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Author Topic: Storing honey  (Read 17274 times)

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Offline pistolpete

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #20 on: September 09, 2014, 11:23:57 pm »
the issue with the large storage tank is: how do you get crystallised honey out of it.   You'd have to roll it into your hot tub for a couple of days.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #21 on: September 09, 2014, 11:28:40 pm »
Good point Pete! Never thought of that
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Offline Perry

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #22 on: September 10, 2014, 06:37:00 am »
Quote from: pistolpete on September 09, 2014, 11:23:57 pm
the issue with the large storage tank is: how do you get crystallised honey out of it.   You'd have to roll it into your hot tub for a couple of days.
That's one of the things holding me back. Old milk tanks used to have lines runnings through them to keep the milk cool, and by simply using heated water one could warm honey enough to keep it flowing, but this tank does not have that.
The 45 gallon (55 US) drums are sounding more and more like the way to go. Heated belts are over $200, but you only need one or two I suppose.
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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #23 on: September 10, 2014, 10:37:02 am »
Hey Rat, 3600lbs + plus Perry's weight :o are you sure 6 in. of concrete would work ???. Jack ;D
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Offline iddee

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #24 on: September 10, 2014, 10:59:20 am »
Hey Rat, 3 lbs + plus Perry's weight  :o  are you sure 6 in. of concrete would work   :D :D :D
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Offline Perry

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #25 on: September 10, 2014, 11:59:55 am »
Quote from: brooksbeefarm on September 10, 2014, 10:37:02 am
Hey Rat, 3600lbs + plus Perry's weight :o are you sure 6 in. of concrete would work ???. Jack ;D

Jack, Jack, Jack!  :P


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Offline apisbees

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #26 on: September 16, 2014, 07:30:36 pm »
A warming cabinet that the drum can be wheeled into will work. but a drum full of honey 650 lb. rocked back onto 2 wheels of a barrel truck you need a solid floor to support the weight under the small surface area of the wheels. Another 3/4 on top of what you already have. and then there is you will need to configure a pump to pump the honey out of the drum or a tipping system to dump it in the sump and pump from it. the next thing to consider is the honey will have to be dealt with 600 + lbs at a time. With out a level loading dock or fork lift the barrels will need to stay in the honey house until emptied and wont be stack-able.
5 gal Can pails brings the storage weight down to 66 lbs each they can be stacked moved to other areas for storage can be liquefy as needed to fill the bottling tank and orders.
In a large honey house I would say barrels but in your limited space I would stick with pails for now. You got to learn to walk before you can run.
My two cents.
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Offline lazy shooter

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #27 on: September 17, 2014, 08:48:05 am »
If you store honey in a barrel, and then take it out of the barrel, how do you clean the inside of the barrel before the next honey crop is stored in the barrel?  Do you have to clean it if you assume all honey is sterile?  Just another question to be ask.
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Offline apisbees

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #28 on: October 20, 2014, 02:57:14 pm »
Because barrels will rust if the inside paint is scuffed a lot of beekeepers use plastic bag barrel liners. If the barrel is sealed to keep bees and dust from getting in, then washing is not necessary, but the remaining honey will granulate and the next honey stored in the barrel will granulate sooner.
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Offline Perry

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #29 on: October 20, 2014, 06:33:34 pm »
There is one larger keep near here that stopped using those barrel liners because they had a few melt using the drum heaters!  :o
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Offline Alleyyooper

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #30 on: October 21, 2014, 08:24:51 am »
One of my friend a way bigger operator than we are has two 500 gallon dairy bulk tanks. One he has in the heated part of his honey house and is plumed into a bottling tank. The other is in a non heated section but has a water jacket and he uses it to fill the 55 gallon drums his commercial buyers want.
I have a 250 gallon bulk tank with a water jacket and I left the paddles and motor hooked up. When heating the honey with the water jacket after a bit I turn on the motor for the paddles so it stirs the honey making it liquid faster.
Ours is still plumbed at 1 1/2 inch reducing down to 3.4 inch so we can fill bottles from it or flip a valve and do pails.

 :)   Al
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Offline Zweefer

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #31 on: October 22, 2014, 12:59:52 pm »
Photos!
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Offline Alleyyooper

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #32 on: October 22, 2014, 01:33:26 pm »
Still on the trailer. can't seem to find set up picture.



 :)  Al
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Offline Perry

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #33 on: October 22, 2014, 02:46:33 pm »
Ahhh, there's something about shiny steel.  :yes: ;D :laugh:












 
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Offline Marbees

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #34 on: October 22, 2014, 04:11:36 pm »
Not having a dedicated building yet (honey house) I found that 5 gallon pails are, for the time being, the best solution for me.
Hope to have stainless drums by the time I build a honey house, so no liners and headaches associated with them.
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Offline Perry

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #35 on: October 22, 2014, 04:39:51 pm »
Actually Marbees, having looked into the whole scenario, I have decided for the next while at least, to go with the standard 30 lb honey pail. Easy to move, easy to warm if granulated (heating cabinet), easy to store.
I have one 45 gallon stainless steel drum, and now that I have it filled, it is immovable. I am scrambling to empty it asap so that it doesn't set up on me. I have seen some fairly large beeks do the pail thing, I saw one fellow that had a room full, floor to ceiling, with 30 lb pails. I am at 65 hives, and if I ever have a dedicated "proper" honey house I may reconsider at that time but for now the pails are working out fine.
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #36 on: October 22, 2014, 08:36:57 pm »
Pails are good, selling to bulk buyer in 55 gallon drums, everything else, stacked in 5 gallon buckets. I have a 20 gallon and a 55 gallon settling tank. I dont try to move either of those.. But a 55 gal barrel of honey must be moved with a hand truck designed for that purpose..   Roll it to the back door, slide in tractor bucket to lift....

   Maybe we should figure on a road trip next summer for the barn raising!
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Offline apisbees

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #37 on: October 23, 2014, 06:24:40 pm »
Be cautious on the storage of the plastic pails. Keep them out of the direct sun light as most of the white food grade pails do not have UV filter chemicals in the plastic so the plastic will break down, become brittle, and can crack or break. It kind of implodes and 30 lbs of honey oozing across the floor and under things is not a good time.
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #38 on: October 24, 2014, 12:46:02 am »
i have never kept or stored my pails in direct sunlight.
i have never had a problem with plastic food grade 5 gallon pails/buckets for honey storage  (purchased from my supplier) but  i do keep them away from and out of sunlight.  i have kept them in an exterior storage  area (garage)  year round, and during extreme high (summer) and low (winter sub-zero) temps for extended periods  and have never experienced a problem with these pails or lids becoming brittle or cracking.

i have had buckets of honey on my kitchen floor due to other reasons...... :D
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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: Storing honey
« Reply #39 on: October 24, 2014, 11:00:30 am »
Perry and i are thinking you had the honey buckets on the floor so you could reach and get honey from them, Squirt. :laugh: :laugh: Jack
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