# Mixing Honey for water content



## FALPI Honeybees (Apr 4, 2013)

Please answer this question if you are completely sure of your answer. If you mix honey of a lower water content and one of a higher water content does the mixture lower the overall water content? If so what is the ratio one most use for example if one is in 19.5 and the other is in 17.5? I have seen a different variation of answers like: they dont mix, the one with higher content is in the reading, they mix 50/50, you have to use more of the lower content. Has anyone done this commercially and can give me a real answer? 

Also if you mix two honeys of extremely different colors one light and the other dark, will they mix or do they separate?


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

To the best of my knowledge and experience, if both are real honey, and completely mixed, the result can be predicted accurately with math. The percentage of moisture(divided by 100) is multiplied by the mass of each lot, and summed for all of the lots. Division by the summed mass should yield(after multiplying by 100) the percentage moisture of the mixture.

As to the color of the mixture, some dark honeys seem to "cover" more than others, be carefull. Again, if both are real, and well mixed, they should stay mixed.

Crazy ROland


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Well I'm not "completely sure of my answer" but Roland's reply sounds pretty much on the mark to me. I would add the dryer (and denser) honey to the top of the wetter honey at a fairly warm temp (at least 100 to 110 degrees F) and use a fairly stout mixing apparatus to thoroughly blend. Why not just experiment with smaller quantities until you achieve the result you want then apply your ratio to a larger batch.


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## jrbbees (Apr 4, 2010)

The key to the question is "thoroughly" blend.
Unlikely unless you have very good equipment for that purpose.
Leave a pocket of higher moisture honey in the batch and the yeasts in that pocket can take off then the whole thing will spread.
For me it seem risky with out the controlled mixing equipment.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

There are several ways you could use to come up with the right answer. The one Roland explained is as simple as any of them. In the end you have to account for the amount of any of the sources as well as the moisture content and his method does that fairly simply.


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

I've never done any intentional blending. I will say, however, that it is fairly common for honey to separate a bit...often crystalized on the bottom, liquid on the top. I've been told (but have no way to measure) that these are different nectar sources that are separating...I don't know if that is the case or not, if it is, then I doubt that mechanical blending would be immune from such effects.

deknow


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Really Deknow? I was always told that one of the sugars, Glucose?, came out of solution first, while the other remained in solution.

Crazy Roland


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## jmgi (Jan 15, 2009)

I blend batches of honey all the time to arrive at the lowest moisture content for the bulk of my honey, it works out pretty much the way I predict. If I have 100 lbs. of 16.5% and a 100 lbs. of 18.5%, the result of the mixing yields 200 lbs. of 17.5%, its not rocket science here. I do mix it, but I don't get carried away with it, the different honey moisture contents equalize or average out quicker than you think.


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

Why not just warm one pound of each, blend thoroughly, allow to cool, and check moisture content? If the % moisture isn't what you want, re-adjust mix.


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