# Drying Out Honey



## ZEEBEE (Aug 22, 2003)

Hello all,

Just received my refractometer in the mail.
I was shocked to find that my honey was a whopping 19.2% moisture content! How can this be? My honey should be perfect! The refractomoter must be broken!!









First question:

The honey was capped, but the summer here in MD is VERY humid. How can I dry out honey before I uncap it? Suggestions? I should have about a dozen supers next year..

I have a small bucket filled with honey I need to dry out to enter my honey in the county fair. Right now it would be disqualified! What would be some suggestions for drying that out?

THANKS!!


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

For the bucket, a closet, an open bucket and a dehumidifier works pretty well or for the supers, put the supers in the closet with the dehumidifier. If you have it in a nice air conditioned house, you might get by with just stacking the super so the air flows through them and let the drier indoor air dry them out.

Obviously the humidity in the air has to be less than the humidity in the honey. Honey is very hydroscopic and the two moisture contents (air and honey) will equalize.


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## ewetmill (Aug 2, 2004)

Also, something to consider is the temperature of the honey when you took your reading. Check the paperwork for your refractometer and make sure that your honey wasn't too warm. 1 degree Celsius can make a difference of a half of a percent. Different refractometers are configured differently, but the normal temperature to measure should be lower than room temperature.


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## ZEEBEE (Aug 22, 2003)

Well,

Got the dehumidifier. The bucket is in the closet with it. How long do you think I should run it? Do I have to stir it?

Mike


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

No, you don't need to stir it. How long depends on how wet the honey is, how hot the closet is and how low you get the humidity. AND how much the air is moving...

[This message has been edited by Michael Bush (edited August 25, 2004).]


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## ZEEBEE (Aug 22, 2003)

Thanks,

Had it going for about 24 hours now. Its down from 19.2% to 18%.


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