Garbage in is garbage out.
If you wouldn't eat it,I wouldn't drink it.

 

Thanks Jack 🙂

 

After fermentation, a boiling point separation device will be able to rectify any contamination, if the chemistry I learned is STILL in effect.

Psycho Roland

 

I have some otherwise very good honey with a very slight fermented smell. It is granulated. Do you think it could make good mead? Or would it need to be boiled, which I never have done when making mead?

 

After freezing for a few days give the affected frames to a strong colony and they will clean it up.

 

For a few years now, I've been trying to get a straight answer about the yeast that the small hive larvae produce and it's effects on over wintering in cold climates. My plan is to select my worst two hives and see if there's any noticeable changes, like diarrhea. These hives haven't made enough honey to get them through winter and should make good test subjects.

 

Or sell it to a bear hunter, after you label it "Plant Derived".

Psycho Roland

 

Or I label it "probiotic enhanced" gourmet honey. Kinda like them coffee beans that are run through civit cats....

 

Others have answered, but I will repeat.

NO, it is not good to eat, nor make meade from

Use it to feed to other hives.

 

Do you realize that mead makers boil the honey to kill all the yeast and then add in the yeast that they want? I didn't until today when I asked him.

 

Do you realize that mead makers boil the honey to kill all the yeast and then add in the yeast that they want?

Some/Most mead makers? I don't boil my honey or water for batches..

 

Which is a good way to spread disease, like AFB. AFB can erupt when the bees are stressed at spore levels that did not previously show symptoms.

The more hives you have, the greater the risk.

Psycho Roland

 

Which is a good way to spread disease, like AFB. AFB can erupt when the bees are stressed at spore levels that did not previously show symptoms.

Fear of AFB is a thing from the 1960's. Back then, the threat was real.

It is simply not a concern today. I not only feed honey from one hive to another, I do cutouts (professionally) and feed the FERAL honey back to my bees.

 

I will defer to a mead maker on that question. I do not know.

As to AFB, I think the 60's where safer. Terramycin was available at Dadant without a prescription, and honey was not tested, so prophylactic use was possible. Besides, unlike today, most beekeepers where long term, had seen AFB, would recognize the symptoms, and would take corrective action. How many people on this forum have seen AFB?

Psycho Roland

 

I would not use that honey for mead. I don't boil my mead either and don't know anyone who does. Perhaps commercial mead makers do.
J

 

Although I only made mead over a period of 4 or 5 years,I never boiled the initial must nor did I use any sulfites.
Good honey,a strong yeast starter with a yeast strain recommended for mead,sufficient yeast nutrients add at the proper time and proper temps can give you an excellent product.

The trick is to get the good yeasties to reproduce rapidly and totally out compete the bad.

Over 10 yrs later,I still get people asking if I brought any mead with me.

For those really interested,I recommend:

The Compleat Meadmaker: Home Production of Honey Wine From Your First Batch to Award-winning Fruit and Herb Variations Google Search

And anything written by Shea Comfort.

https://www.yeastwhisperer.com/_files/ugd/b6fb53_6d1f15918d69426583eeba3f71719e10.pdf

 

Any bubbling frames from small hive infestation should be cleaned out by you not the bees. Never feed fermented honey to your bees.

When I make mead I heat the honey and water. Yeast dies in 10-15 minutes at 130F and within 2 minutes at 140F. This is far from boiling. To get honey and water to mix well, not to mention any spice added, prior to pouring into the carboy you are warming the entire contents anyway. Why stop at 120F when 130F kills yeast? Eliminate any possible poor yeast contamination in favor of pure champagne yeast when your mixture cools to 110F. Some activate yeast with small amount of sugar water, I just pitch it into the carboy when the mixture is the right temp and cooling.

 

Finally! A good answer. Thanks!

 

Making Mead: Heat or No Heat?

Avoiding the use of heat when preparing mead must can help retain honey character that may be lost when heating is implemented. Learn why...

homebrewersassociation.org

 

water content is a factor as well:

at what water content is honey anitmicrobial

 

but how much of the floral content of the honey do you lose after 2 minutes at 130?

 

To the best of my knowledge, which may be wrong, the "slime" from the small hive beetle contains their excrement.

Not always right, Roland