# Thin honey complaint



## GaSteve

Has anyone ever had a complaint about honey being too thin and runny? A guy bought a gallon a while back and wanted to return it because it was "too thin". Granted this year's honey is somewhat runnier than I usually get, but the moisture is 17 to 17.5% and the flavor is terriffic.

I didn't take it back as I never take back a food product, but that was a first for me.


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## Tom G. Laury

Chinese Tallow is a very high moisture honey.


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## Chef Isaac

he needs to understand that at some point, things change. Not everything is the same way when it comes to producing something, like honey. One year thick, one year thin. Like tomatoes, one big, one small.


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## samak

I wonder if moisture content has anything to do with being "thin honey".

Usually when I first extract honey, the honey is "thin" but afer a while it starts to get thicker. Maybe thats just how it is sometimes.


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## Tim B

Most likely the problem is related to the temperature. It will be a lot thicker in 2 months.


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## Tom G. Laury

There is a good reason for buyers to be leery of thin honey: It may not be stable, subject to fermentation. If partial crystallization occurs, the remaining liquid will be even higher. 17.5% is pretty wet.


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## GaSteve

Tom G. Laury said:


> There is a good reason for buyers to be leery of thin honey: It may not be stable, subject to fermentation. If partial crystallization occurs, the remaining liquid will be even higher. 17.5% is pretty wet.


True but I had some honey a couple years ago that was at about 17% and was so thick it didn't want to come out of the comb in the extractor. This was also in mid-summer high 90s temperature. It wasn't the best flavor either -- I think it was honeydew honey.


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## nursebee

I never argue and will gladly give any price back to an unsatisfied customer. In the event it ever happens, I can find something else to do with it.


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## cphilip

Speaking of change.... take a look at this. These two hives are located about 200 yards from each other. These are both from this year and just harvested. 

The one on the left has a slightly milder and hint of malt taste to it. The right one is typical wildflower fruity Honey more typical of what I get. I have no idea what the girls on the left found that they like but the other hive didn't find it. 

If anyone wants to venture a guess as to the source of this darker Honey I am all ears.


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## Hendersonhives

I had some honey from a hive located in town that was that dark. I called it Dr. Pepper honey. Probably from the bees dumpster diving.


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## sqkcrk

GaSteve said:


> Has anyone ever had a complaint about honey being too thin and runny? A guy bought a gallon a while back and wanted to return it because it was "too thin". Granted this year's honey is somewhat runnier than I usually get, but the moisture is 17 to 17.5% and the flavor is terriffic.
> 
> I didn't take it back as I never take back a food product, but that was a first for me.


 17 to 17.5% and they thought it was runny? I'm n ot certain what I would do. Did they buy it from you or from the Store you sell your honey to. I had a customer who bought a jar of my honey from a store I sell it to. They said something about it, I forget what, so i said for her to go back to the store and exchange it for another jar and that I would make it right with the store. Apparently she never did, because I have asked the store a couple times and no one has come back to exchange a jar of honey.

I'd rather eat the cost of one jar of honey than to have someone talk badly about my Honey or me.


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## Hogback Honey

I had some Orange Blossom honey awhile back, not mine, I bought it at a store. It was runny, I just figured because it was from a more humid climate. Couple of years ago I was visiting in Texas, bought some honey from a road side stand, same thing, runny, the area had high humidity. Don't know if that really has anything to do with it, but the honey from my own hives is nice and thick, I live in a more arid climate.


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