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When was the first time you saw fully capped honey over 19.5%

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Author Topic: Capped honey over 19%  (Read 3243 times)

Offline BeeMaster2

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Capped honey over 19%
« on: August 18, 2013, 06:49:29 am »
Is fully capped honey being over 19.5 a new problem, happens all the time, or did it just start in the near past?
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Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Capped honey over 19%
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2013, 05:04:32 pm »
the nectar of some plants seem to have a higher moisture content than others when condensed to make honey.  As a general rule the percentage of these plants contribution to the overall honey crop is not enough to be a problem with the combined nectars from all sources yielding a honey with a water content of 18-18.5%.  However, during times of unusual weather such as drought when some plants may not produce any or little nectar or in the case of excessive rain some plants may produce an abundance of deluded nectar.  During such times the honey that results with honey with a water content as low as 16% in the case of drought, or as high as 20% in the case of excessive rain.
An example of this phenomenon may be that honey harvested within two weeks of an extended rainy period might yield a cured honey with a higher than usual water content.  Whereas, the honey harvested after a period without rain might result in a cured honey with a lower than normal water content.
It is a condition quite common here in the Pacific Northwest due to our varying  weather patterns.  I would imagine that humidity levels present in the atmosphere would have some affect on the  water content of cured honey maybe making it impossible for the bees to render a lower water content in the case of continued excessive humidity.
Plants that have a natural high water content nectar, such as ragweed, will usually crystalize or ferment rapidly and should therefore be used for the making of mead or whipped (creamed) honey.  
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Offline millipede

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Re: Capped honey over 19%
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2013, 07:55:14 pm »
I don't understand, I know that the sugar content of the flowers around here (mid south) varies through out the day and from day to day sometimes drastically regardless of rain though atmospheric moisture may have something to do with it.
Also I was told that the predisposition of honey crystalizing had to do with the number of solids in the honey and the fructose/glucose ratio.
Would not a drier honey be more apt to forming crystals as the supersaturaion point is higher?

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Capped honey over 19%
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2013, 11:08:53 pm »
I don't understand, I know that the sugar content of the flowers around here (mid south) varies through out the day and from day to day sometimes drastically regardless of rain though atmospheric moisture may have something to do with it.

Nectar can run anywhere between 70-90% water verses sugar content. Weather as well as time of day can change that ratio in an individual plant, humidity, an atmospheric condition, is how much moisture is in the air, which in turn can result in only so much water content being evaporated from the honey.  Honey if left in an open jar will collect moisture, thinning it; in high humidity the honey reaches a point at which it absorbs the moisture as fast as it can be evaporated by the bees.

Quote
Also I was told that the predisposition of honey crystalizing had to do with the number of solids in the honey and the fructose/glucose ratio.
Would not a drier honey be more apt to forming crystals as the supersaturaion point is higher?

Thinner honeys are usually found to have a greater foreign solid content because the foreign matter retains water, which is what hastens the crystallization process.  The more foreign bodies within a given quantity of honey the faster it will sugar (Crystalize).  The thinner honey is the faster it will ferment for the same reasons that it will crystalize faster.  Ragweed honey will usually crystalize before it ferments while knotweed will ferment before it crystalizes.
Therefore, thin honeys are be best used in making creamed honey or mead. 
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Offline Jim134

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Re: Capped honey over 19%
« Reply #4 on: September 02, 2013, 05:05:44 am »
Is fully capped honey being over 19.5 a new problem, happens all the time, or did it just start in the near past?

sawdstmakr ............

   Just remember there are very few first left in beekeeping. Most all the new items that I hear people talking about are at least 50 to 100 years old IMHO we all need to do our homework LOL LOL
 :brian: Brian D. Bray thank you for your input :brian:

                    
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