Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => Beekeeping 101 => Topic started by: riverbee on November 02, 2016, 10:12:22 pm

Title: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on November 02, 2016, 10:12:22 pm
i promised neil i would post a sugar brick recipe i recently tried.  i am not sure where i found this.......somewhere on the net.  it beats mixing up fondant  and is rather simple. i have tried all sorts of methods for winter feed on the bees, fondant, winter patties, and a microwave sugar recipe.
mixing and messing with fondant is time consuming. winter patties ordered from my bee supplier is convenient, but can be expensive. the microwave recipe works good, but not for 5 hives. i had a number of 10 pd bags of sugar leftover from last year just waiting for an experiment............ :D

one observation over the years using sugar in any form to feed bees during winter months, i think the bees tend to drag crystals out the front door if the sugar is not in a 'solid state'.  yes, sometimes they don't need it and drag out and they can chew and drag it out, but i see less 'waste' on the bottom board or out the front door if the feed is in a more solid brick/patty, etc.  i have posted two recipes.

the original recipe i knabbed somewhere off the net:
1st recipe:
BRICK SUGAR RECIPE #1

small batch:

1 lb. cane sugar
1/8 teaspoon sea salt  (sea salt has natural occuring vitiamins and minerals, not sure if needed, but gave it a whirl)
1 1/2 oz. water
1 drop of lemon grass oil or whatever.......HBH...........or no essential oil, just skip the essential oil part.
   • mix sugar with the sea salt and set aside.
   • in a blender mix water and lemon grass oil on low for 4 to 5 minutes.
   • add water and oil mixture to sugar and salt mixing well.
   • press mixture evenly into a wax paper lined small cake pan.
   • cut into squares while still soft.
   • set aside and allow to harden.
       
large batch:
5Lbs. cane sugar
7 1/2 oz. water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
5 drops lemon grass oil, HBH, or just skip this
   • mix sugar with salt and set aside.
   • in a blender mix water and lemon grass oil on low for 4 to 5 minutes.
   • add water and oil mixture to sugar and salt mixing well.
   • press mixture into a wax paper lined 13″ x 9″ x 1/2″ cookie sheet.
   • cut into squares while still soft.
   • set aside and allow to harden.

here's how i did this. first off, not sure the essential oils/sea salt is necessary.  i just added it anyway.  bees like feed of any nature when they need it.
i did the large batch for 5 hives. i used a large cookie sheet, and a sheet cake aluminum pan you can buy from the grocery store........i liked this better.
one batch of the large goes into the cookie sheet, and two separate mixes of the large batch went into the aluminum cake pan.

i mixed the whole mess up with a kitchen aid (makes for quick work), (and did use the blender for the lemon grass oil/water).  dumped the sugar mix into the pans lined with wax paper (don't do it without the wax paper) and flattened out with a rolling pin.  cut slices.  do this before the sugar hardens or you will be sorry you didn't............. :D

i put both pans in the oven at 170 d F, for about 6 hours. it wasn't enough. (the objective here is to dry out the water from the sugar so that the brick doesn't crack, break or crumble).  i left in oven overnight with just the oven light on.  this worked for the smaller cookie sheet, but not for the large sheet cake pan......this is about 1 and 1/2 inches thick? i put back in the oven just with the oven light on overnight........not dried/hardened, so i left the pan out for several days. (had the time and experiment).  once the sugar is completely hardened the slices can be lifted out.  (might have to slice again with a thin sharp knife to cut through the original slice and wax paper).

i think one can use the smaller weber aluminum grill pans, pie tins or even better paper plates.  just pile your mix on, and let dry in the oven either with some low heat for a number of hours or in the oven with just the light on. 

BRICK SUGAR RECIPE #2

a beek friend of mine uses a sugar recipe mix of 12 pounds of sugar to one cup of water. he mixes it up with or without essential oils, piles the sugar mix on pie tins/paper plates; forms/presses it down and leaves in the oven with the oven light on for 10-12 hours and the 'bricks' slide off the paper plates. 

i have not tried this yet.  again, i would guess it depends on how much sugar is in the tin/plate for the time to dry down so is easily slipped into a hive without breaking up and crumbling.   

hope this helps, and hope anyone who trys either of these methods will add to the thread..........!




Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Bakersdozen on November 03, 2016, 08:55:18 am
I am ready to make sugar bricks!  I have my honey b healthy freshly purchased and think I might try Jen's method of adding back honey into the sugar brick.   I have some honey that I harvested from last year that came from brood boxes.  I realized afterwards those frames had probably been exposed to mite treatments. So I have been saving it to feed back to the bees.
Not to get off subject... :o
I grew a bunch of lemongrass this year and wondered how to extract liquid from the stalks.  The only thing I can think of is grinding or pulverizing like sorghum.  I don't have a way to do that, soooo suggestions would be welcomed.
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Jen on November 03, 2016, 11:56:19 pm
Thanks River  :) 

Baker, I'm liking this recipe as well, and will add some honey too. I like the fact that this recipe will not be at boiling point which is kinda dangerous. I will be adding my own Honey Be Healthy too. I'm wondering can this recipe be made now, and then put into the freezer for use in December?

Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Bakersdozen on November 04, 2016, 02:55:53 am


Baker, I'm liking this recipe as well, and will add some honey too. I like the fact that this recipe will not be at boiling point which is kinda dangerous. I will be adding my own Honey Be Healthy too. I'm wondering can this recipe be made now, and then put into the freezer for use in December?

I think it will take longer in the oven as you will be adding more moisture.

river, is the blender really necessary for mixing lemon grass oil and water?
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on November 04, 2016, 07:12:33 pm
bakers~
let us know when ya figure out how to extract the lemongrass oil...........i googled it...... :D

jen~ the recipe can be made now; not sure of the need to freeze really because sugar doesn't go bad, it just hardens even more; just place in zippies in a cool dark place? (after they have hardened).  mine might go in the freezer as well, or i will just store in garage until needed.  my garage works for me, (unheated) not much room in the freezer.  extracts/oils do have a limited shelf life, but so very little in this recipe.  i would think, the bricks stored in a cool dry place you would be good?  i made mine sometime ago. when dried and hardened, placed in zippies; they have been stored in my garage since.  i just opened a couple today (out of the zippies) smell great! nice bricks! will be able to slip these in quickly without falling apart.

make sure they are dry before placing in the zippies and if you do, leave the zippies open until they are dry and hardened. 

i read this, does this make sense?........... :D

bakers~ the blender........
extract oil and water seem not mix well, (HBH probably no problem ?) i tried a hand mixer and then resorted to the blender.  not sure what the heck the blender does, but at 4 or 5 minutes seemed that the lemongrass oil mixed well and wasn't floating around on the top or as if not mixed in.

one drawback........if your blender is not glass, i discovered it stained it................AND my husband went to use it a week later and asked me if i had been drinking margaritas all day.......... :D :D :D

Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: CBT on November 04, 2016, 08:09:27 pm
I would like to try to make a cake with no water just honey, sugar honey bee healthy with no cooking.

Any  thoughts.

Back when I used to make HBH the glass blender emulsified the lecithin, and oils breaking them down to the point they won't separate.

Like the Brick #2 recipe. I'll let the honey be the liquid. I like the oven light. We use it to make yogurt.
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Bakersdozen on November 29, 2016, 09:03:40 pm
I thought I would share my experience making sugar bricks this weekend.  My first attempt was Riverbee's Recipe #1 Large Batch.  I pressed the sugar into pie tins.  All was fine, except for my crummy oven, and I set the smoke detector  off when they burned. My oven needs work.  It doesn't hold a steady temperature.  So, wanting to get some sugar bricks on the hives out in the country, I tried Riverbee's Recipe #2.  I adapted the recipe and used 4# of sugar, 1/3 cup water, 5 drops of Honey B Healthy and drizzled a little of my girl's own honey in as well.  I pressed my 2nd attempt into pie tins and barely turned the oven on.  This time I kept a close eye on the oven, used an oven thermometer, and propped the door open when it got too hot.  After about an hour or two, I shut the oven off and left them there to dry further and cool off over night.  Perfecto! 
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: LazyBkpr on November 29, 2016, 11:35:32 pm
Bakers;
    I stick a spoon or something to keep the oven door cracked open. Set it to 200 for an hour or so, then just shut it off and let everything cool overnight..
   The idea is to make it hot enough to evaporate the moisture.
  Glad to hear the second attempt worked!
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on November 29, 2016, 11:41:10 pm
bakers, thanks, does the HBH mix well, or did you use a blender like cbt mentioned to 'emulsify'?
i have used HBH in sugar syrup, but not sugar bricks, thanks in advance. did i make sense with my question? the lemon grass oil does not mix well so therefore the blender and my husband asking if i had been drinking margaritas when he took it out to use it...lol.....

i am getting ready to prepare a 2nd batch of sugar bricks, a just in case thing. my hives are still pretty heavy and have the 1st round of sugar bricks on in the shim. i might try your adaptation of recipe #2.

we have a newer kitchen aid oven, it did very well with temp at 170 d F for 6 hrs or so, and drying overnight with the light on.  my one batch of bricks were pretty thick, and i became impatient with having them in the oven (so as not to turn it on, forgetting they were in there and start the place on fire), so moved them out to dry just sitting out. i just kept the thicker bricks (formed in sheet cake aluminum) out for several days. recut the squares when i thought they were dry, and set them out on paper plates lined with wax paper to dry out even more.  i did this because i do not like trying to shove sugar bricks in a hive if they are crumbled in cold or very cold weather.  i want these bricks solid so i don't have to stress or mess with crumbling sugar trying to shove them quickly into a hive at temps below 40 d F. get in, get out.  i wanted these bricks in one piece, and they are.

also, i thought i would try using dixie brand/generic paper bowls (20 ounce) to pile the mixture in, press down even with the top, dry them out. when dried, these should flip out quite easily without breaking.  i can probably slip into the hive as i did with the original squares, just no cutting from a sheet and no wax paper. 

here are some pix i meant to post. these are the thicker bricks, (1 3/4 "  or more) once i dried out and cut, placed them on paper plates (to carry to the hive) placed in zippies and stored in paper box lids:

(https://s21.postimg.cc/s98dla5hf/IMG_1529.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/s98dla5hf/)

(https://s11.postimg.cc/ufs2tv9a7/IMG_1527.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/ufs2tv9a7/)

then i discovered i have a place to dry sugar bricks out and also store them, it will probably hold about 22 bricks or more, either to dry down or store.
don't complain about your oven bakers.........lol!
this is an old windsor desoto we have in the old farmhouse:

(https://s22.postimg.cc/7hlp3j7fh/IMG_1537.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/7hlp3j7fh/)
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Bakersdozen on November 30, 2016, 08:34:36 am
riverbee, I used my antique Sunbeam mixmaster mixer with original glass bowl.  4# of sugar is about the limit the bowl will hold.  The mix fit nicely into 4 pie tins about 3/4 inch thick.
I first added the water and HBH.  Not much mixing was required.  At least, I didn't do it.  Then I added the sugar.  I had to beat and scrape the sides of the bowl.  The honey was an after thought.  Next time I will add it with the water and HBH.  I bet I can incorporate more honey into the mix that way.  I beat until the mixture was equally moistened. 

I left the cakes in the pie tins until I reached the hives.  No crumbling.  I did notice the aroma of the HBH dissipated a little in the baking process.  I could still smell the HBH, as I drove, with the bricks in the trunk.  A bee picked up on the scent of the sack I had the tins in and tried to come home with me in the sack.

20 oz bowls sound pretty deep.  Will your shims accommodate something that deep?  I liked the idea of no cutting.  That's why I used the pie tins, which I had a bunch of old ones in the cupboard.  Also, I wanted to be able to install the bricks the next day and thought about 3/4 inch thick would be faster drying.  The weather was in the low 60s.  The next day the temperature dropped closer to normal.

Love that oven, river!  Does it work? 
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on December 01, 2016, 02:57:26 am
thanks bakers!

gotta love the mixmasters!  i am not sure what ours holds, it's a newer one, but i think about the same... 4 lbs? it sure 'beats' mixing this stuff up in a big bowl without it.  i might try the hbh, and i might try mixing some honey in the next batch. 

the 20 ounce bowls!  yes, i did think about whether the volume of a sugar brick of these would fit!..............my feeding shims/rims are about 2" deep.  these bowls are perfect. the depth?   to the top of the bowl, probably 1 3/4" -2", and the diameter about 6".  i wouldn't have to fill to the top. just fill to desired depth, no cutting!

the desoto?  (oven).........i am not sure if it works.......lol!  it's sort of an antique 'decoration' or conversation piece!  not even sure if i know how to work the thing!!!
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Jen on December 01, 2016, 12:29:42 pm
River and Baker ~ I don't have a mixmaster or kitchenaide. But I do have a good quality hand mixer that can mix as slowly as I want it to... would that work with #4 of sugar?
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Bakersdozen on December 01, 2016, 02:59:56 pm
I am sure it will.  It didn't really take that long either (thinking of your arm getting tired).   :)
My mixer was my grandmothers.  If it can do the job, a modern hand mixer should do the trick.
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.colbertiniglass.com%2Fkitchenware%2FSunbeam_Mixmaster_Mod_11_set_1.jpg&hash=0fdf11baab62bb77785059bcd240e47444ba9c99)
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Barbarian on December 01, 2016, 04:18:07 pm
This week I made some winter candy blocks from an old recipe.

By weight. 1 part water and 5 parts sugar.
Bring the water to boil then add the sugar. Whilst stirring continue heating until the sugar dissolves and the solution boils.
Boil for 2 minutes then test the solution by putting a little on a cold plate. If the cooled sample is sticky then boil a bit more. When a test sample is plastic go to the next stage.
Put the pot in a bowl/sink of cold water and stir the syrup vigorously.
When the solution starts to thicken, pour into some containers.  Allow to set and cool.

If I find a hive light when hefting, I will put a candy block over the open hole in the inner cover.
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Jen on December 01, 2016, 05:30:28 pm
Baker... Boy! that mixer could tell some stories  ;)  I would love to have one just like that. As a matter of fact, I try and find my smaller appliances at thrift shops now. The last blender I bought at Walmart was a cheap mess. I tossed it into the garbage and went to three thrift shops here in town and found an awesome Waring Solid State blender for $5. Purrs like a kitten, doesn't walk all over the counter and has a heavy glass pitcher. Ba Da Bing Baby!
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Bakersdozen on December 01, 2016, 08:05:14 pm
Jen, I know what you mean.  Stuff today is just cheap plastic.  When I spot glass milk bowls that go with this mixer at thrift stores, I almost always buy them.  Glass gets brittle with age, kids break them, you know the rest.  I am on my second set of beaters.   There is an appliance store that stocks parts for all kinds of appliances.  If they don't have it, they will order it.  I ordered my beaters there and it took at least 3 months for my beaters to come in.   ???
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: neillsayers on December 01, 2016, 08:17:23 pm
RB,
When you first posted this I copied and pasted it into a wp program.

I just realized I never got back to the thread and thanked you for it.

Thanks! :)
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Jen on December 01, 2016, 10:17:53 pm
Baker, my fav find is anything vintage Fire King, now there is a kitchen ware that really holds up.
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on December 01, 2016, 11:50:01 pm
neil, you are welcome! 

jen, about the hand mixer.......lol, slower speed i would guess! it should work!  like bakers said, i would think if mixing by hand, your arm would get a little on the tired side, the mixture....... it's just making sure the water and whatever you add is evenly distributed into the sugar. 

thats a great old sunbeam mixer bakers!!! 
the kitchen aid we have now has 3 different types of 'mixers/beaters', and the bowls are stainless.  i lent my mother mine from 30 years ago,(i think it was a sunbeam? haven't seen it since......... :)  had to get another.........amazing how many kitchen implements one collects just to make life simple in keeping bees! mixing syrup, candle making, sugar bricks............etc!

bakers, i was looking at these 20 oz bowls again, i think they will work! will let you know! beats cutting slices in a sheet and/or using pie tins. might have to not fill them so full, just enough to fit in the feeding rim/shim. 
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Jen on December 02, 2016, 12:13:15 am
River and Baker, I'm following along with your conversation regarding bowls and how tall to make the bricks. Can you please explain a little more about what you guys are pouring the sugar mixture into to get it to set overnight?

And how does it beat pie tins? Thanks
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on December 02, 2016, 12:55:16 am
jen, i used two different sheets, one was a regular large cookie sheet and the other was an aluminum sheet cake tin.  i liked the depth and length of the sheet cake tin.  i haven't used the pie tins.  with the sheets, (go back to my first post) make sure you cut/score your squares just after you pour your mixture in.  once dried, these squares will probably have to be cut again. it's sort of a pita.  i was looking for an easier way where i didn't have to cut/score, and just pile the sugar in something that i could easily dump out when dried.  the cookie sheet and sheet cake pan worked, i just was annoyed at having to recut the squares.  ;D paper plates, pie tins, or paper bowls would be great i think, cuz no cutting involved.  paper plates don't hold much even though they are a larger diameter, pie tins much better i would think......they are deeper than paper plates. the bowls i am going to try!

hope this helps?!

ps jen, the sugar won't dry overnight, depending on your method, what you are using, and how deep the container is..........
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Bakersdozen on December 02, 2016, 03:26:27 am
Jen, in the case of both recipes, I didn't "pour" the sugar into pie tins.  It wasn't liquid.  I used my hand to scoop it up and pressed it into pie tins.  The end result was, shall I say, fluffy?  Still very easy to do.
As for using pie tins, there is wasted space in the oven and storing.  On the other hand, using cookie sheet pans or jelly roll pans, would be more efficient use of space.  Perhaps that is what river is referring to.  You and I probably don't have as many hives as river and pie tins are fine.  I left my sugar bricks in the pie tins to transport them. 
I just realized that sugar bricks are similar to the molded sugar cake decorations I used to make 40 years ago.  If protected, those things lasted indefinitely.  I don't think anyone makes those anymore!  Out of style.

Jen, you are right about Fire King.  Good stuff!  I think I have a coffee cup or 2.
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Jen on December 02, 2016, 12:21:09 pm
Hi Baker  ;)  Usually I only have 2-3 hives, so pie tins worked well. But this year I'm wintering 3 hives and 4 nucs. So, I think the jelly roll pan would be more efficient. Or, even 13x9 tins side by side. 

Made up my HBH last night, and I will be adding 1 cup of honey to the batch as well.

Already have one dead out nuc. For the first time I will be feeding all winter. 
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on December 08, 2016, 11:51:33 pm
jen,
just make sure you cut/score the sugar squares well.........and you will probably have to cut them again once dried.
i am a little late to the reply here, but post back and give us an update on how your's turned out!
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Jen on December 08, 2016, 11:59:06 pm
Hi Riv, That is soo funny, I'm making them right now. I did the recipe with round pie tins this first time to get an idea of what one batch makes. I have 4 nucs, and three hives. So I scored two of the pie cakes so each nuc would get half of a pie cake. I really l like this recipe, so easy and can get done in one evening.

Sure thing, I will post back  8)
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on December 09, 2016, 01:08:33 am
lol jen.........thanks!  too funny you are mixing now!

the recipe is easy!
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Bakersdozen on December 09, 2016, 04:06:57 am
I have made 2 batches of recipe #2.  I have the oven thing down now and it has worked well for me.  The second time I mixed all my liquids, including some of my own honey,  thoroughly in the mixing bowl before adding the sugar.  4# of sugar at a time works well for me.  I am in no rush.  I end up with a very fluffy granular sugar consistency that is easier picked up by the hand and pressed into a pie tin.  After a couple of hours at 175 degrees and allowed to sit in the oven over night, I have rock solid bricks. 
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on December 10, 2016, 01:23:29 am
bakers, i had to go back and re-read your adaptation, from your post # 7..........

"I adapted the recipe and used 4# of sugar, 1/3 cup water, 5 drops of Honey B Healthy and drizzled a little of my girl's own honey in as well. "

for the 4 lbs of sugar, were your liquids the same?

i want to try this, and i like being able to put them in the oven for a couple hours or so at 175, then overnight with the light on to have rock solid bricks.  some of mine were so thick from recipe # 1 i had to let them dry out outside the oven.  worked but time consuming.
i want to try this, but instead of pie tins, i am going to use the dixie bowls.......lol, wish me luck!
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Bakersdozen on December 10, 2016, 07:24:18 am
river, the dixie bowls should work.  I think my bricks were ready after a couple of hours, but I let them remain in the oven overnight for insurance. 
Using the original recipe #2, I simply divided.  I believe the original called for 12# of sugar.  Since the sugar I had on hand was in 4# bags, I divided the rest of the ingredients by 3.  I didn't measure the amount of honey I added at the beginning with the rest of the liquids.  It was at least 1/2 to 1 cup of honey.  The more honey, the longer it will take to harden.  As you know, baking with honey, things stay softer for a longer period of time. 
Using recipe #1, that says to add 5 drops of Honey B Healthy, I thought that was a good idea too.
Recap:
1/3 cup of water
5 drops of Honey B Healthy
1/2 to 1 cup of your own honey
Mix the above ingredients.
Add:
4# sugar
Mix with mixer in bowl until liquid is thoroughly distributed.  The consistency will be fluffy and granular.  It is easily moved into a baking dish by hand. (You can actually pick it up)
I used pie tins to hold the sugar mix.  Place in 175 degree oven for 2-3 hours.  Turn oven off and allow to set in warm oven over night.   The end result should be rock hard. 

While our weather was still warm, I put a pie tin of this outside and the girls flocked to it. 
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Jen on December 10, 2016, 12:56:04 pm
Here's my sugar bricks. I made the 1 lb (2 cups) recipe 5 times, scooping sugar into each pie tin and pressing it into the tins firmly. I put 2 cups of sugar into a large bowl. Put 1 1/2 ounces of water into a small jar, added about 5ish drops of HBH into the water, put the lid on the jar and shook the jar real well. Poured the water solution into the sugar, mixed the sugar solution with my hands real well, then pressed it into the pie tins. Put into 170 oven for 1ish hours, then left the bricks in over overnight with oven light on. They came out very hard but breakable. Which is nice, because I can break them into pieces if I want, which helps with nucs.

It confounds me that the bees would eat this very hard sugar when really their mouths and probiscus is designed for liquid nectar and water. How do they manage eating hard candy? What is the science there?

(https://s18.postimg.cc/8w1lj33o5/DSCF2812.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/8w1lj33o5/)
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Some Day on December 10, 2016, 09:51:00 pm

It confounds me that the bees would eat this very hard sugar when really their mouths and probiscus is designed for liquid nectar and water. How do they manage eating hard candy? What is the science there?

(https://s18.postimg.cc/8w1lj33o5/DSCF2812.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/8w1lj33o5/)

I can help with the science since I have been married for 44 years.  The bees are female and it against their nature to allow anything like candy to be stored in the house.  The fastest way to rid the house is to consume the offending candy.  This is based on observation of my live-in queen.
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Jen on December 10, 2016, 10:15:11 pm
Some Day, my live-in drone would attest whole heartedly to your theory. You just may be on to something there  :)
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Bakersdozen on December 11, 2016, 06:22:00 am

It confounds me that the bees would eat this very hard sugar when really their mouths and probiscus is designed for liquid nectar and water. How do they manage eating hard candy? What is the science there?

(https://s18.postimg.cc/8w1lj33o5/DSCF2812.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/8w1lj33o5/)

I can help with the science since I have been married for 44 years.  The bees are female and it against their nature to allow anything like candy to be stored in the house.  The fastest way to rid the house is to consume the offending candy.  This is based on observation of my live-in queen.

Hey!  I resemble that!   ;D  Speaking of which, where are all the tasty posts about Holiday candy and cookies?
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Lburou on December 11, 2016, 01:35:06 pm
Jen, I've read the bees produce a liquid that allows their mouthparts to process the raw sugar.  :)
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Jen on December 11, 2016, 02:18:14 pm
Lee, that would make sense, in that they have the capability to convert the granuals
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Lburou on December 11, 2016, 03:28:54 pm
Jen, I did some reading since my last post and was reminded that they produce a liquid to eat the granules when the hive is otherwise dry and there is no source of water (when they can't fly because of the cold).  In preferred circumstances, the hive will have a water source or condensation to help process the granules...much better for the bees.  :)
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Jen on December 12, 2016, 12:27:55 pm
That's good to know Lee, and we are going to have a rainy winter  :)
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Bakersdozen on January 17, 2017, 07:46:35 am
I prepared some more sugar bricks yesterday to have on hand.  Later in the day, when the temperature reached 50 F. I decided to lift the lid on the hives to see how the emergency food was holding up.  Glad I did as one colony was running low.  I slid in a sugar brick and closed up shop.  Then I went and checked on an out apiary.  In between rain drops I quickly peeked in and found one colony low on emergency food. 
I am concerned about one colony that was a swarm I lured.  I found some alive bees and some frozen bees in there.
The bees are definitely consuming the sugar bricks.   
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Jen on January 17, 2017, 02:16:12 pm
Hi Baker, I'm on my second batch of sugar cakes. My 3 big hives haven't bothered with the cakes too much. But my nucs are dining on them, some more than others. And I to have seen frozen bees at the cakes  :sad:
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on January 17, 2017, 05:19:40 pm
thanks for the updates bakers and jen.........mine are still good to go, i have extra bricks ready to go if need be.  it's been so very cold here.  mine are still heavy with bricks on top.  i haven't made any extra yet out of the paper bowls bakers. i will if need be.  haven't been able to lift the lid to peek in with our sub zero temps.  i like to quickly peek in on a warmer day if the hive seems light and/or check the bricks on top, and add if needed.

 
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Bakersdozen on January 17, 2017, 09:04:15 pm
That's what I did, river.  Quick check.
Our fall was so warm I think my hives ate a lot of their stores.  Tomorrow is going to be 50F.  It should be 38F.  That's hives that are not going to be clustered when it would be if temps were normal.  Well all were alive on MLK day.  We have almost another month before pollen sources are available here.
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on January 18, 2017, 08:40:38 pm
our fall was warm too bakers, but i also had the best late blooms in a number of years here.  most of mine were heavy after the bloom quit and we went into cold weather. even though they were heavy (all but one) i still put the bricks on all, just insurance, and added another round early december i think?  they'll move around in 50 degree weather, and you would probably find them on the sugar if you peeked in.  i love these feeding rims/shims.  to me it seems the bees 'like' the extra cluster space with the sugar bricks in place.
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS Sma
Post by: Bakersdozen on January 19, 2017, 08:24:13 am
i love these feeding rims/shims.  to me it seems the bees 'like' the extra cluster space with the sugar bricks in place.
I have shims on all my hives this year. I like the ventilation, access for the bees to take cleansing flights, and the ease of adding food in a pinch.
I think those stinkin' SHB like shims as well!   :o While I was slipping sugar bricks into the tops of my colonies I removed the telescoping lid of one hive to see 6-10 SHB that the bees had chase to the top.  They were froze to death or almost dead around the handle hole of the inner cover.  Smash! Smash!
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: LazyBkpr on January 20, 2017, 08:51:26 pm
Looking forward to getting back to Iowa to check on my bees and see if they need more sugar (I THINK)
    Excellent post as I am still getting questions about wintering bees and sugar cakes, even 1500 miles away from home.   Makes it easy to say...  GO HERE and do a search for Sugar Bricks!
   Hopefully some of those referrals will stay a while!
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on January 24, 2017, 12:08:34 am
thanks scott, this is a good thread on sugar bricks, lot's of good info.
safe travels, thanks for checking in!

bakers........
Smash! Smash!

i talked to jack, told me how many hives he had lost to those little buggers or found dead outs with shb in them.  i am grateful that we do not have this problem.
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on September 18, 2017, 10:02:18 pm
i decided to get ahead of things this season so i started my sugar bricks this year so i have them when i need them and can dry them out if need be beyond the oven.

the recipe i use is in post #1 for 5 lbs of sugar at a time using a mix master.  the only thing i did different was use 20 ounce paper bowls to form the sugar bricks in and mash the sugar mix in tightly. the paper bowls are now drying out in the oven...........well, they are microwave safe...... :D
as a former fire investigator, i was wondering how much heat would ignite a paper bowl full of sugar at 170 dF............ :D
lol, i placed 6 of these bowls on a very large cookie sheet with aluminum foil down on the sheet that was cut long enough on all sides to fold up above the bowls.  not sure i am making sense? so surrounded the bowls so they don't burn or light on fire from the edges............ :D

will take a pic........ ;D




Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on October 17, 2017, 10:59:53 pm
i am behind on posting pix for my sugar bricks (and many other things............. :D)
anyway these are the sugar bricks i mixed up from my last post in 20 ounce paper bowls.  these slide out of the bowl very easily, no cutting, no crumbling or breaking, no wax paper, and can quickly place in a hive. the heat from the oven at 170 as i did it, did not affect or start the bowls on fire or crisp them a burning brown edge. maybe with an older oven it might?   

(https://s1.postimg.cc/589h5wlpq3/sugar_bricks_1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/589h5wlpq3/)

(https://s1.postimg.cc/4qjfhbkrkr/sugar_bricks_2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/4qjfhbkrkr/)

i can fill them to the top, but didn't for the first round, just wanted to see how well these paper bowls worked.  they work great!


Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: yukonjeff on October 19, 2017, 02:02:58 pm
I made sugar bricks last year and found the easiest way is to put dry sugar in a garbage bag and then use a spray bottle and moisten the sugar one spray at a time and mix the sugar in the bag. This works great, and don't add too much liquid at once.I made a few last night and they are dry this morning (no baking, no mess) I use a cap full of cider vinegar and water for liquid.
I use the biggest pie tins I can find so to cover the top bars as much as I can.

(https://i.imgur.com/bP0QLMr.jpg)

Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on October 19, 2017, 10:36:16 pm
jeff thanks for the pic!  that looks great!

in the past (i think pix on this thread) used a very large square baking sheet and just let them dry out, takes time and my 2 large baking sheets were out of service until the square bricks dried. it can be very humid here so a jump start on the drying process, even put them in a room with a dehumidifier. so this year i used the 20 ounce bowls, can dump about 6 of them in a hive.  jump started the drying process by putting them in the oven, probably didn't need to. i did additional sugar bricks in these bowls, just let them dry down, without putting them in the oven. what i like about this recipe is no messing around, mix it up, drop it in/pack it down and smooth it out in whatever, let it dry down and.......sugar bricks! if one needs bricks sooner, you will have to dry them down in the oven.

so another method added to our arsenal of winter feeding bees!
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: yukonjeff on October 20, 2017, 05:18:54 am
Thanks
I have 26% humidity in the house now with my wood stove going. I am also able to flip the half dry bricks out of the tin onto cardboard and speeds up the drying time considerably. 
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Bakersdozen on November 23, 2018, 05:27:50 pm
As I was making sugar bricks today, I thought this might be a good time to refresh this thread.  riverbee has posted a dandy recipe or two.  Others have chimed in with thoughts and pointers.  I usually don't worry about sugar bricks this early in the winter but we had a severe drought this summer and some of my hives are light.  I recommend doing a frequent "heft" test to see if your hives have enough winter stores.
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: neillsayers on November 23, 2018, 07:09:40 pm
I checked mine a few days ago while it was a little warm out. They were still taking syrup so I left the feeders on but I will pull them soon and put sugar cakes on for insurance- then hope for the best. :)
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: riverbee on November 23, 2018, 08:52:54 pm
"As I was making sugar bricks today, I thought this might be a good time to refresh this thread.  riverbee has posted a dandy recipe or two.  Others have chimed in with thoughts and pointers.  I usually don't worry about sugar bricks this early in the winter but we had a severe drought this summer and some of my hives are light.  I recommend doing a frequent "heft" test to see if your hives have enough winter stores."

a great time to refresh the thread! go to the first post and read on. sugar bricks are it and are easy! no fussin' with boiling sugar on the stove and this works to give your bees some emergency feed!
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Mikey N.C. on January 07, 2019, 11:36:21 am
Checked my hives yesterday.  I installed shims and 2 , 9" pie tin sugar cakes in each at the end of Nov.  We were going to have nights below freezing and 40's°f in the day. Knowing I'd be out of town for a couple of weeks.  Then it got unseasonably warm. Yesterday was
68-70°f , bees had eaten 2/3's of pies. I installed more cakes.
Title: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: Zweefer on January 09, 2019, 09:35:22 pm
We had temps in the 40’s here (unseasonably warm - the girls were even taking cleansing flights!) so I popped my head in to check... glad I did! They were through my most of my emergency feed already. Not sure if it is warm weather, or they just funneled straight up bypassing most of the honey (didn’t go into the hive at all to investigate, just took top off to check feed) but I had to replace bricks already. Please don’t forget to check the hives periodically and replace as needed!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: rober on March 21, 2019, 09:04:34 am
baker- I have that same mixer with the meat grinder & juicer attachments. I also have an earlier model that was my grandma's. I licked a lot of spoons when she fired that one up.
after leaving a mess on the stove I no longer do anything syrup, candy, or honey related in the kitchen. you can buy a paint or drywall mixer that fits in a drill & do your mixing in a bucket. I have some 2" deep baking pans I got at goodwill. Costco sells disposable aluminum pans in bundles of 10(?) & if your careful you can reuse them. I spray them lightly with bake release. when I overturn them on hive the brick falls right out.
Title: Re: SUGAR BRICKS
Post by: MudSongs on July 23, 2019, 10:42:08 am
I wrote a post a while back about how I make sugar bricks, which seems similar to the sugar bricks discussed in this thread.

https://mudsongs.org/feeding-my-bees-in-the-wintertime-with-sugar-bricks/

It's very simple:  mix 12 parts sugar with 1 part water.  That's it.  Then let it harden overnight in an oven with just the light on.  Sometimes it takes a second night to fully harden, or just left out on the counter.  Pollen supplement, essential oils, honey, etc can be added if desired, but it's essentially a 12 to 1 sugar to water ratio.  No cooking involved.  Nothing fancy.

I hate baking sugar or heating syrup for any reason.  I settled on this method of winter feeding because it's the quickest and easiest for me and seems to work just as well or better other methods I've tried (including the "Mountain Camp" method).

The post goes into all the details, but here's the video that quickly summarises the process:

https://youtu.be/evho8MQwitU?list=PLGZyZ03BR2AKSauyq8lwL1IrK_3hlPjxD

--------

yukonjeff seems to deal with many of the same conditions I do on the east coast of Newfoundland.  I'm in the process of reading through most of his posts on this forum.  Lots of good stuff.  I've been out the beekeeping loop for the past 2 years because of an accident.  The information and discussions on this forum are serving well to bring me back into the fold.