What Does the Novice Beekeeper Need to Know?

Number 8

BOTTLING HONEY

"And Why"

What process are you going to use? What equipment?

What is you market clientele? Are you targeting people who just want bulk honey? Maybe, you want to target gourmet consumers which like fancy containers for gifts? Maybe they want different honey products in addition to clarified honey like cut comb, creamed honey, in mason jars, honey jars, bulk containers, or gift jars and fancy packaging.

Bottle before the honey crystalizes. Don't store the honey in large buckets or vats very long. It is easier to warm/reliquefy glass jars than storage buckets of crystalized honey

Should you use glass or plastic bottles. The aesthetics of glass is more pleasing, but there are more styles with plastic. When honey crystalizes after the sale, you can warm glass containers in a pan of water more easily than plastic which can warp.

How much honey do you have to process? If you don't have much honey put it in smaller containers. You will make more profit selling more containers. As gifts small containers are equally appreciated as large jars.

Bottling equipment:

Tanks, buckets, valves, and filters. Then, clean up materials, bucket of water, rags, etc. A bronze bottling valve $$$: gate valve is $5

Bottles: If putting up extracted honey, what type of container will you use and how many? Canning Jars, plastic squeeze bottles, glass queen line bottles, honey bears, muth jars, wine bottles? Many choices but have enough on hand when you start.

Labels: custom printed or purchased or homemade Be familiar with label formatting rules. Put your phone number and/or web page on the label. Labels differentiates you from the other honey producer and provides a contact for resales.

Crystalized honey heater: It is handy to have some way to liquify honey that has crystalized in the bottles before you sell it or give it away. You can make one out of a cooler and a light bulb

Creamed honey: Know the process. Purchase extra containers just in case you need them. Your total volume will increase from the liquid honey. The sale price of creamed honey is $ per 12 ounces vs same $ per 16 oz.

Cut comb: You have to start with unwired thin surplus foundation when you first start collecting honey in the spring. You will need large mouth jars for the chunk honey in a jar of honey. You will need special boxes for the cut comb pieces. The bees must draw the comb and fill it with honey. Then cap it off. This can take all summer. Making the comb uses honey so you charge a little more for comb honey. $ per 12 oz. vs same $ for 16 oz. You lose the use of the comb for next year compared to extracting and reusing the comb. This is a fairly high loss of honey and time required for the bees to make the cut comb. This can be bad if there is a short blooming season.

Even honey given away is a precious commodity. It says a lot about who you are!