   :-D
Lone

[ShaneJ]

Hi Lone,

Yes we let the cappings drain for a few days, and then they are pressed into a 25L bucket until they can be put into the melter. For every half bucket of cappings we put in the melter we get at least 200-300ml of honey.

Eventually I may buy a cappings spinner to save that extra bit of honey  :-D But until then I guess it will continue going down the drain.

[my-smokepole]

You could start making mead with them
David

[10framer]

living diseases?  do you mean foulbrood spores?  

Many others but AFB is the worst.

When honey melts and drills down, the temp is not very high, about 40C.

the moisture content of honey is so low that it is considered anti-bacterial.  i agree that foulbrood spores are transferred through honey but i don't think it carries a lot of diseases.

[danno]

200 - 300ml is hardly enough to put on a pc of toast.   

[Finski]

the moisture content of honey is so low that it is considered anti-bacterial.  i

And when you add water....

[ShaneJ]

200 - 300ml is hardly enough to put on a pc of toast.   

You must have big slices of toast over there  :? :)

[danno]

I was just exagerating about the toast but in truth its less then 1/2 pound or about 1.00 worth.   Just use it to sweeten your tea or coffee.   You would need over 3700ml to make a 5gal batch of mead

[prestonpaul]

Jo's ancient orange beginners mead recipe
Honey candy recipies
There's a couple of ideas for you. I've done the Honey nut butter candy and it's not too bad :-D

[Lone]

Shane, if you want some good mine runoff I could send you some creek water. 

Lone

[ShaneJ]

I'm not trying to create more work for myself. Was just wondering if I could do something with the honey rather than waste it.
I was thinking the bees must like it cause if I leave the melter open for for than 20 seconds the bees are all over it  :shock: