# Moisture content in honey



## Dan Williamson (Apr 6, 2004)

I ordered a refractometer to check my honey before I start to sell it. I was concerned beause the day I pulled the honey it started pouring on me as I was pulling supers.

This is the first time I have ever checked it. The moisture content read 17.5% When I was a kid we used to pull 100% capped honey and sell it without thinking about it.

Where does 17.5% fit into the scale? Is it low enought that the percentage of moisture will not cause the honey to ferment? I just don't want to sell something that may not be of superb quality as most of my buyers will be first time customers.

Thanks in advance,

Dan


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## John Russell (Aug 8, 2003)

Should be fine.....As long as it's below 18,I believe.
If you have any honey comming in, you can wait until its almost compleatly capped, extract it then blend it. 100% capped honey runs at around 15-16%

J.R.


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## geneshalit (Sep 22, 2005)

hey all
is there any good way to test for moisture without using a refractometer? i dont need to be exact, i just want to make sure my honey is not too watery. most of the frames were fully capped when i extracted, but there were a few sides of frames that were not capped. i got about 130lbs of honey from 2 hives and maybe 6 or so frames were not fully capped, so i think i am alright. just want to make sure as i am giving a lot out as gifts.
thanks


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## Hillside (Jul 12, 2004)

You could in theory do it with viscosity, but you would need a standard to compare to and you would have to have very precise temperature control which would cost more than the refractometer.

You could measure it's density and compare to a standard, but it would be a pain and not very accurate.

I wonder if honey could be "dried" in an oven and the wet weight subracted from the dry weight or if it's too hard to drive off all the water. Of course, even if this could be done, you would need a pretty expensive scale.


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## busybguy (Apr 28, 2005)

to test if honey is cured in the frame when removing from hive, hold it by both sides near the bottom and try to fling it out of the frame. If it stays in the uncapped cells when flinging chances are, it is cured. When bees are getting a lot of nectar they don't want to take the time to cap it over till the dearth is near done. To remove moisture from green honey, put it in a room with a dehumidifier until it gets thick. On the reverse side, to thin honey, put it in a room with a pail of water. The honey is agroscopic and will absorb the water.


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## The Honey House (May 10, 2000)

"On the reverse side, to thin honey, put it in a room with a pail of water. The honey is agroscopic and will absorb the water."

I recall reading that only the extreme upper portion of the container (honey) will absorb additional moisture. The moisture content increases to a point where fermentation starts, thereby ruining the top portion of the honey. The moisture will not evenly distribute itself through the pail of honey.
To thin honey (why?) I think it would be best to mix a certain amount of water into the honey.


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## Jim Fischer (Jan 5, 2001)

> I recall reading that only the extreme upper 
> portion of the container (honey) will absorb 
> additional moisture.

The honey in the top portion of the container
is able to absorb quite a bit of moisture, and
water is lighter than honey, so it will tend to
float to the top of the container.

> The moisture content increases to a point 
> where fermentation starts, thereby ruining 
> the top portion of the honey.

It ruins the WHOLE container - I've seen it
happen to guys who extracted and stored 5-gallon
pails of that honey that is "100% capped" or
"stays in the comb when you shake it", and
therefore "HAS to be OK".

The poor, sad fools. A single 5-gallon pail of
honey is 60lbs. Even at only $1.00 per pound,
that's the cost of a perfectly good refractometer.

So if using a refractometer would save even ONE
pail of honey (roughly two medium supers' worth)
it pays for itself.

Gosh, just get together with your local club
and divide the cost equally. Share. There
is no substitute for testing in the yard before
you pull supers, and testing takes about 20
seconds per sample tested.


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## kenpkr (Apr 6, 2004)

"The poor, sad fools".

Not a bit judgemental and condescending, is he?!


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## BubbaBob (Jan 18, 2005)

Fischer judgemental? Nah...no wat...

BubbaBob


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## Joel (Mar 3, 2005)

A couple of additions to Busybguy

1) a warm room with dehumidifer (warm air holds more moisture than cool)
2) Fan to circulate that dehumdified air


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## Keith Benson (Feb 17, 2003)

"Not a bit judgemental and condescending, is he?!"  

Methinks many folks have too thin a skin. 

A refractometer is cheap, and can be had for even less that the beekeeping supply places if one wants to peruse EBAY from time to time. All it takes is a drop of honey and you *know* as opposed to merely thinking that the honey is ready for harvest.

The things are lightweight, easy to use and require no special training. They are a slam dunk IMHO. Try one, you will be glad you did.

Keith


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I certainly won't argue that measuring is the best way to "know" anything. But, that said, I've never owned nor used a refractometer and I've never lost so much as a quart let alone a five gallon pail of honey. Perhaps it's because I don't live where there is high humidity? I don't know.


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## Keith Benson (Feb 17, 2003)

Micheal - could be your area. Here in the SC midlands, you take a risk. There was a talk about drying honey last year at the local bee meeetings, as sometimes even fully capped stuff is <18%

Where I lived in NoCal, I doubt one would be as necessary, but I would rather be safe than sorry.

Keith "it must be that 'all beekeeping is local' thing again" Benson


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## geneshalit (Sep 22, 2005)

ok. a question about refractometers. i am scouring ebay and wondering how to tell if a particular refractometer is good for measuring honey. they seem to have a pretty wide range of uses and specs. anybody know anything about them? for example, i am looking at a westover rhb-32. any idea if this can be used for honey?
thanks


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## Keith Benson (Feb 17, 2003)

Look for one labled "Honey refractometer" The one I got was identical to the one dadant sells, and I paid 15-20 bucks less.

Make certain it automatically adjusts for temp (ATC)- saves a lot of time.

Try the following numbers on ebay: 
4407670320	
7715181980	
4406634781	
4406273361	


Keith


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