Help ! - My honey is rock solid !!

Granulation is a natural process relating to the crystallisation of the glucose in honey. In fact, most honey is liable to granulate / crystallise at some point. Crystallisation is not a deterioration, but a natural property of pure honey.

It does not affect its quality but is rather an indication of it.

Granulated Honey - the science

Honey is a supersaturated solution of glucose, fructose and other sugars. This supersaturated state occurs because there is so much sugar in honey (more than 70%) relative to the water content (less than 20%). Glucose tends to precipitate out of solution and the solution changes to the more stable saturated state.

Dependent on its natural origin and chemical composition, honey crystallises rapidly, slowly or, sometimes, not at all. The main factors affecting crystallisation are:

• Glucose concentration: High concentration of glucose in honey favours rapid crystallisation, especially when it exceeds 30%
• Water: Honey generally contains an amount of water (moisture) of less than 20%. The lower it is, the more quickly honey will crystallise, especially when the moisture level drops below 14%
• Condensation nuclei: Additional properties such as pollen, wax, glucose crystals function as nuclei on which other glucose crystals stick, thus accelerating crystallisation.
• Storage temperature: The temperature favouring crystallisation of honey is that of 14°C. Correspondingly higher temperatures delay crystallisation and increase the mobility of the different molecules.

So it is easy to see that honey that has been processed (for example through heating and mechanical filtering) will remain in liquid form due to the elimination of the particles which encourage the development of glucose crystals while raw honey with its natural properties and filtration will be more liable to crystallise.

Re-liquefying granulated / crystallised honey

There are many and various tips and tricks out there for the reliquefication of honey. The two most common methods are

1. Immersing the jar in hot water

Honey can be brought back to its liquid form and consistency by heating it gently in a Bain Marie (simpler still, just stand the jar in a container of pre-warmed water). In both cases, the water temperature should ideally not go beyond 40ºC so as to prevent overheating. Stir the honey periodically to help distribute the heat, and break down crystals.

2. Microwave

So, in the spirit of not overheating, some caution is required here, but this is the technique we use. It's quicker, cleaner and simpler. Choose a low-ish setting (e.g. 360 watts), remove the lid, and microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each blast. You'll probably find you don't need to do this more than a couple of times. Simples.

Either way, heating should always be done gently and with caution so that the nutritional value of honey is not lost! 

Overheating honey for any length of time will reduce its quality, destroy the enzymes, make it would lose its delicate flavour and aroma, and destroy the minerals. To get a bit more scientific here, prolonged/intense heating will result in the formation of a compound called Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). Some folk choose not to microwave, as (if not done incrementally, or at low power) if would have the tendency to quickly heat the honey to quite high temperatures. Gratifyingly, though, research indicates that microwaving does not have a material impact on HMF content (see https://www.agriculturejournals.cz/publicFiles/55646.pdf) ... so we think it's best all round.