# Storing Honey in 5 Gallon Buckets



## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

Nothing. It will crystallize eventually. You need to invest in a warmer. Whether it be a homemade chest freezer converted with a thermostat and light bulbs or something more substantial. Even if it didn't crystallize by Dec it will be a bugger to bottle being room temp. After bottling I keep my containers in the warmer to ensure it's ready for a long shelf life before crystallization. Personally, I put my crystallized 3-5 gallon buckets in my warmer to allow them to at least be pourable. I then pour them into a Maxant bottling tank. I started out with a 5 gallon bucket with a gate valve in the converted chest freezer. My volume got such I needed the 16 gallon bottler but whatever you do you've got to understand crystallization is a challenge and prepare for it.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

I can comment on the cling wrap. I did some experiments using CO2 to fumigate frames. My original plastic bins were un-gasketed and were designed to breathe, so I tried wrapping several layers of stretch cling wrap around the lids to make them hold the gas better. I had a CO2 sensor in the bins. The results were ... disappointing. The gas dissipated out of the container overnight, down to insignificant levels. 

My guess is that it will have almost no effect on sealing your buckets. It may be slightly better than it was on the rectangular bins because it has convex surfaces to seal against.

A bin with 6 clamps and a good gasket did finally work after I treated the gasket to seal the open cell foam.

The food grade buckets I'm using (carried by Lowes) appear to be gasketed. These are similar to paint buckets, which must be air tight to preserve paint. If the lid is pounded down with a rubber mallet until it snaps on, my guess is that those are as air tight as you are likely to find.


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## psm1212 (Feb 9, 2016)

Thanks for the response. I may need to come up with a warming solution. So far, I have only bottled in the summer months. In my climate, my shed is always over 100 degrees in the Summer, so I have never had to consider warming up honey. I really like the idea of a converted chest freezer, but that is a space killer. I just bought an actual chest freezer for 100+ super frames over the winter. SHB are active all through my winters.

If you had it to do over again, would you have purchased a larger bottler than the 16 gallon Maxant?


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## psm1212 (Feb 9, 2016)

Phoebee: That confirms what I feared. It can't be a good seal. These buckets are cheaper than the ones you are describing. They are not designed for paint and do not need to be pounded down with a mallet. They can be easily snapped shut with your thumbs. I probably need to invest in some better buckets too. Thanks.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

D Coates said:


> ...... but whatever you do you've got to understand crystallization is a challenge and prepare for it.


This is important. Buy all the buckets and lids you want but if you're trying to avoid the honey crystallizing you need to make alternative plans for that future certainty...particularly if you're not freezing. Actually, even if you are.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

The other way of dealing with crystallized honey is to look up uses for it. There's nothing _wrong_ with it, other than it may turn off buyers. If the honey that is still liquid is otherwise still passable (nice and thick, reads good with a refractometer), they you've simply crystallized out excess sugar. If you re-heat to dissolve it, it may just crystallize out again. But the crystallized sugar makes a swell candy. 

Some nectar sources tend to crystallize a lot ... if that is your case you probably should quit fighting it and learn to enjoy it.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

I have a friend who markets crystallized honey as the "real deal". He has a lot of customers who are suspect of anything else. Well presented, it's a gift to your business.


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## Charlestonbee (Mar 26, 2015)

Has anyone tried the "bee blanket" that Mann lake sells?


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Or store the pails at -20 F.

Crazy Roland


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

psm1212 said:


> I have been storing some honey in 5 gallon buckets for later bottling. These are food grade white buckets with fitted tops but no gaskets or seals. I have wrapped the tops with multiple layers of thick cling wrap. It is tight, but probably not completely air-tight. I have it stored in a room that remains between 70 and 80 degrees year round. Currently, I plan to pull some of it out around the Christmas holidays to sell in a local gift shop. The owner has asked for some, but he will not open up until October.
> 
> For those that are experienced with storing honey in 5 gallon buckets, any tips? Anything else I should do to help preserve or delay crystallization? Thanks.


Why did you buy lids without gaskets? Are you sure there isn't a rubber gasket down in that grove in the lid rim? I bet there is.

I store over 400 buckets of honey to sell by the pallet or each and to bottle from all year round. There is no way to keep honey in buckets from crystalizing. It just does. You need a way to liquify the honey in the bucket.


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## psm1212 (Feb 9, 2016)

sqkcrk said:


> Why did you buy lids without gaskets? Are you sure there isn't a rubber gasket down in that grove in the lid rim? I bet there is.


Nope. These are from Wal-Mart. No gaskets. I have never left honey in a bucket for more than a week before. So I have never had need of a bucket with a gasket. About an hour away from a big box store that sells them.


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## NorthMaine (Oct 27, 2016)

Buy better lids. The bucket I am sure is fine (other than being a thin walled bucket that is not as strong) as they are designed to take the same lids. The lids from Wal-mart are a joke in that they will fall off if the bucket is knocked over if you are talking about the ones I saw. So, go online and order a case of good quality lids and don't stack the buckets too high. The Walmart bucket is cheaper (no shipping involved to get them) but in a pinch I have shipped them Fedex across the country (with a different lid) and they got to their destination just fine although I personally prefer a stronger bucket for the safety factor and I find they don't hold up as well on a pallet as they tend to buckle.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

psm1212 said:


> Nope. These are from Wal-Mart. No gaskets. I have never left honey in a bucket for more than a week before. So I have never had need of a bucket with a gasket. About an hour away from a big box store that sells them.


 Interesting. I wonder why anyone would sell a lid without a gasket.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

NorthMaine said:


> Buy better lids. The bucket I am sure is fine (other than being a thin walled bucket that is not as strong) as they are designed to take the same lids. The lids from Wal-mart are a joke in that they will fall off if the bucket is knocked over if you are talking about the ones I saw. So, go online and order a case of good quality lids and don't stack the buckets too high. The Walmart bucket is cheaper (no shipping involved to get them) but in a pinch I have shipped them Fedex across the country (with a different lid) and they got to their destination just fine although I personally prefer a stronger bucket for the safety factor and I find they don't hold up as well on a pallet as they tend to buckle.


How, when ordering lids online, did you make sure you were ordering a lid that would fit. I have found that lids from one bucket manufacturer won't fit on a bucket made by a different manufacturer.


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## Hiwire (Oct 19, 2014)

The first lids I bought a couple years ago at Lowes didn't have gaskets. They are blue and a little cheaper. They definitely don't fit as tight and don't snap on as well but once they are on, they are fine as long as you aren't selling them or having to handle them a lot. If that's what you have, don't throw them away, just don't buy any more of them. The lids actually contribute A LOT to the integrity of the bucket (when the honey is liquid). When the honey is like concrete the bucket doesn't even need a lid to keep its shape. Honey is so heavy that without a lid the weight can really pull them out of shape. Ive never had one fail but I can just imagine...I don't even want to think about it. Right next to the blue lids at Lowes are the better ones with gaskets that snap on, transport well, and stay in place better when honey is warm. Spend the extra $.50 on the heavier lid. They are on my shopping list for this summer since I appear to be on track to make a lot more honey than last year. I am fighting the idea of storing in drums as that requires a whole new set of equipment for warming, pumping, and moving. I think for now I am stuck with buckets.
Ray


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## bevy's honeybees (Apr 21, 2011)

Do you have Publix near you? If you talk to bakery manager they may start saving you the icing buckets. In my area, they are 3 1/2 gallons and the honey strainers fit perfect. I have never been charged for them. 

Personally, I lay a sheet of saran wrap over the surface of the honey (carefully) and I have these:
https://www.mannlakeltd.com/easy-lid
Probably over kill but I like air tight to preserve flavor. I also add gates to all my extra pails. Then I bottle into glass when I have free time. I try to keep plastic bottling at a minimum so customer doesn't have to deal with crystals in the plastic jars.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

>They are blue and a little cheaper. 

Are they food grade?


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## Bdfarmer555 (Oct 7, 2015)

FlowerPlanter said:


> >
> Are they food grade?


Been wondering about this. Do the lids have to be food grade since they don't stay in direct contact? (I leave 1/2-1" of air above mine) 

Thinking along the lines of copper napthenate is good for boxes since it isn't normally in direct contact. All my lids are food contact grade, but it's easier to find the colored lids that don't specify.


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## Bdfarmer555 (Oct 7, 2015)

So no ideas regarding the lid suitability?


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## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

I built a small cabinet that has a front door to Decrystallize honey. That I bottle over.


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## billabell (Apr 19, 2010)

Search Gamma Sheild lids. They seal tight for 5 gal buckets. Lowes has them for about $7. Also if you are looking for a honey warmer their is a nice plan for one on the Michigan Beekeepers cite.


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