>My preference is to avoid temperatures above 120F.  There have been
>numerous discussions on this list about the definition of raw honey.  I use
>120F as my limit for raw honey since I've lived in places where ambient
>temps get that high.
 
This is the entire problem,  Everyone chooses a temperature that seems
convenient and easily achievable for him, not the one that the bees
themselves will choose *every time* if they can possibly have any say in the
matter.  What temperature a honey house or neighbourhood may reach on a
summer's day is entirely irrelevant, a true red herring.
 
The simple, unavoidable fact remains that no healthy, functioning beehive
will ever get much above 96 degrees F inside -- if the bees can possibly
help it -- no matter how hot it gets outside.  The bees abandon other
activities and devote all their resources to cooling if the temperature gets
into that range,  They use evaporation techniques -- if they can get any
water -- and these methods are very effective.  I just know that someone
will say that hives in some areas of the world do regularly get somewhat
over that temperature, however this is not desirable and does not happen for
long, again, if the bees can possibly help it.
 
Honey that has been anywhere near 120 degrees F is *not at all raw*.
Period.  If it has been at that temperature for a day or so, it is
effectively pasteurized.  It is not at all uncommon for packers to hold vats
of honey around that temp for days.  That is one of the secrets to getting
honey to stay liquid forever in jars.  What is convenient for packers and
some beekeepers is not good for honey.  If your honey has been over 110
degrees F, in my opinion it is syrup, not honey.  Good syrup, possibly, but
not honey as the bee made it.
 
I am being generous saying 110 degrees, because really I believe that honey
should not go over 100 degrees F or even be exposed to surfaces much over
that temp.  Of course you can call anything honey and people will believe
you because people want very badly to believe that honey can be melted and
filtered and blended to their tastes without harm.   Beekeepers keep mum
because the majority of honey is sold to packers and if the truth were
known, sales would diminish for the product.
 
>That's also about the temperature where wax melts.
 
As I recall, beeswax melts around 142 degrees F, however it does
progressively soften below that temp and because it is not just one wax, the
melting point is not as distinct as in refined waxes.  I think combs sag
right around that temp.
 
>If you're interested in what raw means for honey, search the archives.  I
>only bring it up in the context of pasturization.
 
Check out 'raw' too if you want to know the unvarnished, inconvenient truth.
 
>Pasturization is a red
>herring with respect to honey.  Hot honey is damaged honey. Keep it cool to
>protect your reputation with your customers
 
Good advice.
 
Allen