# Honey gone bad?



## Aroc (May 18, 2016)

I always understood honey to not go bad. Something else must be causing the trouble.


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## Michael Pawelek (Jun 4, 2012)

When you extracted the honey were there any open, non capped cells in the frames? Honey in open cells has a higher moisture content and the bees only cap it when it is low enough not to ferment. Many Beeks use a refractometer to check moisture content before bottling.
When you extracted did you filter the honey? I filter down to 200 microns to take out mini bits of wax etc. but after sitting a few days microscopic wax will float to the top. Skim off the lighter colored stuff.


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

Its fermented - I got a drum just like it - this will happen if the honey has high water content or if like a 1/2 bucket and it sweats - the water from sweating will fall on top of the honey and start this process.
You can dry it back to less than 18% moisture and it will be ok - But I don't know if a 5 gallon bucket is worth rigging up a dryer
And Jason - your question was : How can you tell when honey ferments? what does is smell or taste like
Just like what your seeing - foam on top and smell


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## JasonA (Aug 29, 2014)

So what do I do with it. Can I feed it back to the bees?


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

yes you can - but I would not use it on any other hive except where it came from - you may spread foulbrood if spores are present - Ya know you could heat it to about 120/130 degrees and let the water steam off hereby drying it - but you really got to be patient - and keep stirring it


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## beegeorge (Apr 19, 2012)

sakhoney said:


> yes you can - but I would not use it on any other hive except where it came from - you may spread foulbrood if spores are present - Ya know you could heat it to about 120/130 degrees and let the water steam off hereby drying it - but you really got to be patient - and keep stirring it



the purpose of refractometers is to determine the moisture content of the honey,, if you dont use one,, you can have honey that has too much water content,, this can lead to fermenetation


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## Gumpy (Mar 30, 2016)

Make mead with it. Though you might want to kill off the wild yeasts that are already active and add a controlled yeast.


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## JasonA (Aug 29, 2014)

I don't have the stuff to make Mead. The honey came from two different hives. Is there a high risk of foul brood or is it something that can happen? I don't know what else to do with it. I'd hate to just dump it out. I will be more careful next year.


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

dry it - as I described above


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

You sure it's not just slumgum?
It's kinda normal for extracted honey to get a white foamy substance on the top.


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

He described a sour smell & foamy - With this description I would say fermented


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

JasonA said:


> ...the honey is "foamy" on top and has a smell of yeast? It tastes ok. I did a blind taste test on my wife and she couldn't tell the difference from the previous bucket....


Doesn't say or sound like sour or fermented honey to me.


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## Barhopper (Mar 5, 2015)

We get a small amount of "foam" in the top of our buckets also. I believe it's emulsified honey from the extracting process. We bottled until we reach the level of the foam then put the honey with the foam into jars for personal use. Try skimming it off to see if it reappears. I've never had any ferment,but I think from our wine and mead making experience , you'd know if it was fermenting.


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## JasonA (Aug 29, 2014)

I'm going by the smell alone. It does taste OK. I'm going to check the moisture with a refractometer tomorrow.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

If it smells like alcohol, then it is definitely fermented. There is a certain amount of "yeast" smell to honey and to bee hives. There is a certain amount of "foam" that comes from air getting entrained in the honey during extraction and the wax rising to the top. If that appears somewhat dry (as dry or drier than the honey) it's probably just wax. Fermenting honey looks wet and foamy at the top and smells like alcohol.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

Have had my share of fermented honey, I have no problem eating, it taste just fine. It just gets more bubbly with age so consume it quickly.

I use two extractors, any uncapped frames in first real quick and not very fast, then uncap and run through the bigger extractor. This keeps the thinner honey separate and the thick honey thicker. Use the thin for mead, wine or tea.


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## Barhopper (Mar 5, 2015)

FlowerPlanter said:


> Have had my share of fermented honey, I have no problem eating, it taste just fine. It just gets more bubbly with age so consume it quickly.
> 
> I use two extractors, any uncapped frames in first real quick and not very fast, then uncap and run through the bigger extractor. This keeps the thinner honey separate and the thick honey thicker. Use the thin for mead, wine or tea.


That's a good idea. Plus I can get the extractor I really want


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## JasonA (Aug 29, 2014)

To follow up. I did have the several samples of honey tested. The highest moisture reading we got was about 17.6%. I was told this was OK. I had several folks in my local bee club smell and taste a sample I brought and they all said it tasted fine. One said it did have a slightly "different" smell, but it could be the floral source. I'm going to call it good and bottle some of it.


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

Sounds great Jason, enjoy your harvest!


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## Sara Alms (Jul 10, 2014)

sakhoney said:


> dry it - as I described above


how do you dry honey in a large bucket? As soon as honey is exposed to air it absorbs moisture. I really would like to know the technique. Thanks. Sara


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## Amibusiness (Oct 3, 2016)

Honey does not absorb moisture from dry air. Only a significant rh differential will cause honey to absorb moisture. We put wet honey in a room with dehumidifier at 45-50% rh before extracting and it dries it right down. If it's already extracted only the top of the bucket will dry, not enough surface area to be effective. Probably the easiest way to dry a bucket would be to put it on a high shelf, open the honey gate to a small trickle dripping into a 2nd bucket on the floor right next to a dehumidifier. Depending on how wet it is and how fast your trickle is it may need to go through again....


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## mcon672 (Mar 5, 2015)

I didn't see of anyone mentioned cling wrap but we always get a little "foam" on top of our five gallon buckets. It's usually just very small bits of wax that made it through the filter. It all rises up to the top in a day or two. Just take some saran wrap and place it on top of the honey in the bucket. Use a few pieces and push it down so it touches the top of the honey all over. Then pull up and wrap it up fast. The foam sticks to it and it takes out most of it. That's if it's not fermented.


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## Plannerwgp (May 18, 2019)

I agree. Get a refractometer.


beegeorge said:


> the purpose of refractometers is to determine the moisture content of the honey,, if you dont use one,, you can have honey that has too much water content,, this can lead to fermenetation


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