# frames with crystallized honey



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Is there a way to save the crystallized honey? 

What is to save? The bees will eat it over winter or in a dearth. If you really feel the need to "do something", then uncap it and put it in the middle of the brood nest in a build up and they will quickly consume or move it.


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## Kuro (Jun 18, 2015)

Last year was my first beekeeping year and I was so worried because the majority of honey they stored looked solid white (we get ivy flow in late fall). They ate them all by March.


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## baybee (Jan 10, 2016)

Thank you Michael, Kuro! I also suspect english ivy, of which our neighbors have a lot. The patchy crystallization has something to do with different sources of nectar. 

The first day of winter here usually means the cold days of the year (35°F nights, 50°F days) are over. The bees are flying and bringing a lot of pollen. I'll put the crystallized frames back and see if the bees like them more than fresh nectar.

Kuro, do you mean the bees ate all the sugar crystalls or just hauled them outside?


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## Kuro (Jun 18, 2015)

baybee said:


> Kuro, do you mean the bees ate all the sugar crystalls or just hauled them outside?


I do not really know. When I did inspection in March, the crystalized honey had disappeared, replaced by brood. I assumed they ate them all.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Kuro, do you mean the bees ate all the sugar crystalls or just hauled them outside?

They consume it. I don't know where the myth came from that bees can't eat crystallized honey, but if they can't, then they would never survive the winter here as all of the fall honey crystallized before winter.


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## baybee (Jan 10, 2016)

> I don't know where the myth came from that bees can't eat crystallized honey, but if they can't, then they would never survive the winter here as all of the fall honey crystallized before winter.


Thank you for clarification Michael! Appreciate your response. I guess I assumed that the bees might treat crystallized honey like regular granulated sugar. "Assumption is the mother ...". Best wishes!


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Bees don't haul out granulated sugar if it's clumped at all. Only if and when it's dry and loose, and it quickly becomes clumped even if you don't contribute to that. Crystallized honey in the comb is practically solid.


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## baybee (Jan 10, 2016)

Appreciate all the responses! Another question: I have been able to extract some liquid honey from two and a half frames which had just a few tiny patches of crystallized honey. Everything was fine until all the extracted honey has completely crystallized a day or two after extraction. All the 15 lbs. flowed out of the extractor as a nice viscous liquid and then has turned into a solid block in no time. Was wondering why the honey crystallized so quickly? I suspect that keeping the extracted honey in a 55F room could be a factor. Alternatively, already crystallized honey found its way into the liquid honey seeded the crystallization process. Or that it had been sitting in the hive for too long (probably, since late August). Thanks.


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## Kuro (Jun 18, 2015)

http://www.honey.com/images/downloads/crystallization.pdf

2016 was my first honey harvesting year and I collected small batches to compare flavors. The April honey (early spring flowers plus some leftover from the previous fall?) became like creamed honey in a few months but the May (maple?) and June (black locust and blackberry?) honeys stay liquid. The October honey (ivy and other fall flowers?), that I managed to extract from more-than-half crystallized frames, became solidified within a few days. All bottles are stored in the same room (60F-70F). I like all of them, including the strong flavored October solid honey. I could liquefy crystallized honey by gently heating it but I tend to enjoy it as it is.


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## baybee (Jan 10, 2016)

Kuro, thank you for your response and the link! I guess I made a mistake of letting the capped frames sit for a few weeks in a cool room before extracting honey. I'll have to liquefy the current 15 lb. block of crystallized honey for extra straining and then bottling.


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

baybee said:


> ...I'll have to liquefy the current 15 lb. block of crystallized honey for extra straining and then bottling.


You can do that, but do not be surprised when it crystallizes again in your jar. I would put it in the brood nest in early spring as MB suggested.


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## WesternWilson (Jul 18, 2012)

Just as an aside, our 2016 honey is crystallizing much more quickly than other years. It is all in jars, and when it starts to solidify, I put the jars in a yogurt maker overnight. The yogurt machines are usually just large trays offering gentle 118F heat, perfect for liquifying honey.


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## baybee (Jan 10, 2016)

Thanks, WW! Interesting observation. I've tried heating a 15 lbs. chunk of honey, which solidified in a pot, at 105°F for a few hours and it only started to liquefy at the edges. Didn't want to go higher with the temp. What is the absolute maximum temp to liquefy honey?

Having never seen crystallized honey in the stores, didn't expect to see my honey solidifying in a matter of days. Does honey crystallize at the hive temp of 95°F?


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