# Making Creamed Honey...without heating???



## Vance G

It gets to be 95 if not 105 in honey supers all the time. Morals are good. Silly proscriptions are ridiculous and the enzymes are fine until, sources vary; but at least 110. If you are that hidebound, I guess you won't make buttery creamed honey. Sounds really good.


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## Brandy

What do you do with your crystallized honey?? Inquiring minds want to know??


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## Jeremy-WI

You can make creamed honey without heating it first- as long as the honey has not started crystallizing on its own. Just be sure the honey is about 60-70 degrees F before mixing your starter/seed into it. If you use honey over 75 degrees, it will probably melt your starter/seed and you will have to do it over. I have made quite a few 1 gallon batches this year and have not had to heat anything.


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## Adrian Quiney WI

Here is another method. The video is about 9 minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiqrU71aJGc&list=UUa8Jf8GufAvRZT-zhuF5hlg&index=9&feature=plcp


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## RayMarler

The trick to getting fine grained crystalization honey is to strain out all the larger particles. The finer mesh screen/stainer you use, the finer the crystalization. I've always just run the honey thru a paint strainer bag and then bottle it and then put it in the fridge. The fridge keeps it at perfect temp to cause crystalization. To get even finer than a paint bag, some people use new knee-high nylon stockings. I believe that is a finer mesh than a paint strainer bag, but not positive. Anyway, no need for heating and no need for using a starter batch, although a starter batch does make it quicker.


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## Vance G

Brandy said:


> What do you do with your crystallized honey?? Inquiring minds want to know??


 I get a furniture box like a lazyboy chair came in. I put a piece of rebar thru the box horizontally about a foot down and hang a cheap fixture with a 100 watt bulb in it. I stack my crystalized honey containers (five gallon buckets on down) in the box. I plug in my light fixture to a thermatically controlled power strip I bought at a pet shop that goes up to 105 degrees. After a couple days in the box the jars are all dry and granulation free. the buckets take a little longer if solid. When done with your high tech warming booth, fold it up and put it against the garage wall or throw it away and get another one when needed.


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## Brandy

Yes, I was asking the OP who says he will never heat his honey what he does when it crystalizes. I would consider a hot box a way to heat honey to return it to a liquid state.


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## Michael Bush

I never heat mine. I just add starter and put it on the window sill (shooting for 57F). Sometimes it's already crystallizing in which case I don't even add the starter. The results, when not heating, can vary, but seed and temperature control (57 F) will help.


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## beesinwv

I have made creamed honey for 20 years and have never heated it. I use a light honey that has just been extracted. I fill my Kitchen Aid mixer bowl about 2/3 full and put 3 table spoons of a starter. I buy the best creamed honey I can find for this. I you like the product when you eat it your customers will to. You only have to but it once as you will use yours for the starter next time. Put the whisk attachment on the mixer and slowly mix about 4 minutes. You can actually see the starter mix thru the bowl. Pour the mix into your containers and put them in a cool dark place. I use a "mud room" that stays cool. I used the refrigerator once but the wife seemed to get upset when she couldn't get food in it. It takes 7-21 days for the honey to cream depending on the variety. Darker honey seems to take a lot longer. Remember to save some for your next starter. 
Good luck
Beesinwv


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## Joel

If you extract honey at different times of the season you will find some honey's, Basswood and Bamboo for us, make an exceptionally fine grain crystalized honey w/o starter. I am aware the Canadian clover crystallizes small as well. You can get buttery creamed honey if you know your floral sources and do a litte experimentation.


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