how to render honey from decapping combs?

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Dieter
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how to render honey from decapping combs?

Unread post by Dieter »

When you de-cap combs there can still be a lot of honey mixed in with the wax.
How do you best salvage this honey, or how else to make the best use of it?
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Allen Dick
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Re: how to render honey from decapping combs?

Unread post by Allen Dick »

The easiest? Wash them in clean water and use the resulting syrup for making mead.

Melt what is left of the cappings after two or three rinsings before it, too, starts to ferment.

Discard or bake with the small amount of remaining honey after melting.
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Countryboy
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Re: how to render honey from decapping combs?

Unread post by Countryboy »

It depends on how much cappings you have. (I trust you have let the cappings sit on a queen excluder to drip out as much honey as possible. I've heard of folks putting a light bulb over the cappings to warm them up so they drip out better.) If you only have a small amount, spread the cappings in a couple lids that are upside down, and put the cappings where the bees can access them. The bees will clean up all the honey in the cappings.
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Re: how to render honey from decapping combs?

Unread post by Allen Dick »

I used to just put them into a pot or pail and place them in the kitchen oven at about 160 degrees F, stirring occasionally until all the wax melted, then set the pot aside for the wax to harden into a cake on top.

I also had an old refrigerator with some light bulbs inside on a thermostat that keep the heat under control to do the same job. The thermostat is not necessary if you have the right bulb wattage, but when the wax is melted and you are not there the temperature may soar.

Beeswax melts at 142 F as I recall.
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karen
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Re: how to render honey from decapping combs?

Unread post by karen »

I use two five gallon buckets, one with a big hole in the lid and the other with holes in the bottom. Put the cappings in the bucket with the holes in the bottom and set this on the second bucket with the lid that has a large hole. Put it in a warm area and let it sit for a week. I also use paint straining bags that line five gallon buckets.
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Dieter
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Re: how to render honey from decapping combs?

Unread post by Dieter »

Making mead faces two potholes:
1. I tried that before and was not impressed. But maybe because I did not put any effort into it. Just took the syrup added Campden tablets and later yeast (1118) and let it go. Where would I find some more sophisticated recipes?
2. The mead will have to compete with my cherry wine. Regardless of how often I assure everyone that this year's vintage was a failure nobody believes me. The crowd continues to line up. Maybe I can divert them away with mead?
Again, where do I find some promising recipes?
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Re: how to render honey from decapping combs?

Unread post by Allen Dick »

Have you tried searching this site?

Search Results for "mead recipe"
http://www.honeybeeworld.com/searchresu ... 7365065j15
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