What Temperature Do You Heat Your Honey To?

[Anonymous]

OK, first of all, I don't heat my honey.  But a friend of mine has been taking a little impromptu poll with beekeepers he's talked to.  So I thought I'd gather some info for him here.

The question is, for those of you who heat your honey to keep it from crystalizing, What temperature do you heat it to?  Too hot will obviously damage the honey, not hot enough won't do what's it's supposed to.

So, chime in!  Thanks!!

 :D

[Dale]

No more than 105 degrees F.

[Anonymous]

Oh, come now.  Surely more than one person heats their honey?   :lol:

[Joseph Clemens]

No more heat than letting it set outside on the porch on a warm summer's day prior to processing. Most of it granulates soon afterward, but it still tastes just fine.

[Michael Bush]

I don't heat my honey unless it's crystalized and I need it liquid.  :)

[Jay]

I only heat my honey while it's still in the cell, just before extracting, as the uncapping knife is passing over it. And only the honey in the top of the cell (the part that touches the knife). And it's very difficult to know to what temp it's been heated! :lol:

[Anonymous]

:lol:   Ok, Ok, you guys are cracking me up, now stop it.   :roll:

Seriously, if you were processing your honey for sale to, let's say a grocer or someone else where you didn't want to worry about crystallization, you'd need to "pasteurize" your honey.  All the really big commercial guys do.  Sure, it's going to affect taste.  I won't argue that fact.  But it's done.  You can tell when you order breakfast in Bob Evan's or Shoney's or whereever and you taste that "stuff" that's on the table.

Makes you wish you had a little honey bear stashed in your pocket, doesn't it?   :)

So, what would be the best temp?

[Jay]

This information from BeeSource.com. For the full article go to http://www.beesource.com/pov/usda/beekpUSA82.htm


Honey that has been fermented can sometimes be reclaimed by heating it to 150ºF for a short time. This stops the fermentation and expels some of the off-flavor. Fermentation in honey may be avoided by heating to kill yeasts. Minimal treatments to pasteurize honey are as follows:



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
         Temperature (ºF):.....................Heating time (minutes)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

128 ........................................................470
 

130.........................................................170
 

135..........................................................60


140..........................................................42


145..........................................................7.5
                                                             

150..........................................................2.8


155..........................................................1.0
 

160.......................................................    .4
 


The following summarize the important aspects of fermentation:

1. All honey should be considered to contain yeasts.

2. Honey is more liable to fermentation after granulation.

3. Honey of over 17 percent water may ferment and over 19 percent water will ferment.

4. Storage below 50ºF will prevent fermentation during such storage, but not later.

5. Heating honey to 150ºF for 30 minutes will destroy honey yeasts and thus prevent fermentation.

Quality loss by heating and storing - The other principal types of honey spoilage, damage by over-heating and by improper storing, are related to each other. In general, changes that take place quickly during heating also occur over a longer period during storage with the rate depending on the temperature. These include darkening, loss of fresh flavor, and formation of off-flavor (caramelization).

[leominsterbeeman]

I heat to 95 degrees, only after granulation or to make it pour quicker into jars.

[Anonymous]

Very interesting link, Jay.

Some excerts:

"Damage to color and flavor can result from excessive or improperly applied heat. Heat should be applied indirectly by hot water or air.  For small containers, temperatures of 140ºF for 30 minutes usually will suffice."

And maybe more importantly:

"People who store honey are in a dilemma. They must select conditions that will minimize fermentation, undesirable granulation, and heat damage. Fermentation is strongly retarded below 50ºF and above 100º. Granulation is accelerated between 55º and 60º and initiated by fluctuation at 50º to 55º. The best condition for storing unpasteurized honey seems to be below 50º"

I need to re-read this one a few times.

Thanks!