Beekeeping Blogs

We have made use of that meal to present containers of Creamed Honey to our family and friends for vacation presents over the last a long period.

This present year isn't any exclusion, we began a batch of Creamed Honey through equivalent meal to provide as gift suggestions, and it's really currently into the mini-fridge resting at 55-57*F, controlled with a Raspberry Pi (more on that in a bit).

Even as we had been getting ready to start another group (to ensure we had adequate to go around) we wondered about making flavored Creamed Honey such as for example raspberry, blueberry or strawberry.

We had been in a position to locate freeze dried raspberries, blueberries and strawberries at a nearby store. We utilized freeze-dried fruit making sure that there is no extra moisture put into the honey blend, whereas fruit would substantially raise the moisture content of honey and alter the crystallization process.

Additionally, I've changed how I warm honey to remove the crystals. In place of using a large mixing bowl haphazardly suspended over a cooking pot of boiling water, I discovered we have a large cooking pot with an internal strainer (We make use of it to prepare spaghetti to keep the noodles off the bottom of the cooking pot and give a wide berth to all of them from burning, although I'm sure it has a number of other uses).

My brand-new technique is to place the containers of honey to the strainer container and fill the pot with enough liquid to rise several ins within the jars.

I turn the kitchen stove onto medium-high heat and invite it to heat the containers carefully until they reach 140*F.

When warmed we permitted the jars to sweet back below 80*F after which blended in the tastes and Creamed Honey beginner seed.

We added an adequate amount of the taste until the colour of the honey turned an excellent deep color.

We included covers toward jars and put them into the cooler to stay for two weeks. We did just one 4 oz jar of each and every flavor for a feel for how strong/weak the flavoring is.

Pictured above trying from remaining to right is: raspberry, blueberry, strawberry and triple berry.

Here is the dish we utilized:

4 oz of Beeson Honey

0.5 - 0.75 Tbsp Creamed Honey (as starter/seed)

In two days we will sample it and I'll update you as to how the taste, texture and meal worked out!

Today for those who are interested in Raspberry Pi (maybe not the kind you'll consume, that is spelled Pie), a quick section on what i obtained my refrigerator to put up regular at 55-57*F.

When utilizing an analog thermometer design refrigerator, I used to have to set the fridge's thermometer to 1.5 "snowflakes" and then close the door and invite the refrigerator to acclimate every day and night, start the fridge simply take a reading, adjust the switch and keep trying until it presented at 55-57*F.

That took 2-3 times and ended up being boring.

Instead, i have recently taken a learning to the Raspberry Pi, credit cards sized computer system on a chip. I coupled the Pi with a stainless-steel thermometer, Liquid Crystal Display display and 110 volt relay that I can used to specifically control the heat for the refrigerator, instead of guessing what each "snowflake" regarding analog dial represented.

The best thing about this task, is i did not need reduce wires, exercise holes, or alter the fridge by any means, except we unplugged it from the wall surface, and plugged it into the 110 volt relay connected to the Raspberry Pi's.

I became able to slip the thermometer into the hinge of the door, the rubberized gasket created appropriate across the line and stopped environment from moving in/out associated with refrigerator.

I used an LCD screen to ensure that i possibly could tell exactly what the precise temperature was within the refrigerator without needing to simply take a manual reading, and could quickly tell if the relay was on/off, thus providing energy (or no power) towards fridge.

Into the picture below I'd the temperature put reduced to help keep specific beverages "frosty" cold. For the Creamed Honey, we re-adjusted the heat to a warmer array of 55-57*F.

The tutorial for the way I made the setup is away from range of this bee weblog, but for fun here are a couple pictures. If you'd like details, programs, backlinks to buy your very own equip, etc., go ahead and email myself.