Worried about fermentation

[gregior]

How do. I had a strong very late balsam flow this year unfortunately the bees haven't managed to dry it down very well, I have around 100lbs of honey that's coming out in the 18 -->19% h2o range. I have been doing a bit of googling on honey fermentation and it all seems a bit vague with no hard and fast rules. It seems honey's with high yeast spore counts ferment more readily than other honey's. The stuff I have is almost exclusively balsam but I can't find any data on yeast spore content in Balsam. What would you guys do with this honey? If it's going to ferment,how long would it take to happen? Cheers

 

[ericbeaumont]

Below 19 should be OK, between 19 and 20 is v likely to ferment after months. Law says at 20, but what does law know that only knows law?

Could mix it with a 15 or 16; could take the lid off and put it in a room with a dehumidifier, or even a warming cabinet will bring it down a degree or so.

It's the thin top layer that will be 19; heavier honey is lower down. Try stirring well and taking another reading.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

sell it as quickly as possible - Balsam honey seems to ferment at the drop of a hat

 

[gregior]

Below 19 should be OK, between 19 and 20 is v likely to ferment after months. Law says at 20, but what does law know that only knows law?

Could mix it with a 15 or 16; could take the lid off and put it in a room with a dehumidifier, or even a warming cabinet will bring it down a degree or so.

It's the thin top layer that will be 19; heavier honey is lower down. Try stirring well and taking another reading.

The bucket i tested was 19.5 at the top and 18.0 at the bottom, I stirred it and it came out at 18.7. The rest of it (8 supers) is still in the frames so i've got it in a heated room with a fan blowing on it but it doesn't seem to be doing much good.

 

[Erichalfbee]

The bucket i tested was 19.5 at the top and 18.0 at the bottom, I stirred it and it came out at 18.7. The rest of it (8 supers) is still in the frames so i've got it in a heated room with a fan blowing on it but it doesn't seem to be doing much good.

Add a dehumidifier.

 

[gregior]

Add a dehumidifier.

yeah i know i need one just trying(and failing) to control the amount of beekeeping paraphernalia I have.

 

[John stockburn]

yeah i know i need one just trying(and failing) to control the amount of beekeeping paraphernalia I have.

I will buy it if it is cheap enough

 

[gregior]

I will buy it if it is cheap enough

just looking at dehumidifiers now,will message you if i have some available.

 

[enrico]

Let it settle again, jar up and check the water content after every five jars. Sell the good ones and use the bad ones for yourself, if it starts to ferment cook a load of honey cakes and biscuits

 

[protheroe]

I had a few supers of balsam at 20% capped.Started uncapping first frame and instantly knew as it squirted out of the frame so i put them back on hives.
If you have a few buckets with low water content then mix some into each bucket.

 

[gregior]

I had a few supers of balsam at 20% capped.Started uncapping first frame and instantly knew as it squirted out of the frame so i put them back on hives.
If you have a few buckets with low water content then mix some into each bucket.

Unfortunately I don't have any low water honey, I got a dehumidifier today so im very slowly re-filtering the extracted honey near the dry air outlet see if that works.

 

[Darryl]

just looking at dehumidifiers now,will message you if i have some available.

I've used my seed/ plant propagator (Vitapod) with vent open slightly to remove water. Dropped a batch from 21-22 to 18 in around 3 days. Uses the same power as a lightbulb apparently.

 

[gregior]

I've used my seed/ plant propagator (Vitapod) with vent open slightly to remove water. Dropped a batch from 21-22 to 18 in around 3 days. Uses the same power as a lightbulb apparently.

Have sent you a DM.

 

[hairywill]

If I know before extraction that the water percentage is probably too high and not all cells are sealed, then I use a dehumidifier before extracting. I stack the supers in a small sealed room with them offset so that they all get exposed to the air. Much more surface area of the (nearly) honey is exposed. Then I run a dehumidifier and a fan. I've done this for a whole week before extracting but then you can get some wax moth, 3 or 4 days is probably a safe compromise.