reconstituting honey

[beehappy1950]

I have a bucket of honey I want to bring back to liquid. At what temp is best? I have found a use for a small deep freeze.

[The15thMember]

Just to clarify, this honey is frozen, not crystallized, correct?  I don't know that it matters much, but probably the warmer the better.  When I take honey out of the freezer, I just set it out on the counter, and once it's up to temp it's back to normal. 

[beehappy1950]

No this honey is crystalized, dont flow to good that way.

[Ben Framed]

Hi beehappy1950,
Warm the  honey from about 105 to 115 degrees for ever long it takes to re-liquify. You do not want it to hot as to much heat will break down the enzymes.

Phillip

[Lesgold]

I agree with Phillip. I heat my honey to a maximum of 40 degrees Celsius. Don?t let the honey get too hot. You may also find that stirring the honey everyday will help speed up the process.

[The15thMember]

No this honey is crystalized, dont flow to good that way.

Well in that case, I agree with Phillip and Les, heat it up low and slow so as to not compromise the honey in any way. 

[Ben Framed]

Just an option

Topic: "Honey problem!"
KathyP Reply #6 on: December 14, 2013, 08:51:27 pm


"i stick my buckets in a deep sink with hot water.  when the honey is soft enough, i put it in bottles.  either scooped in or pored depending on how much of a rush i'm in.  there's no harm in crystallized honey.  most of the world uses it that way.  the finer the crystals, the better.  i don't like mine to chunky, but i don't bother trying to keep it from getting solid."

[Ben Framed]

Another option since you have a old freezer...


Topic:"Honey problem!"
Bud1 Reply #2 on: December 14, 2013, 06:50:51 pm

old fridge or deepfrezer ,100wat light bulb, thermostat and a small fan and you in buisness

[Lesgold]

That?s exactly what I do. 2 x 40 watt globes, an STC 1000 controller and a 12 volt computer fan fitted to an old fridge. A cheap, easy solution.

[NigelP]

You guys/gals" don't seem to have OSR honey to remelt 
Minimum temp this will remelt is 50C at least if you want to melt it overnight.
My melting tank has a powerful fan which makes melting honey much faster than using box with light bulbs (been there got the T shirt).
My standard is 55c for 22 hours. It means the honey is held at 55 for only a few hours  as it takes a while to warm uo to this temp. Nothing much is destroyed as well below enzyme denaturing temperatures and HMF build up is negligible over that time. I think you need to hold honey 60C for 3-5 days before levels of this "ageing/heating marker makes it illegal to sell (UK at least).
Our summer blossom honeys are fine at 50C overnight for melting, but the fan is critical as it circulates the air.

[Ben Framed]

My melting tank has a powerful fan which makes melting honey much faster than using box with light bulbs (been there got the T shirt).

Haa haa, Thanks Nigel, I do not know how fast beehappy1950 wants it melted and I doubt he has a melting tank, he does have a freezer at his convenience. I found the information above, which was posted here several years ago mentioning the freezer, fan, and thermostat for this process, which should fit right in with beehappys need. As far as accuracy in temperature control,  I would recommend an inkbird PID controller for pin point accuracy. I used the inkbird when building my Oxalic Acid Vaporizer.

Personally I have not attempted liquefying five gallons at one time. The freezer method would be my method of choice if I had the need to do so. (As I do not have a melting tank either).
An extra: I have seen a video where a fellow liquefied a 55 gallon drum, (a completely different approach, however).. Thanks for your input Nigel..

Phillip

[Jim134]

Hi beehappy1950,
Warm the  honey from about 105 to 115 degrees for ever long it takes to re-liquify. You do not want it to hot as to much heat will break down the enzymes.

Phillip

        Honeyestart breaking down around a 105 F.... I still don't know why. Americans are conditioned... Not to use crystallized honey....

     
                   BEE HAPPY  Jim134   

[The15thMember]

        Honeyestart breaking down around a 105 F.... I still don't know why. Americans are conditioned... Not to use crystallized honey....

I agree.  There absolutely no reason not to just use crystallized honey as is, unless of course you are selling it and your consumers won't be happy about it.   

[Ben Framed]

Hi beehappy1950,
Warm the  honey from about 105 to 115 degrees for ever long it takes to re-liquify. You do not want it to hot as to much heat will break down the enzymes.

Phillip

        Honeyestart breaking down around a 105 F.... I still don't know why. Americans are conditioned... Not to use crystallized honey....

     
                   BEE HAPPY  Jim134   

Thanks Jim, Different folks from different parts of the world do things different ways, usually from tradition or for convenience....  I do not know that conditioned is the right word in this case. Perhaps convenience would be a better choice? For example, It would not be convenient for commercial Honey Companies to bottle or jar honey which has been stored in convenient to handle 55 gallon drums, once it becomes crystalized honey in wait. That goes for hobbyist such as the original poster beehappy1950 which stored his in 5 gallon buckets.
Just for fun, It would not be convenient to squeeze crystalized honey from a convenient to use Honey Squeeze Bear either, once it crystalized.  lol

As far as temperature the method used when discussed by Bud1 was for the use in smaller containers of honey to be bottled; 5-gallon containers in this situtation. Temperature can be used to semi-liquify as pointed out above by Kathys' copied post. The thermostat can be set at any temperature which will do the job for the desired state in which one wants there honey. 103 if you will.  That temperature should be a happy meeting place... (If it will melt or liquify at that temperature?)
 

Thanks,

Phillip

[Lesgold]

It?s an interesting discussion as there are a lot of options in relation to re liquifying honey. Do you use a relatively high temp over a short period of time or do you use a low temperature over an extended periods. I have found that  honeys react to heat  indifferent ways (probably due to their makeup) and times will vary for the process to complete. From what I can see, different countries and areas have slightly different requirements for labelling etc. For example, if I want to sell my product as raw honey, it can not be heated above 40C. (104F).

[Ben Framed]

Lesgold
From what I can see, different countries and areas have slightly different requirements for labelling etc. For example, if I want to sell my product as raw honey, it can not be heated above 40C. (104F).

That being the case then, 103F or 39.44C should be a good way to go? Won't this insure a slow heating time, which will also insure the honey will not be in any danger of reaching a temperature at any point or time that may damage it in any way, as pointed out by Jim134?

Also in the case that someone was to use the Les/Bud1 method with a freezer, a recouped microwave fan might be considered in distributing air. It should be great in a freezer type situation if a person does not have the recommended computer fan. Also the defroster fan in a fridge might be adequate if hooked up to run continuously? 

Phillip

[beehappy1950]

Yes. I have decrystalized a lot of honey in the last ten years but never new the temp to keep it at. Just warm was good. But this year we got about 750 lbs and I stored it in 5 gallon buckets.  I use a small deep freeze with an ebay something or other1000 thermostat with a bunn coffee maker heater for an element. Works.


Thanks Harold

[Ben Framed]

Ben Framed
I would recommend an inkbird PID controller for pinpoint accuracy. I used the inkbird when building my Oxalic Acid Vaporizer.

beehappy1950
I use a small deep freeze with an ebay something or other1000 thermostat with a bunn coffee maker heater for an element. Works.

Yes, I am thinking the other1000 is a Rex1000. This is basically the same scenario, working on the same principle as the Inkbird PID. Actually I am thinking some OAV producers use the Rex. This should give you pinpoint accuracy in temperature control of your setup.