Crystallized sugar syrup?

hollybees · March 14, 2009, 12:47:10 PM

Hello all,
I have two 2-gallon pails of 1:1 sugar syrup from the fall. I stored it in the garage which I keep heated no more than 50 deg.'s
The pails were sitting on the concrete slab also.
I opened them up today and the syrup looks fine but the sides and bottom have heavy crystals on them.
I put them them in a water bath to loosen the crystals from the sides, then put them in a pan and warmed and stirred for awhile.

They have dissolved somewhat but may need more heat to make it happen, heated it to around 130 degs.
I have 2 hives that survived a wicked Michigan winter I don't want to kill them with "stupidity"....now!

What's the temp. limit on reheating?
Should I just strain off the liquid and call it good?

Thanks,
Paul

iddee · March 14, 2009, 02:54:51 PM

I have boiled it with no problem, but just for a matter of seconds. You just don't want it to caramelize.

JhnR · March 14, 2009, 03:43:37 PM

Try a search on "invert" sugar. The bees digest this easier, it lasts longer and with a little lemongrass oil it stores well.

John

Robo · March 14, 2009, 04:22:30 PM

Boil away... It would take hours of boiling before 1 to 1 will caramelize

Here is 2 quarts of water to 25lbs of sugar after about 1/2 hour of boiling.

gaucho10 · March 14, 2009, 04:45:51 PM

Robo, what were you doing with that sugar/water boiling? Was it an experiment?

Robo · March 14, 2009, 05:16:56 PM

Quote from: gaucho10 on March 14, 2009, 04:45:51 PM
Robo, what were you doing with that sugar/water boiling? Was it an experiment?

Was making candy to feed

http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/emergency-feeding/

hollybees · March 15, 2009, 05:26:00 PM

Thanks, for the info....

I chickened out and just drained off the liquid...
The funny thing is I remember seeing that video before.........duh!
Has any seen my "memory"...... :-D

Thanks to all,
Paul

iddee · March 15, 2009, 06:06:05 PM

I love these questions where we use our time to think them through, post answers and ideas, only to find that the poster has already did what he wanted in the first place. It makes our time and energy seem so important.

troutstalker2 · March 15, 2009, 07:36:33 PM

Why is it alright to boil for thirty minutes when you make fondant, but not alright to boil when you are making syrup?

Robo · March 15, 2009, 08:38:00 PM

Quote from: troutstalker2 on March 15, 2009, 07:36:33 PM
but not alright to boil when you are making syrup?

Not sure where you got that from. You can boil while making syrup.

rast · March 15, 2009, 09:26:44 PM

My syrup quit crystallizing when I started bringing the water to a good boil before adding the sugar.
iddee, it is important because others just "lurking" read and learn from the answers.

hollybees · March 16, 2009, 08:15:42 AM

Quote from: iddee on March 15, 2009, 06:06:05 PM
I love these questions where we use our time to think them through, post answers and ideas, only to find that the poster has already did what he wanted in the first place. It makes our time and energy seem so important.

The truth is I wanted to feed it to them that day and was hoping to catch someone online for an answer.
The weather turned warm and they had eaten most of the dry sugar I gave them and I wanted to get the syrup to them.
What I did was to play it safe for "their" sake, that's not what I wanted to do in the "first place".

Sorry, if you feel I wasted your time, my mistake! I'll try be more careful in the future.

MacfromNS · March 16, 2009, 08:27:47 AM

iddee: I love these questions too and I love that you go the
extra mile because there is a lot of us that don't have that
answer yet. thankyou for all your trouble.

Irwin · March 16, 2009, 10:23:20 AM

hollybees keep asking I read allot and learn from all the questions and answers from all members.

hollybees · March 16, 2009, 10:32:45 AM

Quote from: Irwin on March 16, 2009, 10:23:20 AM
hollybees keep asking I read allot and learn from all the questions and answers from all members.

Thanks, Irwin
I guess I got a little ticked off, and I'm really not happy with the tone of my reply to iddee.
I'm am very grateful for this forum and to "all" its members.

Thanks again,
Paul

Natalie · March 16, 2009, 10:55:04 AM

Sometimes people have an idea of what they want to do but run the question by the members to get some more input, it doesn't mean they have to take your advice.
Maybe they just want to see if someone has a better idea than what the member planned to do but the replies were not any better or maybe they just want to make sure the way they are doing something isn't going to hurt their bees.
Members are allowed to bounce ideas off of here and do not have to use any advice given.
I also notice that sometimes the answers don't come in as soon as the member may need them and they have to wing it, there are times when something comes up and someone is faced with a situation that needs immediate attention and not everyone is sitting at their computers and able to give help.
Hollybees, please ask away, I really don't think anyone else on this forum feels the way that member suggested, I have never heard anyone else say anything of the kind.
As Irwin said, this is how the rest of us learn, by reading someone else's question and the answers that come in and may need to use that advice in the future so nothing is ever a waste of time.
In fact since when is thinking a waste of time? Its always good to make people think keep asking and Thank You.

hollybees · March 16, 2009, 11:31:20 AM

Nat

Quote from: Natalie on March 16, 2009, 10:55:04 AM
As Irwin said, this is how the rest of us learn, by reading someone else's question and the answers that come in and may need to use that advice in the future so nothing is ever a waste of time.
In fact since when is thinking a waste of time? Its always good to make people think keep asking and Thank You.

Natalie,
Well said...
I will keep asking.....
Your post got me to thinking...what if you do have a pressing question and you see some who "is" online.
Is there a way to ask them directly? or would that be considered inappropriate to do so in a forum such as this.

Thanks, I hope your bees are doing well!
Paul

iddee · March 16, 2009, 11:41:57 AM

Hollybees, I took no offense in your reply, and hope you didn't in mine. I just felt like it was something that needed to be said and I think your response was quite well done. I am not 100% PC, and don't expect others to be. We can never communicate fully if we have to watch every word we say. It was 2 hours between your original post and my first reply. If you need immediate help from a member on line, maybe the chat room or a pm would help. I try to check both when online.

>>>>In fact since when is thinking a waste of time? Its always good to make people think<<<<

But, Natalie, for my little pea brain, it is a major task...... :-D

hollybees · March 16, 2009, 12:03:47 PM

Quote from: iddee on March 16, 2009, 11:41:57 AM
Hollybees, I took no offense in your reply, and hope you didn't in mine. I just felt like it was something that needed to be said and I think your response was quite well done. I am not 100% PC, and don't expect others to be. We can never communicate fully if we have to watch every word we say. It was 2 hours between your original post and my first reply. If you need immediate help from a member on line, maybe the shoutbox or a pm would help. I try to check both when online.

iddee,
Your response was very prompt, and I thank you for it.
I waited a while, but I just wanted to get it done....you know, just had a busy day planned.

So.......I'm good with it. 8-)

Thanks
Paul

Natalie · March 16, 2009, 12:18:41 PM

Hollybees, I am sure that no one here would mind you asking them directly in a private message if you need an answer right away.
I am not sure how this forum works but when I leave the forum I never actually sign out, I just click off but do not sign in and out each time so I wonder if it looks like I am online even when I am not, if that is the case there may be others that do the same and appear to be online all the time.
I am glad that you will continue to post and ask questions.
Many times you will get several different answers and you will have to sort through which one fits your situation the best or is along the same lines as your thinking.
I learn alot by reading everyone else's questions and seeing so many different options/solutions offered for the same problem by all the members here.
You will gain alot of insight from the diverse group of people here, its really amazing.

Iddee, I think there may be a difference between being pc and rude, sometimes what you think is just better left unsaid, it never hurts to be nice.
As for communicating fully, I have never seen any miscommunication on this forum from people being polite, respectful or kind in their responses.
I am sure you have alot of advice to offer but its overshadowed by the way you are responding to people and you will discourage people from seeking advice here on this forum as someone else said, there are people who lurk here and learn from these questions and most likely form opinions of us as a group.
Being an experienced beekeeper maybe you just forget how it is to be an anxious new beekeeper who worries about getting everything done right.