[Matt903]

A friend of mine was cleaning out his deceased fathers house. Apparently the father was one of these prepper guys. In a basement storage room, he found 250 five pound bags of sugar. Some of the sugar is ten and fifteen years old. He said I could have it if I hauled it off. Do you all think it would be ok to feed to bees being that old? It is dry and was kept sealed. Does sugar go bad?

 

[Paulemar]

The sugar will be fine, but each bag may be in a solid lump after so many years and a bit more difficult to handle and dissolve. Sugar is used as a preservative. Think about a piece of hard candy (almost all sugar) that someone dropped into a couch crack, found 5 years later. If you remove the lint, dust, and dog hair and rinse it off, it's good to go. Just ask any 5 year old. Although they may skip the removing and rinsing part. :lpf:

 

[WWW]

If it was stored properly I would Consider the gift a windfall and not hesitate to use the sugar.

 

[Mbeck]

Bring 3/4 of it down here, we can test it out on my bees first.

 

[Matt903]

The sugar will be fine, but each bag may be in a solid lump after so many years and a bit more difficult to handle and dissolve. Sugar is used as a preservative. Think about a piece of hard candy (almost all sugar) that someone dropped into a couch crack, found 5 years later. If you remove the lint, dust, and dog hair and rinse it off, it's good to go. Just ask any 5 year old.

Hey I never thought about that. Thanks. Good advice.

 

[sqkcrk]

Do you all think it would be ok to feed to bees being that old?

Sure.

 

[homesteader824]

I think it should be okay, if it looks alright. I haven't used any that old, but I like to stock up when sugar is on sale, and have used 3 year old sugar that looked good as new. It probably will be a solid block. An ice pick works well in breaking up the sugar into manageable lumps.

 

[Vance G]

Perfect size to drop in hot water to make syrup. Those crystals like honey are supersaturated sugar and will not support spoilage organisms unless or until it is diluted with water. Keeps forever in a dry place.

 

[mrobinson]

[HR][/HR]Look around carefully in out-of-the-way places in the basement – did he leave some moonshine, too? :shhhh:

(Of course, I have my tongue firmly in my cheek, and no disrespect is intended to your friend's father's memory ...! I simply want to make that point perfectly clear.)