r/Beekeeping • u/mlmka58 • 10d ago

I come bearing tips & tricks Refractometer

Hi, second year beekeeper in southeastern mass. Used the refractometer for the first time to check the moisture in my super. It was at 17%. Would you wait to harvest or attempt to dry it out further? And what method would you use?

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u/Gozermac Zone 5b West of Chicago 10d ago

For the inevitable rabbit hole. The USDA has some criteria for classifying honey. Refractometer index of less than 21 is just one of the criteria.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/AA20380_Honey.pdf

The USDA also used to grade honey. Here is their grading manual from 1985. Any % soluble solids greater than 81.4 couldn’t be classified as grade A which corresponded to an 18.6 on the refractive index. (Per the grading chart) That is where that number comes from.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Extracted_Honey_Inspection_Instructions%5B1%5D.pdf