How to Make Comb Honey
Comb honey is as close as you can get to raw honey. It is still in the original packaging that the bees produced, with little hexagonal wax cells containing pure, unadulterated honey, totally unprocessed. Producing comb honey does require some knowledge and preparation within the hive, as well as some special techniques and equipment to harvest and package. Once done, though, you will have a truly natural product that will generate both curiosity and appreciation.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Sharp knife or electric decapping knife
- Propane torch
- Comb packing boxes
- Shallow 10-frame super with foundation strips in each frame
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Preparing the Hive
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1
Prepare relatively new wooden frames for a 10-frame shallow super, the box placed on top of the hive for the bees to make honey in, by inserting foundation starter strips into the inside top edge of each frame. This will provide a starting point for the bees to build new honeycomb within each frame.
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2
Fill the super with frames. Use a 10-frame super to prevent the comb in the frames from being too thick to package later.
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3
Choose a strong and prolific colony to produce the comb honey. Ensure that your pest management is up to par to prevent contamination from hive beetles or damage from wax moth larvae.
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4
Place the super on the hive during a strong nectar flow and allow sufficient time for the bees to first create the honeycomb, then fill it and place a beeswax cap on each cell to seal the honeycomb.
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5
Inspect the comb, once filled and capped, to ensure that it is presentable as comb honey. Remove the entire super from the hive in preparation for harvesting.
Harvesting and Packaging
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1
Obtain comb honey boxes from a reputable source of beekeeping equipment, either through a catalog or online.
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2
Remove each frame from the hive and place it on its side on a cooling rack placed on a large cookie sheet.
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3
Turn the bottom half of a comb box upside down onto the comb to be cut and press gently to mark the comb. Remove the box.
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4
Heat a large, sharp knife using a propane torch or use an electric uncapping knife to cut through the comb. Cut the comb along the inside of the lines formed by the comb box to ensure it will fit in the box. Allow the honey released during the process to drain onto the cookie sheet.
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5
Place the freshly cut comb honey in one of the comb boxes with the most presentable side facing up. Close and seal the box and label accordingly. Store the comb honey in the freezer indefinitely, until ready to sell or use.
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6
Remove the remaining honey comb for use as chunk honey. Replace the foundation starter strip in each harvested frame and replace the super to allow the bees to produce more honey, if the nectar flow is still on.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Special frames are also available for producing comb honey. They contain square or round compartments that the bees will draw comb in. These can then be removed and the compartments can be simply popped out of the frame and easily packaged with pre-made caps and labels.
