Do you crush and strain back-filled brood comb?

[2Sox]

There is some debate about this question. I do lots of cutouts and I have so much honey that it takes a VERY long time to feed back. I always C&S the pristine combs but I?m reluctant to C&S the backfilled brood combs packed with excellent honey. Your opinions please.

[Ben Framed]

Good question . I have only done a few cutouts 2Sox. (Just enough to get me started in bees) and those cutouts were done in early spring. Not a lot of excess honey at the time and I don?t crush and strain now.
I hope several of our members will reply with their experiences or simply their opinions. This looks to be an interesting subject.

Phillip

[The15thMember]

Just to clarify, what exactly is the debate?  Because I've crushed and strained backfilled brood comb for years without even knowing it's controversial.    The very dark comb does give the honey a slum-gummy kind of flavor that some people don't like, so I don't typically sell that honey, but I do use it.  It's hard to crush and strain because the comb is really difficult to crush, so be prepared to get an arm workout doing it.  But I personally think it's worth it.   

[iddee]

Do it. Why not. Many nations eat brood, so it certainly isn't going to hurt you to get a little more pollen or other protein.

[Ben Framed]

I extract honey from these combs. The cappings are harder for me to cut off.

[BeeMaster2]

2sox,
I definitely extract and C&S backfilled brood frames. The important thing is to make sure there is no brood or pollen in it. Using an extractor, the pollen bread will stay in the comb but not with C&S. The pollen adds an aftertaste that is usually sour. Brood adds water and other contaminants.
Both make the honey very cloudy.
Jim Altmiller

[Lesgold]

The honey will be fine. Warming the honey and passing it through an ultra fine filter will take out a lot of the small, visible and dark particles that tend to stay in suspension after the crush and strain of older comb.

[2Sox]

Just to clarify, what exactly is the debate?

The debate is what Jim said above.  I have no problem extracting back filled brood frames of honey so that?s not an issue at all. And my customers LOVE the honey with a high pollen content that I have for sale (I have a written Key on my sale table with each of my honeys broken down by season.  I extract all during the season up here in NY to get the different honeys from the different blooms.). But all of your confirmation on this matter encourages me not to hold back on C&S the honey filled brood frames now. Thanks so much!

[beesnweeds]

I don't see a problem with it as long as there's no brood.  The only concern would be from hives that are treated with synthetic miticides or maybe a cutout that you suspect a homeowner may have used a pesticide on the colony.

[Michael Bush]

You can crush and strain anything that is capped and doesn't have brood in it. It's nicer if it isn't full of pollen, which brood comb often is.

[Bob Wilson]

Each year I rotate out wom of the brood comb from the brood nest and crush and strain. I also think very old black comb (and often the pollen in it) does sour the flavor a little. I am not sure if it is the dark comb or the pollen.

[The15thMember]

In my opinion, the dark comb makes honey taste burnt.  I really don't crush and strain combs with any pollen in them, but I've tasted bee bread straight up, and it's often kind of bitter/sour.   

[Michael Bush]

I think the sour taste of honey from old brood comb is the pollen.  And the research says the honey from old brood comb is better for you all the way around.  Better for wound care.  More antioxidants.  Ect.