I can’t comment on the taste having gone but the smell certainly will be gone. Guess I’m too old to suck my thumb these days. It is a reaction that I can’t explain but it works with even low grade stainless steel.
Cheers Possum 
If you keep it in the freezer, it should stay liquid for the show. Freezing stops the crystallization. 
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Was referring to the previous discussion about whether steel can impart a metallic taste to honey, and thinking it’s ironic (
) that many of us detect this, yet there’s “no” possibility, while it also removes other smells 
…just sayin’
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i was actually referring to Stainless Steel 316 and not just “steel”. 316 Stainless Steel can not be corroded or dissolved by acids so I can’t figure how it can transfer a taste. It would be interesting to do a taste test of the 85 guys at the Men’s Shed of honey from the same hive my normal processed honey V’s plastic extracted honey before jarring in a taste test.
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Wow! @Semaphore. I’ve never even seen honey at 14%!
We rarely get under 16% here. Do you think it’s because it’s been in the hive for so long?
I also wonder if it would flow out of a flow frame. Possibly not without leaking, if at all.
Would freezing the honey prevent deterioration in all ways?
If you want to preserve it for the Royal show, you best freeze it anyway. It’s some time away, isn’t it?
Please inform us of the show outcome.
I thought honey too dense gets minus points, as well as honey too thin.
I just harvested a frame that refilled in 2 weeks and that honey has a beautiful passion fruit taste. Unfortunately at 17% won’t stand a chance in a honey competition. I never tasted honey as beautiful as this. I’m sure it’s from the jaboticaba the bees were so frantically visiting, despite so much else around.
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have wondered if it is so thick because it was in the hive so long- I am pretty sure most of the honey was there in the supers for 10 month at least- and some of it for 20 months maybe. It’s also much darker than what we normally get in the suburbs which tends to be medium amber. I think it would have had trouble flowing out of a flow frame- or at the least taken a long long time. Some of it had candied in the hive- just a little.
yes- it’s practically a year till the next show- one of the categories is naturally crystallized honey so in a way if I leave it and it does crystallize- if the cystals are small making it smooth- then I could enter it like that. I’ve had flow honey candy almost as if it was creamed honey all by itself- and that stuff wins shows! Otherwise I could gently warm it before entering it next year. Or freeze it
When I filtered it I put it in the car on a hot day all day- and then was able to filter it easily- it flowed- but as soon as it cooled it ‘set’ like molasses again. I’m not sure if that thick is marked up or down in shows- in one way I have heard that the less water the better- and I have won some first places with honey that was 15%. I find thick honey has an amazing impressive mouhtfeel as it slowly melts int he mouth. A bit of ‘wow’.
I don’t think we have the ‘bubble test’ category- if we did I am sure I’d have a good chance- i reckon a bubble might take a year to move through this stuff.
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I don’t think they did the bubble test at the Congress honey comp. At least there wasn’t a mark for it on the judges’ sheets.
Viscosity is judged, so if it doesn’t flow at all, it may be judged down.
I have no idea really, but unless it’s creamed, they look for a certain viscosity.
I missed out on 3rd by just half a point at the Congress, but had full marks on flavour on all my entries. That’s something. Guess it’s hard to beat an apimondia first place cradle mountain leatherwood honey any time.
Glad you are sharing your experiences with competitions. It’s providing fun and excitement getting your area’s honey recognized in some way.
Hope this jaboticaba flavour put itself down in some more of my hives and I can harvest it at lower water content. It’ll beat any leatherwood.
But, as it goes, it may be carambola. In any case, it surely isn’t any eucalyptus. But so many things are flowering now, single source would be hard to determine.
I’m trying to sort some honey to enter for the next apimondia honey comp.
Hello there, I am a newbie and would love to get in touch with a member - Semaphore, am I allowed to do this ? I live in the area and was hoping to have a chat. Can someone advise me how to do this please ?
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Sure Pinky I’m sure Jack or, @Semaphore would love to help if he is in the area. If you like you can send private messages (PM), just click on the persons name and select Message.
Oh and welcome to the forum
Thank you so much skeggley…I think I have privately messaged Jack, bit hopeless with these kind of things, just watched a video…totally mesmerizing…these little bees are amazing. Thanks for the welcome. 