BBKA Forum

British Beekeepers Association Official Forum 

  • Blending extracted honey

  • General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #7322  by AndrewLD
 23 May 2020, 12:58
I notice that mixing honey extracted with varying water content seems common practice.....
Is that honey not more likely to separate in the jar?
I bottled some <18% honey last September but didn't sell it and it is just sitting there 90% set but with annoying bits that are clearly still liquid. I wish it would either stay runny or set - not sit halfway between.
 #7325  by stechad
 23 May 2020, 13:28
Hi Andrew,
I have the same with last years honey all from the same hive/season and this was not blended.Image
 #7326  by Steve 1972
 23 May 2020, 13:32
I have heard of it separating into three different layers from a fellow on another exited forum but i have only had it happen once which did not turn out good in the end..it was OSR honey that was made into soft set..the honey was ok in the bucket but after i went through the process of soft setting it i bottled it... two weeks later it looked like it was separating with the soft set in the bottom and a half inch layer of clear at the top..when i took the lid of a jar i heard air hiss out..yep it had started fermenting and smelt like apple cider vinegar..30 odd jars wasted and the only reason i can think it happened was inducing too much air while stirring it..the lot went down the drain..
 #7327  by Steve 1972
 23 May 2020, 13:33
stechad wrote:
23 May 2020, 13:28
Hi Andrew,
I have the same with last years honey all from the same hive/season and this was not blended.Image
What is that tube like shape Ste in the bottom of that jar..
 #7328  by stechad
 23 May 2020, 13:41
That is the part of the honey that has set steve, I tipped it on its side so that it was easier to see.
 #7331  by Japey Edge
 23 May 2020, 16:01
As I have a lot of space left in the bucket that holds my first super, I am planning on adding the next extracted supers to the same bucket. Is that not a good plan?
 #7334  by stechad
 23 May 2020, 16:32
Japey Edge wrote:
23 May 2020, 16:01
As I have a lot of space left in the bucket that holds my first super, I am planning on adding the next extracted supers to the same bucket. Is that not a good plan?
I would just mix them together as they are from the same season, however I don't have OSR to contend with.
 #7338  by Steve 1972
 23 May 2020, 17:48
Japey Edge wrote:
23 May 2020, 16:01
As I have a lot of space left in the bucket that holds my first super, I am planning on adding the next extracted supers to the same bucket. Is that not a good plan?
It is up to you Jazz but i would not..the OSR if you have any is just about done now so the bees will be on other forage..if you mix this super that has no OSR in it with a bucket that does have OSR it will still set...if you keep it separate it could stay runny for a long time..
You might already have OSR it that super but personally i would keep it separate when extracting a week or two apart..
I have read and heard of folk going to the extremes and keeping every super they extract on the same day separate from the others...how many buckets would they need.. :lol: ..
 #7343  by Japey Edge
 23 May 2020, 20:18
Hmm I'll have to think about that one Steve - we have limited quantity of buckets and the OSR is still in flower here. I'm guessing what's in the bucket and what's in the super are both OSR. I see your point though and it would be nice to see if there's a difference between the two supers in taste/colour.