NZBF: Crystallised or granulated honey

[Stephen Horsley]

I'm about to harvest my first super of honey. It filled fast and I have no more supers to add. Bad timing on my behalf.
So (going by the book) I can harvest one super now and return to catch the last of the season.

Is it probable if I store in small containers the liquid honey will crystallise? I read you can freeze it to retard the granulation process.

I imagine I'll be hopping all over the place and eating the honey as fast as it fills the containers being my first harvest but am I to expect it all to crystallise in time?

 

[yesbut]

All honey crystallizes. Some faster than others. I simply stand put my jar in hot water to liquify as required.

 

[Alastair]

Is it probable if I store in small containers the liquid honey will crystallise?

Yes. Some honey types crystallise faster than others

I read you can freeze it to retard the granulation process.

Yes. The honey does not freeze solid but just goes super cold and it slows the process right down.

Don't put in the fridge though, for many honey types that lower but not freezing temperature will actually speed the granulation process.

 

[NickWallingford]

Honey is a super-saturated sugar solution. It has more sugar in it than can really be (long term) dissolved in the small water component. So pretty much all honeys will granulate, some much faster than others. Fast granulation means small, fine crystals that you can hardly detect. Slower granulating honeys have a coarse, sharp crystal that you can readily detect on your tongue.

Rata honey can granulate almost before you can get it extracted. Tupelo honey (Hi, Van!) will not granulate pretty much ever.

And controlling the granulation process to get a smooth, creamy outcome for your honey? That is the process of 'creaming honey' - introducing the type of crystal that you want all the honey to be like and doing the things you can to get it to 'grow' faster than the other crystals (temperature, primarily).

And you can do that as a hobbyist and have a lot of fun trying...