[paddab]

Hi, we just spun 9 Med frames of capped honey last week, we had it in a clean covered bucket in our kitchen , we went to check moisture with the refractometer and it’s reading 17.0 % but it looks Cloudy, semi liquid and it almost looks like it’s creamed , any ideas what happened or what I should have done differently? We have never had this happen in the 7 years we have been doing this, not sure what’s up
Thanks
Paul

 

[Akademee]

Well if its holding its shape then it is most likely beginning to crystallize. Are you worried that it is fermenting? If anything is actively happening to the point where you can see it, it should smell yeasty if anything is off about it. 17% its getting down there, usually we shoot for something like 18.5%. Some honeys also crystallize worse than others (nectar source), so that's a factor too.

 

[JWPalmer]

Looks good and ready to spread. Jar it up, mark it as creamed honey and charge a premium price for it. (Or save it for yourself.)

 

[crofter]

Are you near a large source of canola? No personal experience, but quite a few references to it starting to thicken up even before it is 100% capped. Some old pasture with a lot of wild mustard suspect too.

 

[sjj]

... we went to check moisture with the refractometer ... what I should have done differently? ... not sure what’s up

Honey should be liquefied before the measurement with the refractometer. In a small and tight closed container.

 

[paddab]

It does not seem to be fermenting , is there something that I can do to get it back to liquid and keep it that way ? (Slowly heat it up then cool )

 

[paddab]

We are not near any canola fields ,we are in the middle of an old apple orchard ,

 

[clyderoad]

Mustard nectar, and all brassica cover crops crystallize quickly. Any volunteer mustard of planted cover crop growing there in the early spring?
If not what is responsible for your spring flow?

 

[DanielD]

If you have it around, Russian olive in May crystallizes in a week or two as well. Re liquify it and it will be solid in 2 weeks. It doesn't always have a flow, but when it does it can be big for 7 - 10 days.

 

[Hops Brewster]

It does not seem to be fermenting , is there something that I can do to get it back to liquid and keep it that way ? (Slowly heat it up then cool )

Nothing wrong with that honey. Crystallization is normal, depending upon the nectar sources, until you micro-filter all the pollen and dust out then cook it until it ain't honey any more. Just heat it slowly, max 110F, let it cool. It will be nice looking honey, until it crystallizes again.

 

[My-smokepole]

Their could be all types of thing making it cloudy. From air to Micro amounts of wax. A little bite of heat should take care of it. About 105 temp. Or after jar set it up on some warm concrete in the sun.

 

[trishbookworm]

i had same problem - 16-17% moisture, cloudy from the extractor. heat or time is working to clarify.