What The Heck Is Honey Crystallization!?

A blog brought to you by Wentzel Apiaries

Here to talk bees, honey, small business struggles and everything in-(bee)tween

Hey everyone! I am excited to be writing my second ever blog post. At the time of me writing this, my first post got a total of 4 views (with me being one of them lol) and I'm sure that doesn't sound very promising to you but let me just tell you that I AM SO EXCITED that three others found the blog and ACTUALLY CLICKED ON IT!!! It is my dream that I will continue this blog and one day it will reach hundreds of small business owners, first time and master beekeepers, honey-lovers, and really anyone who might find my words helpful or just entertaining. However, I can't achieve my dream unless I get to writing lol.

What is Crystallization?

So, now we can get to the reason y'all clicked on this post in the first place, honey crystallization. If you aren't familiar with honey crystallization or "sugaring" as some might call it, it is the growth of sugar crystals in honey. It creates a somewhat gritty texture and can make honey look cloudy or lumpy and even feel more solid than liquid, depending on the stage of crystallization. If you find that some of your honey has started this process DON'T PANIC! Crystallization is the natural process of honey and is actually proof that your honey is of high quality and hasn't been processed.

Does Crystallization Make Honey Bad?

Absolutely not! Crystallized honey does not mean it's bad honey, just that it's changing. If your honey is crystallizing it's a great indicator that it hasn't been pasteurized and that the pollen hasn't been filtered out. The overall flavor of the honey will remain the same regardless of the level of crystallization and, of course, is absolutely safe to continue eating! However, if you love the golden drizzle of freshly smooth honey, you can take your crystallized honey and place in warm water and watch the clarity return.

Best Method of Decrystallization

When it comes to returning your delicious honey to its original, smoother state, there is one method that trumps them all; the good ol' crockpot. Even with the most crystallized of honeys, putting your jar into some water in a crockpot, setting it to low and leaving it overnight will surely do the trick. Be sure never to put your honey in the microwave or you can risk destroying the flavor and natural goodness of raw, unpasteurized honey.

I hope that answers a few questions but of course, comment or email me @honeybeehappenings@gmail.com for any questions, concerns, experiences, tips, tricks, or if you'd just like to chat :)

Thanks for reading!!