> From:    Richard Yarnell <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Crystallizing honey
>
> The pail I pulled, it turned out, was firmly crystallized on the top half, more
> or less, and almost liquid at the bottom.  The honey all came from the same
> batch out of the extractor.
>
> It occurred to me that I don't know how honey crystallizes.  In a jar, it
> appears that crystals begin to grow randomly in the volume.  However, in a
> larger container, if crystallization begins (as seems apparent in the pail
> I'm working on) at the top and works down, is it possible that the water
> content of the still liquid volume is significantly higher than that of
> the solid mass above it.

Crystallization is complicated and depends on many parameters. When honey can vary
a lot in composition it's impossible to give general answers.

The crystallization process depends on a number of factors. Honey is a
supersaturated solution that's going to crystallize below a specific temperature.
Fastest crystallization will happen around 14° C, higher or lower temp will slow
down the process. The amount of particles (pollen grain, dust, etc.) in the honey
will also influence the speed. Crystallization is when sugar molecules moves
together to form crystal patterns (simplified).

Lower temp = higher viscosity, will slow the movement of glucose molecules and
thus slow down crystallization speed.

Mechanical energy will increase the speed of crystallization. We know it from
stirring the honey to speed up the process. But what we often don't think of is
that transporting honey can also speed up crystallization. Anyone more than me
that wondered about why honey taken home for extracting crystallize quicker than
the boxes left on hives? The bouncing around on trailer on the way home ad energy
that enhanced the process. There is always small crystals in honey in the comb,
even if we don't see them. They will act as "magnets" on the surrounding sugar
molecules that will join to form larger units.

No I doubt there is different water content in your pail. One answer can be temp.
If it's standing on a concrete floor with a lower or higher temp than the air in
that room you will get different crystallization speed in the top and the bottom
of your pail.

--
Regards

P-O Gustafsson, Sweden
[log in to unmask]  http://www.algonet.se/~beeman/