Extracting and straining honey

In short

• Extract only ripe honey (no more than 18–20 % water) in a warm, dry room: 25–30 °C (77–86 °F), air humidity below 60 %.
• Everything that touches honey is stainless steel, glass or food-grade plastic. Never galvanised, iron or painted.
• Strain honey through a double sieve and let it settle for 3–5 days in a closed container, then skim off the froth.
• Never heat honey above 40 °C (104 °F). Heat damages its enzymes and raises HMF (H46-02).
• Each flow is a separate batch with its own number on the bucket and the jars.
• The honey room is closed to bees and children: one bee inside brings in a hundred.

What's inside

Chapters

1. From frame to jar
2. The honey room: space and hygiene
3. Equipment
4. Uncapping
5. Extracting
6. Draining honey without an extractor
7. Straining and settling
8. Jarring
9. Cleaning the equipment and honey room
10. Safety in the honey room
11. Common mistakes
12. Printable checklist

Worksheets

• Extracting calendar
• Honey and container calculator
• Date calculator
• Extracting log
• Sketch of the honey room
• Equipment budget
• Bucket labels