strange honey texture (organic, bottle, sugar, better)

[snowmountains]

I bought several bottles of the same honey (labeled as raw honey), but one bottle is very strange. It's not as liquid as the others, but all like sugar crystals, a whole bottle of sugar paste, extra thick, even in warm (summer) room temperature. What's going on? Is honey supposed to be like this sometimes, or it's not pure and are composed of cane sugar? (it's like cane sugar paste) All the other bottles are normal.

[burdell]

Originally Posted by ssww

I bought several bottles of the same honey (labeled as raw honey), but one bottle is very strange. It's not as liquid as the others, but all like sugar crystals, a whole bottle of sugar paste, extra thick, even in warm (summer) room temperature. What's going on? Is honey supposed to be like this sometimes, or it's not pure and are composed of cane sugar? (it's like cane sugar paste) All the other bottles are normal.

Although IIRC I have seen some who advise against it it seems most are OK with de-crystallizing honey.


How to Decrystallize Honey: 11 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

[snowmountains]

But what caused it? I kept all of them the same way, first in the refrigerator when not opened, then out on the counter. Why this particular bottle? (and do I know if it's not cane sugar?)

Btw, it doesn't look like in the pictures you linked. It's complete ultra thick crystal paste, like when you put a lot of cane sugar in a jar then pour some water, but not enough water, so they don't melt but just become sticky paste. The crystals are very obvious.

[burdell]

Originally Posted by ssww

But what caused it? I kept all of them the same way, first in the refrigerator when not opened, then out on the counter. Why this particular bottle? (and do I know if it's not cane sugar?)

Btw, it doesn't look like in the pictures you linked. It's complete ultra thick crystal paste, like when you put a lot of cane sugar in a jar then pour some water, but not enough water, so they don't melt but just become sticky paste. The crystals are very obvious.

While not bought at the same time I've had the exact same brand of honey react entirely differently to the same storage conditions. Just a gas but given how honey is produced I'd think there are chemical variations between different hives, batches, etc.. My guess is it doesn't take very much variation in sugar content for crystallization to occur in some batches and not others. I do recall reading that honey never actually goes bad, that there has been some recovered that was thousands of years old and was still edible.

[Murk]

That happens to honey sometimes. Honey is actually naturally crystallized in the hive.

From what I've read, it has to do with temperature and the glucose vs. fructose levels... basically stemming from what the bees ate.

[snowmountains]

Thanks both. I just did a lot more search and confirms what you said. Seems honey that crystalizes may be even better, because it may be purer.

[fibonacci]

Is it unfiltered/raw honey? If it is unfiltered it may have pollen in it.

[WoodstockSchool1980]

If it gets cold, it is a lot more likely to crystallize. Once it crystallizes, it tends to stay that way.
Chances are there's nothing bad about that bottle of honey.

Heat it up in warm water.

[snowmountains]

Originally Posted by ssww

Thanks both. I just did a lot more search and confirms what you said. Seems honey that crystalizes may be even better, because it may be purer.

I meant to write "I just did a little more search"... not a lot at all

Originally Posted by fibonacci

Is it unfiltered/raw honey? If it is unfiltered it may have pollen in it.

Yes, organic raw honey, not sure if filtered or not. Main thing is (as said above), this is the only bottle with this problem---however, it's also the last bottle, so it had stayed in the refrigerator for longer; maybe that explains it.

Originally Posted by WoodstockSchool1980

If it gets cold, it is a lot more likely to crystallize. Once it crystallizes, it tends to stay that way.
Chances are there's nothing bad about that bottle of honey.

Heat it up in warm water.

Thanks. Actually, I don't mind the paste form. It's easier to use spoon without dripping

[AngelWingDesigns]

All honey will eventually crystallize (there's only a few i that won't) raw honey will crystallize much quicker.