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Processing spring alfalfa and clover honey that starts granulating in the settling tank

Mendoza is having an early, hot spring flow. Extracted our first 300 kg batch of mixed alfalfa and white sweet clover honey three days ago. Room temp is around 22°C. Checked the settling tank this morning and notice fine granulation already beginning at the bottom of the stainless tank—refractometer shows 16.8% moisture, so it's beautifully dry, but glucose ratio in our valley flora is notoriously high. I don't want to heat the bulk tank above 38°C because I sell raw honey and want the diastase and invertase enzymes intact. If you run into rapid crystallisation in the tank before bottling, do you strain and jar immediately and let it set in glass, or run a slow paddle to make a deliberate creamed honey?
#honey-processing#crystallisation#creamed-honey#harvest
▲ 1 votes 💬 1 replies
1 reply
InesMel · Nov 4, 2026
If it's already seeding fine crystals naturally at 16.8% moisture, take advantage of it and cream it! Stir it with a spiral mixer 10 minutes every few hours over two days at 14-16°C. You will get silky, pearlescent spreadable honey without heating at all.
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