[jlloydparks]

My Packages came in today and I am preparing my first bit of sugar syrup.

I boiled the water then let it cool for about 4 mins off the stove then combined the water with the sugar (slowly a cup at a time). The water has a slightly yellow hint to it now.

I was wondering did I carmelize my sugar syrup. Is it still ok to feed to the bees tomorrow when I hive them?

Josh

 

[BeeBear]

If you left the heat off for four minutes before adding the sugar, I doubt you carmelized anything. Since it's spring, I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Jim Fischer]

It is highly unlikely that even a tiny fraction
of the sugar became caramelized.

But there really is no need to waste energy
and time heating water at all when making sugar
syrup. Aggressive mixing (such as a paint mixer
in a battery-powered screwdriver/drill or electric
drill) will dissolve the sugar in room temperature
water. Just keep mixing until the solution
suddenly turns clear.

Boiling water is no more than 212° F, so it is
well below even "soft ball" stage for sugar
(235° –240° F).

Carmelization does not start (for candy-making
purposes) until 320° F.

If the bees can fly, a small amount of carmelization
really won't hurt, as the bees are free to fly
and void their wastes (undigestable stuff).
Only in overwintering is carmelization a worry.

 

[Curry]

Always feed them (package) 1 to 1 - and that is easily done by just getting the water from the faucet completely hot, putting in 1/2 gallon of hot water (in a gallon pitcher), and then fill the rest with sugar. After mixing for a bit, all the sugar will dissolve.

 

[NCMarc]

Today, I was given a tip to warm the water to 150 degrees then add sugar. It works well.

 

[Michael Bush]

I also just use hot tap water for 1:1. I boil the water to make 2:1 and add the sugar while the heat is still on, stir until it dissolves and then turn off the heat.

Slightly yellow is the normal color for sugar syrup.

 

[TwT]

I've been feeding 1-1= 1 pound of sugar to 1 pint of water (8 pounds to a gallon), a guy told me today that 6 pounds to a gallon was 1-1 ? what mixer is right? Just wanted to know if ya'll thought i was feeding a little thick. I bring the water to boil then take off the eyelet and then pour sugar in and stir until disolved then let cool until i put it in gallon jugs.

 

[beedeetee]

I don't weigh anything. I just fill whatever size of container I want with sugar, empty into mixing container. The fill the same container with water and put in with sugar and stir. I have never had even one bee complain.

To speed up the mixing, you can slightly warm the water. 115-120 degrees makes it (1:1) dissolve easily.

 

[Michael Bush]

Eight pounds of sugar to one gallon of water would be 1:1.

Or a gallon of sugar to a gallon of water.

 

[Sundance]

I am getting 55 gallons of HFCS this spring when my bees arrive. I heard or read somewhere to dilute it with 10% water before feeding. Is this correct??

Thanks Kids

 

[Jim Fischer]

> I am getting 55 gallons of HFCS this spring when
> my bees arrive. I heard or read somewhere to
> dilute it with 10% water before feeding.
> Is this correct??

Yes, but be sure that you are getting the correct
type of HFCS for bees (HFCS 55, food grade, not
"off spec" in any way...)

See
http://www.bee-quick.com/reprints/sugar.pdf
page 8 for more, including a very useful contact
(Bill Bernacchi of B&B Honey Farm, near La Crosse,
WI) for all your HFCS needs and technical questions.

 

[BULLSEYE BILL]

>I don't weigh anything. I just fill whatever size of container I want with sugar, empty into mixing container. The fill the same container with water and put in with sugar and stir. I have never had even one bee complain.

I do it just like BDT, it may be a little thinner than by weight but I haven't had any complaints either, and it goes quick.

 

[Jim Fischer]

The easy way to figure formulas for various
ratios of sugar to water is the old saying:

"A pint is a pound, the world around."

So, for 1:1 mixes, each pint of water would
require a pound of sugar.

 

[Curry]

"Eight pounds of sugar to one gallon of water would be 1:1."


When we talk about 1:1, are we talking about 1:1 in weight, or volume? They're different- if we're talking volume it works out to 5 pounds of sugar to 1/2 gallon of water (or 10 pounds to 1 gallon of water). And, of course, one gallon of water weighs 8 pounds, so if we were talking weight, you would have to put in 8 pounds of sugar to equal 1:1.

I had always assumed it was 1:1 in volume... but you know what assume makes...

 

[Dick Allen]

1:1 weight or volume? Some claim it's weight, others claim it's volume. Sometimes even that topic gets people to ranting at each other. Yes, there is a slight difference, but a cup full or two of water or sugar one way or another isn't going to concern the bees a whole lot. Which way is easier for you to mix it?

 

[Tia]

Jim's formula is the one I use: 1 pint water/1 lb sugar.

 

[dcross]

5# of sugar in a 1 gallon container, fill with hot tap water, shake and feed.

 

[Mabe]

An old geezer beekeeper (sorry Dad) told me to dump a 10# bag of suger into the stockpot, add 5 quarts water, stir, bring water to whatever temp medium is on my gas stove, and it will turn clear while you are watching the news. The bees are chugging the stuff.

 

[BeeBear]

I'm always afraid that I will mess up and apply too much heat and caramalize the sugar, so I always heat the water first then turn off the heat before adding the sugar. Yeah, if you're careful, have a good pot, and know your stove, your method is fine . . . but why take the chance?

Actually, dross's method of dumping five pounds of sugar into a one-gallon jug, adding hot tap water and shaking vigorously seems the most simple to me since I'm going to want the syrup in one-gallon containers anyway. Other methods require pouring the liquid into the jugs, and I'm a klutz.

 

[Michael Bush]

>When we talk about 1:1, are we talking about 1:1 in weight, or volume? They're different-

For some things it's quite different. For sugar and water it's not THAT different.

>if we're talking volume it works out to 5 pounds of sugar to 1/2 gallon of water (or 10 pounds to 1 gallon of water). And, of course, one gallon of water weighs 8 pounds, so if we were talking weight, you would have to put in 8 pounds of sugar to equal 1:1.

Water is basically constant. It's close enough to 8 pounds for a gallon under any conditions. But a gallon of sugar, being hydrophillic, can vary in weight a little depending on the humidity at the time. All in all it works out close enough for bees to do it either way. Either 10 pounds of sugar to a gallon or 8 pounds of sugar to a gallon is still close enough for bees, but I don't think sugar normally comes out that high in weight here. But like I said it can depend some on the humidity.