# dehydrating tbh honey??



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Why do TBH people even consider liquid honey? It seems like alot of trouble to me. 

Cut/crush and strain? Why don't you just throw it all in a double boiler, melt the whole thing and then tap off the honey? I guess it wouldn't be raw then. But it seems like it would be easier.

If the honey is capped before harvesting, why would you need to dehydrate?

How are you crushing? Are you warming the honey to ease the straining process?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>I was told last night by our bee meeting leader how we need to dehydrate our honey for a couple of days using a fan and a dehydrator in our honey house..

Maybe it depends on your climate. I never have.

>my question is..using the cut crush and strain method preferred by tbh users...how,and or when would one go about dehydrating the honey?

I've never done it.

>Why do TBH people even consider liquid honey?

Because some of your market is often liquid honey.

>It seems like alot of trouble to me. 

It's no slower and no messier than extracting.

>Cut/crush and strain? Why don't you just throw it all in a double boiler, melt the whole thing and then tap off the honey?

Have you ever tasted heated honey? Fresh honey? Then you wouldn't have to ask the question. Besides crush and strain will be less difficult and less messy than melting it.

>If the honey is capped before harvesting, why would you need to dehydrate?

My thoughts exactly.

>How are you crushing? Are you warming the honey to ease the straining process?

Why?

This is one of those things where if you have done it, especially long enough to get good at it, you realize it's not that hard and if you haven't you have a mistaken impression that it is somehow inherently difficult or messy.

Honey is inherently messy. You will get sticky, and make a mess, whether you extract or crush and strain.

It's not quicker and less messy to extract, it's just nice to have some drawn comb. Not nice enough to spend $900 when you only have a few hives, but certainly worth having drawn comb if you have a lot of hives.


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## guatebee (Nov 15, 2004)

What has been your experience using ventilated SBBs and top ventilation ports as opposed to solid bottoms and no top air vents? I mean, in terms of honey moisture content. Any significant improvements observed?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>What has been your experience using ventilated SBBs and top ventilation ports as opposed to solid bottoms and no top air vents? I mean, in terms of honey moisture content. Any significant improvements observed? 

I've only done them with top entrances and all but one of them have SBB. It works fine. It might work just as well without the SBB. I plan to try one without this year for comparison.


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