Can you assume that if a frame is mostly capped that the moisture content is appropriate bottling and selling? Or should one refract to confirm content. What is best range suitable for selling?
US Grade A honey can have up to 18.6% moisture.
US Grade B honey can have up to 18.6% moisture.
US Grade C honey can have up to 20.0% moisture.
US Grade Substandard can exceed 20.0% moisture
Of course, there are other factors besides moisture that affect honey grades. See the link.
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Regarding the comment by snl below about a bad link, the one above works for me. The link style is a little unusual as it is a PDF, but the link name does not include .PDF at the end of the filename. I don't see that too often. However, it is a PDF file, and you need to either have a browser with built in PDF functionality, or download Adobe's free Reader: http://get.adobe.com/reader/
If the above doesn't help your situation, try this alternate link instead: http://www.honey.com/images/uploads/general/exhoney.pdf
Note the honey.com version is the same document and also a PDF, but stored on a different server with a different file name, and includes the .PDF at the end, so maybe that will work for you.
Something to consider is that a frame of "mostly" capped honey also included incapped honey of unknown ripeness. If there's really fresh nectar in there, it can bring up the humidity levels quickly.
>Can you assume that if a frame is mostly capped that the moisture content is appropriate bottling and selling
In my location I've never had a issue if it was capped, but in some climates (high humidity climates) it is not that reliable. I've never owned a refractometer, but if I lived in a place with high humidity I probably would.
The cheap honey refractometers work nicely and are very easy to use; just don't play around with the calibration adjustment on top, just tighten down the lock nut.
My mentor only extracts fully capped frames. For a couple of years he had 'thin' honey. It would ferment a little after a few weeks. He finally got a refractometer and found out it was high in moisture.
I have a refractometer but do not useit that often.
I extract partially capped frames if I cannot shake nectar out of them. I have not had a problem with high moisture honey.
The main difference between myself and my mentor was his hives were in deep shade almost all of the day. The trees were not as big when he put the hives there. My hives get full sun almost all day.
If your honey is high in moisture content, what is the process for reducing it?
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