> I have a few drums of syrup which was not consumed by the bees.  It has now
> fermented.  I hate to dump it but do not want to do any harm if I was to
> feed it to the bees.  They will likely not take it as it is but would it be
> a good idea to add some if it to fresh syrup?  I wonder about the harmful
> affects as well as the nutritional value.
 
I have no experience with drums, but good experience with a gallon. I
found a gallon of syrup left over from last year and it was fermented,
thin, and had mold. All I did was boil it. Tt thickened and was
readily taken by the bees. I presume the boiling killed the mold and
evaporated the alcohol. You have to understand that you won't end up with
the same amount of sugar since a lot of the sugar was turned into alcohol
and then evaporated, but it's a way to save what you can.
 
It may not be so convenient to boil a whole drum but I've done it
for lye baths. Just prop the drum on cement blocks and burn wood beneath
it until the syrup boils. Don't leave the drum full or it might spill
when it boils. Also keeping it covered will greatly speed up the
boiling.
 
Conrad Sigona
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