# Help: Crystallized Honey in Crush and Strain



## LetsBeeColorado (Aug 14, 2015)

I recently did a HUGE home extraction where, after filling three 10-frame deeps with brood and combed honey, I still managed to fill two more 5-gallon buckets with combed honey..I salvaged some nicer pieces of combed honey from the buckets, but the rest of the honey/comb in the buckets got a bit too mashed up. I tried to do a crush and strain with that remaining amount, but I soon realized that a bunch of the honey was slightly crystallized and would not drain through my sieve.

Does anyone have any ideas of how to salvage this crush and strain batch? ... Or is this just an instance where I should forfeit the crush and strain, and give it back to the bees to clean off? The bees already have more than enough honey for the winter, so this would just be some extra love. 

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

how big were the holes in the sieve? I can usually put mine through a regular pasta strainer. I may have to stir the mash up a bit, but that will get the biggest particles out and then I can use a smaller sized sieve to get the remaining wax chunks out. If the honey is "warm" it will flow better, so if you can tote it around in your car for a couple of sunny days, that should make it more manageable. The warm car is my favorite way to de-crystalize a jar of honey. Works much better than hot water in my opinion.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

Soak your capping's, crystallized honey, crushed comb in water. Stir it, the crystallized honey will dissolve in a few minutes, run it through your strainer. Don't use warm water or let it sir for more than needed if it's brood comb it will slowly leach into your water. Use the water for ice tea, mead or feed it back to your bees.


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## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

FlowerPlanter said:


> Soak capping's in stir, the crystallized dissolve in a few min, run it through your strainer. Don't use warm water or let it sir for more than needed if it's brood comb it will slowly leach into you water. Use the water for ice tea, mead or feed it back to your bees.


I don't understand what you are tyring to say here.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

>I don't understand what you are tyring to say here.
me neither :scratch:

Need more coffee.

Better now?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Put the lid on the buckets. Put the buckets in the car. Park the car in the sun...


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## LetsBeeColorado (Aug 14, 2015)

Thanks, guys! I'll try the car method and see where that goes. If all else fails, I'll just feed it back to the bees. 

Thank you again for all of your suggestions!


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## AngelaL (Jun 25, 2015)

I was wondering if you were ever able to extract your honey. I am having the same issue from my topbar hives. I have a bucket of crushed honey and comb that I took from two colonies that didn't survive the winter . Usually the honey drips through a sieve no problem but this time it's a crystalized mess.


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

Wait for a soon to come ninety F day and set the bucket in your car in the sun for a time and Ibet you will see some stratification take place. 100 f in a box with a thermostatically controlled Hundred watt bulb will do the trick too. The car is easy though.


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