Storing Honey in a Wooden Vessel

[John Altberg]

I am contemplating making a lidded honey pot out of madrona, finished with tung oil. I wanted to check if there are any known or perceived problems with storing honey in such a manner. My question concerns not only degradation to the honey, but whether or not wood finished in such a manner will hold up to the moisture of the honey.

Regards,

John

 

[Max Taylor]

storing honey

couldnt you just put a glass liner in a turning to be safe? Max

 

[Rob Wallace]

In addition to the possible damage of the turned piece due to moisture, high sugar concentration, etc., I would also be concerned with the distinct possibility of leaching wood extractives into the honey and tainting either the flavor or the food safety of the contents.

I am not sure that tung oil (even if fully "cured") would provide a sufficient barrier to protect either the wood or the honey from one another. I suppose you could line the vessel with a fairly thick impervious layer of food-safe epoxy (or other food-safe film finish), but of course there are issues of wood movement to consider with a fixed-form, inflexible polymerized lining, and the wooden walls of the vessel which are prone to movement due to moisture content fluctuations in humidity, etc.

This sounds like several problems that I'd rather not deal with if it were me thinking about making such a vessel - the glass or porcelain/pottery lining is sounding like a better solution.... or just turn an attractive wooden lid for a suitable vessel and avoid the problem altogether.

Rob Wallace

 

[Ed_McDonnell]

Do what the bees do........

How about pouring a bunch of melted beeswax into the honey pot and rotating / swirling to get a nice thick layer of wax coating the inside of your honey pot. May not look all that great, but when filled with honey, who would notice?

It's kind of like the way the bees store the honey inside tree trunks and stuff.

Ed

 

[Barry Elder]

I'm with Ed! Bees have been storing honey in wood for !!!!!!!!!! years with only wax between the wood and the honey. Tastes pretty good, too!

 

[Mark Warden]

Ed nailed it I have one my grandfather made over 50 yrs ago just that way but you have to keep it filled or the wax dries out and flakes.

 

[Dave Roller]

Honey doesn't last long enough around me for me to be concerned with how to store it.