# How fast for crystalization?



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

According to Dyce it happens the fastest between 17 and 18 percent moisture and at 52 degrees F.


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## ikeepbees (Mar 8, 2003)

Bjorn,

I have had tallow honey start crystallizing in the buckets as quickly as one week. Other honeys, source unknown, have lasted more than a year. I coarsely strain the honey before storing, otherwise no heating just like yourself.

One caution I would mention: I have had honey that would begin to ferment after becoming partially crystallized. I have read that this happens because the moisture content of the remaining liquid honey is increased as a result of the crystallization process.

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Rob Koss


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## The Honey House (May 10, 2000)

"I noticed the other day that some of the buckets were starting to crystalize. I was amazed at how fast it occurred."

I'm amazed as well. I extracted over the labor day weekend and I have buckets that are solid now. Normally I see it start mid winter but this year's honey sure is crystalizing fast. I'm afraid to bottle too much!


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

I was speaking to Cecil at Mid-Con yesterday about refractometers. He said that the moisture content in honey has nothing to do with crystalization, only fermentation. He went on to say that crystalization is caused by sugar content and dust particals in the honey.

Two years ago my honey turned solid within two weeks of being bottled. I still have some liquid from the year before that, go figure.

This year I was careful to strain down to 200 microns and kept it covered as much as possible.

I also asked how he dehydrated his honey. He warms it in a hot water bath, then removes the sealed lid (five gal)and wipes off the water from under the lid. Simple enough.


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## MountainCamp (Apr 12, 2002)

The amount of moisture or % water in honey does affect the crystalization process, because the lower the % water the higher the % sugar. Honey is a super saturated liquid and crystalization is the sugar coming out of solution. 

Now, dust, dirt, wax particles speed up the process by giving the sugar a crystalization point, a start.

This is why when you heat honey, fine filter it, pump it, etc. you delay the crystalization process. 

This is also why when making creamed honey you use fine uniform sized starter crystals to get the process moving.


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## BWrangler (Aug 14, 2002)

Hi Guys,

Out here, gumweed honey granulates in about a week whether in the comb or extracted.

My extracted alfalfa honey will granulate within a month. Yet, I can place cut comb in a bucket and it won't granulate for over a year in the same storage conditions. It's interesting to note that some honey will drain off the cut comb into the bottom of the bucket. It remains liquid as well.

Regards
Dennis


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## joey33 (Aug 12, 2004)

Beekeepers are so much smarter than the average Bear. They have knowledge of science, to help them do what is needed. Honey is an unstable chemical mostly made of two simple sugars glucose (solid), and fructose (liquid). It is unstable because it is only 17% moisture. All chemicals will be affected by three natural factors; time temperature and agitation. Unstable glucose molecules are on a mission, they are going to try and form themselves into a solid crystal. Glucose molecules will do this by clinging to anything they can; dirt, wax, the inside surface of your honey bucket. These unstable molecules need some way to travel to what they want to cling to. Air is the best road for a molecule travel. As agitated glucose and fructose molecules travel through the air trying to cling to something they absorb some of that air and become more stable forming a crystal like formation. So what does this have to do with honey storage? If there is air above the surface of your honey, it will absorb some of it and crystallize. Store honey in an air- tight container like one with a flouting lid. Other foods are stored like this, why not honey? In 1931, Dr. E. J. Dyce of Cornell University found that the very best temperature to encourage honey crystallization was 57 degrease F. That covers what I said above. Store honey at about 70 to 80 degrease F not the garage or basement. Glass is the choice of most containers used for science experiments, why? Glass is easy to clean and it transfers temperature quickly and holds that temperature well, and it is not porous like soft squeezable plastic. We all know tropical fish need a well maintained water temperature. What are the best aquariums made of? Next point, agitation; simple dont shake up or move your honey too much. Last point; time, Im not going to say much about this, we all have freezers. 

I am not a scientist or a beekeeper, this is knowledge you all have. I share it with you from candy making.


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