# Shelf life of honey



## BradC (Apr 4, 2015)

Hello all,
I have been extracting my honey since end of may. I have about 80 pounds of honey bottled in plastic and glass jars. I am going to be selling some but just wanted to know how long I can keep the honey before it may go bad. All of the bottles and jars have seal gaskets on them and the jars are tightly sealed. I know my grandfather always seemed to have raw honey in his pantry when I was growing up. I just don't want to waste all the bee's hard work, if I cant sell it or use it.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

In general, honey does not go 'bad'.

Honey certainly can crystallize, but crystallized honey is still fine to eat, and crystallization may be reversed by gentle heating.


It is _possible _for honey with excess moisture to ferment. The exact point at which fermentation may occur varies, but honey with moisture level of 18.6% or less is unlikely to ferment.


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## drlonzo (Apr 15, 2014)

There's record of honey dated back to 3000 years ago. Still good too. Found in clay pots sealed with wax. Generally as Rader S has said it don't really go bad, that is unless you leave it open to high humidity for long periods of time. It will soak up the excess humidity and cause it to ferment over a period of time.


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## stan.vick (Dec 19, 2010)

Different honeys will crystalize differently. I still have about fifty pints of my early honey (mostly tree honey) that were bottled three years ago and none have crystalized, but my late honey (mostly from flowers) will crystalize in six months.


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## Agis Apiaries (Jul 22, 2014)

Put a label on it "Best if used by May 1, 5016!"


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## LeifLiberty (Sep 23, 2014)

Or so they do not think there is a misprint "For best flavor use before the end of time".


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## max2 (Dec 24, 2009)

drlonzo said:


> There's record of honey dated back to 3000 years ago. Still good too. Found in clay pots sealed with wax. Generally as Rader S has said it don't really go bad, that is unless you leave it open to high humidity for long periods of time. It will soak up the excess humidity and cause it to ferment over a period of time.


I understand that honey can be still good after 3000 year but we guarantee our's only for 1000 years- just to be on the safe side


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

While it is true that honey (if low enough in moisture) "keeps" indefinitely, it is always best when fresh. It darkens and becomes stronger tasting with age and ideally should be kept out of the heat to best maintain its delicate flavor. I always rotate honey and as a general rule of thumb try to never store anything for over 2 years.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

About 10 years ago I found 12 quart mason jars filler by my uncle in 1934. I sold 11 of them individually at auction, Got amazing money for them. Those who got them have told me they were Great. I still have one left. one day I will open it!


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