What this sounds like is not just heating syrup to 218F but
caramelization at the bottom. Not unusual with an unwatched pot.

Undissolved sugar will settle to the pot bottom and you will be heating
sugar more than syrup. That sugar blanket will keep the upper water
insulated from the burner's heat while the sugar can easily get to much
higher temperatures which it obviously did.

If you quickly pour a large amount of sugar into water it will go
straight to the bottom of the pot and can be fairly dry at the bottom! I
have run into this when making candy. You really need to mix it well.

So, what to do with the syrup? Personally, I would dump it. Why feed
your bees something that is suspect? If you are in the south with a mild
winter, you would probably only do a little harm, but that is just a guess.

The "candy" that was mentioned in another post is for spring feed, not
winter feed. It is white in color with no caramelization. Plus it is
heated to 242F for soft ball stage, stirring constantly. You will not
get carmalization at 218F or 242F if you are stirring the pot and
watching the temperature.

It is amazing how long the syrup takes to get to 242F but how quickly it
will go to higher temperatures and caramelize. You have driven off most
all of the water by then and are nearing "dry" sugar. Which is what most
likely happened at the bottom of your pot.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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