What Honey?

[darlo]

OK Well after two years, I have a crop. Small one I suspect, but still, a crop. Now then my question is, how do I know what kind of honey it is?


Is there a way of telling if ambrosia makes up a large percentage of it?
How much should I leave on for the bees?

[marion.orca]

I think there are several places that can test your honey - google will tell you where, it depends what you are willing to pay for the test. A home test is to put some water in a glass, add a dollop of honey, if the honey is impure it will dissolve in the water, if it sticks together and sinks, it's pure - this cannot however tell you what the honey contains.

[Mellifera Crofter]

With 'pure' - do you mean that this test will indicate honey with or without sugar?
Kitta

[Jon]

If you have been feeding with supers on, fondant syrup or ambrosia, it is almost certain your honey will have some sugar in it.
Sugar honey will be very light although honey from Himalayan balsam is light as well.

[Mellifera Crofter]

No, I didn't, Jon - but with bees moving stores about, I just wondered whether MarionOrca's test might put one's mind at ease.
Kitta

[marion.orca]

I read about this test in several places and you can do it for free at home, which is great. I believe it goes on the principle that pure honey will not dissolve in water, whilst honey which contains a high level of water, will dissolve. Apparently even if you stir it, pure honey will "regroup " into its original status. That doesn't however answer darlos question about how much ambrosia his contains. If you belong to an association and they have a refractometer, perhaps you could borrow it.
Another test I've read about is to try and burn the honey on a teaspoon - if it burns it's honey and if it doesn't, then again it has a high water content. I have tried neither, but am going to have fun trying both !

[Mellifera Crofter]

Oh, thanks MO. Useful information. I'll give it a try.
Kitta

[Easy beesy]

Hi both

I'd really like to know where you got this nonsense from! Of course honey dissolves in water. It's made from sugar and water. How else would you clean your extractor if honey didn't dissolve in water?

Eb

[Mellifera Crofter]

Clearly I didn't think straight, EB. I was too keen to hear about ways of making absolutely sure there's no sugar - sugar cane sugar - in my honey. Too gullible.
Thanks, Kitta