~30 + year old honey

I have acquired 60 pounds of honey that is over 30 years old. Also probably about 120 pounds of wheat.

Does honey go bad? Should I make mead with it? It's in a sealed bucket, I have not opened it to see what it looks like.

Also, lots of wheat, not sure that would be good to make beer with. I'm trying to get someone on craigslist to take it off my hands.

Honey is the only natural product that "doesn't spoil when in it's edible state." Now being 30yrs old may make it inedible as it could have turned into a rock. I'd definitely open the pail and check it out!
I was given some 20-30yr old beeswax by a buddy who's dad was a bee keeper and we sat around and chewed it and you couldn't tell it was old at all. Honey may be a bit different though but not much I'm thinking.
Let me know how it goes.

Honey is the only natural product that "doesn't spoil when in it's edible state." Now being 30yrs old may make it inedible as it could have turned into a rock. I'd definitely open the pail and check it out!
I was given some 20-30yr old beeswax by a buddy who's dad was a bee keeper and we sat around and chewed it and you couldn't tell it was old at all. Honey may be a bit different though but not much I'm thinking.
Let me know how it goes.

If you do make mead of it what is that worst that could happen? Waste some time, water and yeast? I think it'd make a heck of a mead, partially aged already

Archaeologists have found pots of honey still preserved in ancient Egyptian tombs.

Make your "Thirty Year" mead. You're only out some yeast and nutrient if it doesn't turn out.

As long as it was sealed it shouldn't have crystallized even if it has, its not spoiled. just slowly heat it up by immersing the bucket in hot water and stirring it until its all liquid again.

Excellent. I'll open her up and plan on making some mead, will provide updates. Might be a little while. Summer in maine = super busy all the time.

As a former bee keeper, I can confirm that honey never spoils.. It will crystallize, but that's no problem at all.

H.W.

I'd turn it into mead, for sure.

Honey will never go bad as long as the moisture level stays low enough. If it accidentally got to wet it will go sour. Honey has natural antifungal, antibacterial properties that prevent most things from spoiling it.

I took a gallon of 14yr old honey and turned it into JOAM mead and some went into a stout. The honey itself tasted great, the JOAM is only about 4 months old and tasting good, can't wait for it to age a bit as witnessed by first to 'monthly' tastings having already happened.

I opened the bucket and.... I suppose I have the first reported case in human history of honey going bad. It is dark, much darker than clover honey should be. Liquid for the top layer but about 5 inches down becomes solid.

The taste and smell is sweet. But notably "off". Has a sort of black liquorice quality to it. I took pictures but i'm on my phone.

I would not make mead or do anything with this. I had a beekeeper interested in it and after sending pics and description said they would not feed that to their bees.

The bucket was still sealed and had been stored in a basement all these years so not like storage was bad.

I'm guessing oxidation? To much air crept in over the years. I have no idea though.

vincentAlpha said:

If you do make mead of it what is that worst that could happen? Waste some time, water and yeast? I think it'd make a heck of a mead, partially aged already

Click to expand...

my thoughts exactly. that aroma could be just the natural concentrations of whatever flower/forage the bees were eating 30 years ago,like the "orange blossom" or "clover" notes you get in wild honeys. maybe that's concentrated up into the liquid portion of the bucket due to seasonal heating/cooling over 3 decades.

as you'll need to heat up the lower solidified/crystalized portion to liquify it, why dont you just give it a very light boil to sterilize? it may drive off whatever licorice smell is in there as well hopefully?

but yeah, worst case you waste some yeast and water. no biggie. hell, i'll even donate some dry yeast just to find out what happens. let's put the "honey doesnt spoil" trope to the test!

JOAM IT! Some oranges, some raisins, some bread yeast...what the hell??

Older honey has been used. Use it!

See https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=349254
Sadly it never really went anywhere. I am sure someone has completed one though. And what does it hurt. Do it and report back even if it is a failue. Take a page out of creamygoodness's book and post the tasting on youtube where he described the snotty boot flavors of his okra meat. Science!

But sugar is naturally antiseptic. Honey is too concentrated for bad things to live in and that is one of the reasons you have to baby meads with nutrients, etc.

Gee whiz. That thread is encouraging. Apparently honey does turn darker as it ages. It's not really the water/yeast but the time I would be more concerned with wasting.

Sounds like I should get the whole thing melted down though and give a good mix? That's not gonna be easy either, as it is in a 5 gallon bucket and feels quite solid.

What about botulism? Is that a concern? Isn't that why honey isn't given to babies? 30 years seems like a good amount of time to develop some nice bot(ch).

Although I did have a couple tastes and didn't die.

The other thing, i'm not really into how it tastes now.

Funny someone on that thread said they got some old honey from a mormon. That's why I have this now too.

You. Said the honey bucket was sealed right? It probably would have blown its top were something growing in it. I seem to remember that's why you dont want bent/warped cans

mclaughlindw4 said:

Gee whiz. That thread is encouraging. Apparently honey does turn darker as it ages. It's not really the water/yeast but the time I would be more concerned with wasting.

Sounds like I should get the whole thing melted down though and give a good mix? That's not gonna be easy either, as it is in a 5 gallon bucket and feels quite solid.

What about botulism? Is that a concern? Isn't that why honey isn't given to babies? 30 years seems like a good amount of time to develop some nice bot(ch).

Although I did have a couple tastes and didn't die.

The other thing, i'm not really into how it tastes now.

Click to expand...

Warming the honey should soften it up. Put the bucket in a tub of hot water for a few hours.

mclaughlindw4 said:

What about botulism? Is that a concern? Isn't that why honey isn't given to babies? 30 years seems like a good amount of time to develop some nice bot(ch).

Click to expand...

yes, honey can contain botulism spores, its not live bacteria but the spores and they can become active once ingested. If its not crystallized, but has a slimy feel, thats probably worse. At least with crystallized honey you could rehydrate it.

Not sure where you live but, can't honey be tested for bacteria? Just like any other food. Is there a lab or maybe a university somewhere near you that could test it? I would bet a professor wouldn't mind giving it a test for bad stuff just to see what 30 year old honey would turn into.