How to Extract Honey Properly - Tips for Best Quality

The honey harvest is the highlight of the beekeeping year. To ensure your honey has the best possible quality, the right approach matters at every step - from the harvest timing to bottling. It is not just about taste, but also about complying with the legal requirements of the German Honey Regulation (HonigV) and - if you are a DIB member - the stricter DIB quality criteria.

Note: The regulations and quality standards mentioned in this article refer specifically to German and EU law. If you are beekeeping outside of Germany, please check your local food safety and honey labeling regulations.

In this comprehensive guide, we walk you through every step of the extraction process and give you the knowledge you need for first-class honey.

When Is the Honey Ripe?

The most important quality factor is the moisture content. Ripe honey has a moisture content of under 20 percent (legal maximum under German HonigV). For the coveted DIB quality seal, the stricter limit of under 18 percent applies, and premium honey is even under 16.5 percent.

The Shake Test

The shake test is the quickest method for assessing ripeness directly at the hive:

• At least two thirds of the honey cells must be capped
• Uncapped cells: hold the frame horizontally and shake lightly
• Nothing drips out? Then the honey is ripe enough
• Caution: With rapeseed honey, bees may cap late - here a refractometer measurement is particularly important

Using a Refractometer

For accurate measurement, a refractometer is indispensable. It costs between 20 and 40 euros and belongs in every beekeeper's basic equipment:

• Calibration: Check before each season with distilled water or calibration solution
• Sampling: Take a sample from different frames before extraction
• Measurement: Place a few drops on the prism, close the flap, read against the light
• Interpretation: Under 18% - perfect for DIB. Under 17% - premium quality. Over 18% - wait longer or dry the frames

Nectar Source-Specific Considerations

Not all honey behaves the same:

Nectar Source	Special Feature	Ideal Moisture Content
Rapeseed honey	Crystallizes quickly, extract early	16-17%
Forest honey	Stays liquid longer, higher enzyme values	16-18%
Linden honey	Distinctive flavor, medium crystallization speed	16-17%
Acacia honey	Stays liquid for a long time	16-18%
Heather honey	Thixotropic gel-like, use pricker roller + extractor or press (HonigV allows up to 23%)	17-21%

Special Case: Rapeseed Honey - Timing Is Everything

Rapeseed honey is the first harvest of the year for many beekeepers and simultaneously the most demanding. Rapeseed typically blooms from late April to mid-May, and the honey crystallizes extremely fast - sometimes right in the combs.

Rapeseed honey timeline:

1. From full bloom: Check frames daily
2. When 50-70% capped: Refractometer measurement
3. Under 18.5%: Extract immediately
4. Do not wait longer than 3 days after the end of rapeseed bloom

Extraction Room Requirements

Legal Requirements

Anyone who sells honey must observe the Food Hygiene Regulation (LMHV). Minimum standards also apply for direct farm sales:

• Registration: Your operation must be registered with the responsible veterinary office or food safety authority (Art. 6 Reg. (EC) 852/2004)
• Floors and walls: Easy to clean, smooth, and washable (tiles, stainless steel, or food-grade coating)
• Washing facility: Hand wash basin with warm water and soap must be available
• No pets: No access for dogs, cats, etc. during extraction
• Windows closed: Protection from robber bees and insects (fly screens recommended)

Optimal Room Conditions

• Temperature: 20-25 degrees Celsius - the honey flows better and the combs are more stable
• Humidity: Under 60% - prevents the honey from absorbing moisture
• Lighting: Well-lit so you can spot impurities

The quality of honey is not determined only during extraction but begins with your management practices. Beekeepers who give their bees enough room and know their nectar flow automatically harvest better honey.

Setting Up the Extraction Room - Checklist for Beginners

Not everyone has a perfect extraction room. Here is a realistic checklist:

Preparation for Extraction

Equipment and Materials

Have everything ready before you start:

• Honey extractor (cleaned and dried)
• Uncapping fork and/or uncapping knife
• Uncapping tray or tub
• Double strainer (coarse and fine, stainless steel)
• Honey buckets (food-grade, with lids)
• Refractometer
• Kitchen scale
• Clean cloths

Bee Escape or Brushing

• Bee escape: Insert the evening before, colonies will be bee-free the next morning. The gentlest method.
• Brushing: Brush each frame with a soft bee brush. Faster but disturbs the bees more.
• Bee blower: With a leaf blower on low setting - for professional beekeepers with many colonies.
• Transport frames to the extraction room in sealed transport boxes.

Extractor Types Compared

The choice of the right extractor has a major impact on efficiency and results:

Self-Reversing Extractor

A special form of tangential extractor: The baskets can be reversed inside the machine without removing the frames. A good compromise between tangential and radial, mid-range in price (300-800 EUR).

The Extraction Process Step by Step

1. Temper the frames (evening before)

   Bring the honey frames to the extraction room the evening before. Ideal temperature: 25-30 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, honey flows optimally and the combs are stable enough. Frames that are too cold (under 18 degrees) lead to viscous honey and comb breakage. Transport frames in sealed boxes to prevent robbing.

2. Uncapping

   Use an uncapping fork or an electrically heated uncapping knife. Work from top to bottom and catch the wax cappings in the uncapping tray. Cappings wax is valuable - it is the purest beeswax and is excellent for candles or cosmetics. Uncap both sides thoroughly. Scratch deeper cells with the fork.

3. Extracting - first round (gentle)

   Hang the frames evenly in the extractor. With a tangential extractor: Start slowly and first extract only the first side (half power, approx. 100-150 RPM). This prevents comb breakage, as the full honey side presses from behind onto the empty front side. Be especially careful with natural combs (without foundation).

4. Turn and finish extracting

   With a tangential extractor: Turn frames, extract second side at full power (200-250 RPM). Then turn again and extract the first side at full power. With a radial extractor, turning is unnecessary - simply spin up evenly and let it run for 5-8 minutes. Listen to the sound: When the splashing stops, the frames are empty.

5. Straining

   Let the honey flow through a double strainer (coarse sieve approx. 1.0 mm and fine sieve approx. 0.5 mm mesh) into the honey bucket. Wax remnants, bee parts, and impurities are retained. Empty the strainer regularly so the honey flows through well. For viscous honey (e.g., forest honey), slightly warm the strainer.

6. Measure and document moisture content

   Measure the moisture content of each batch with the refractometer and note the result. Take the sample directly from the freshly extracted bucket. If the value is over 18%, extract this batch separately and store it in an open bucket in a dry room with a dehumidifier. Measure again after 24-48 hours.

7. Skimming and stirring

   Let honey stand covered for 24-48 hours. Skim foam and rising air bubbles with a flat spoon. For creamed honey: Stir once daily from day 2, for 5-10 days, until the consistency is evenly creamy. For liquid honey: Just skim and bottle directly.

8. Bottling and storage

   Fill into clean, food-grade jars or buckets. Fill jars to the brim (less air = less oxidation). Store cool and dark at 12-15 degrees. Never heat above 40 degrees - HMF value rises, enzymes are destroyed. Label jars immediately (variety, date, batch).

Making Creamed Honey - The Art of Stirring

Creamed (fine-cream) honey is particularly popular with customers. It is created through controlled crystallization:

Why Honey Crystallizes

Every honey crystallizes sooner or later - this is a natural process and not a quality defect. The speed depends on the glucose-fructose ratio:

• High glucose content (rapeseed, dandelion): Fast crystallization (days to weeks)
• High fructose content (acacia, forest honey): Slow crystallization (months to years)

Stirring Method Step by Step

1. Seeding (optional): Stir in 5-10% already fine-cream honey to speed up the process
2. Temperature: Store the honey at 14-16 degrees - ideal crystallization temperature
3. Stirring: From the point when the honey becomes slightly cloudy (start of crystallization), stir 1-2 times daily for 3-5 minutes
4. Duration: 5-10 days until the consistency is evenly creamy and spreadable
5. Bottling: Fill into jars immediately after reaching the desired consistency
6. Storage: At 12-15 degrees, the creamy consistency stays stable

A well-stirred creamed honey has a crystal size under 25 micrometers - the eye sees no crystals, the tongue only feels creaminess. The secret lies in regular stirring at the right temperature.

Temperature Control - The Underestimated Factor

Temperature influences every step of the extraction process:

Frame Temperature

• Ideal: 25-30 degrees Celsius - honey flows well and combs are stable
• Too cold (under 18 degrees): Honey is viscous, extraction takes longer, comb breakage risk increases
• Too warm (over 35 degrees): Combs become soft, can break in the extractor
• Practical tip: Bring frames to the tempered extraction room the evening before

Honey Temperature During Processing

• During stirring: 14-16 degrees - ideal crystallization temperature for fine-cream honey
• During bottling: 20-25 degrees - honey flows well into jars
• During storage: 12-15 degrees - optimal storage temperature, slows HMF formation
• Never above 40 degrees - enzymes are destroyed, HMF rises, DIB quality is lost

Batch Management and Traceability

Clean batch documentation is important not only for DIB guidelines but also for your customers and food safety.

What Belongs in Batch Documentation?

For each extraction (= one batch) you should note:

• Date and time of extraction
• Colony numbers - which colonies does the honey come from?
• Nectar source/variety - e.g., spring flow, summer flow, rapeseed honey
• Quantity in kilograms
• Moisture content (refractometer measurement)
• Batch number - sequential number or date-based (e.g., "2026-06-15-A")
• Location - from which apiary

Traceability from Jar to Colony

With clean batch documentation, you can trace every sold jar:

Jar (label with batch number) -> Batch (extraction on date X) -> Colonies (No. 3, 5, 7 from garden apiary) -> Treatment history (last treatment, withdrawal period observed)

This traceability is essential for food safety and is required for DIB honey.

Hygiene Requirements According to LMHV and Reg. (EC) 852/2004

Personal Hygiene

• Clean clothing - ideally a dedicated coat for the extraction room
• Cover hair - wear a hair net or cap
• Wash hands - before starting work and after every break
• Remove jewelry - take off rings, bracelets, watches
• No smoking breaks in the extraction room

Equipment Hygiene

• Clean all equipment thoroughly before the season (hot water, food-grade cleaning agent)
• No detergent with fragrances - honey absorbs foreign odors
• Between different nectar sources: clean extractor, strainer, and buckets
• Wipe uncapping knife regularly
• Honey-contacting surfaces: Only stainless steel, food-grade plastic, or glass

HACCP Principles

While a complete HACCP system (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is primarily audited in commercial operations, the LMHV (Food Hygiene Regulation) is binding for everyone. You should know the principles:

1. Hazard analysis: What risks exist? (contamination, moisture, temperature)
2. Critical control points: Measure moisture content, control temperature
3. Limits: Moisture content under 18% (DIB) or 20% (HonigV)
4. Monitoring: Refractometer measurement at every extraction
5. Documentation: Keep batch records

Using Cappings Wax - Waste Nothing

Cappings wax is the purest and most valuable beeswax you obtain as a beekeeper. It would be wasteful to throw it away:

Processing

1. Let cappings wax drip

   Let the wax drip thoroughly in the uncapping tray (overnight). The dripping honey is high-quality pressed honey - perfect for personal use.

2. Wash the wax

   Wash the wax with cold water to remove honey residues. Warm water dissolves honey better, but cold water preserves wax quality.

3. Melt down

   Melt the wax in a water bath (never heat wax directly - fire hazard!). Temperature: 62-65 degrees is sufficient. Filter through a fine cloth or nylon stocking.

4. Use

   Cleaned cappings wax is excellent for: beeswax candles (rolling or pouring), beeswax wraps, cosmetics (lip balm, creams), or exchange for new foundation sheets at a wax dealer.

Common Extraction Mistakes

Mistake	Consequence	Solution
Harvested too early	Moisture content too high, fermentation risk	Use refractometer, min. 2/3 capped
Extracted too fast	Comb breakage, wax in honey	Start slowly, tangential - gentle first spin
Extraction room too cold	Viscous honey, longer extraction time	Heat room to 20-25 degrees
Honey left uncovered too long	Moisture absorption, foreign odors	Close buckets with lids
Strainer clogged	Honey backs up, overflow	Clean strainer regularly
Mixed different nectar sources	No varietal declaration possible	Extract and store different flows separately
Heated honey above 40 degrees	HMF rises, enzymes destroyed	Never melt in hot water bath
Extracted frames with brood	Bee larvae in honey	Only harvest brood-free frames

Document Your Harvest

Note for every harvest: date, quantity, moisture content, nectar source, and which colonies the honey came from. With Hivekraft, you can assign each harvest to a colony and later create bottling batches with QR codes - for full traceability from jar to colony.

Advantages of Digital Harvest Documentation

• Yield statistics: See at a glance which apiary and which colony delivers the most honey
• Nectar analysis: Compare harvest quantities by nectar source over multiple years
• QR code labels: Your customers scan the code and see where their honey comes from
• Batch records: Automatically generated, exportable as PDF at any time
• Withdrawal period check: Hivekraft warns if the withdrawal period after a treatment has not yet expired

Storing Honey Properly - Ensuring Long-Term Quality

Storage determines whether your honey still has premium quality after months:

Ideal Storage Conditions

• Temperature: 12-15 degrees Celsius (cellar, pantry)
• Light: Store in the dark - UV light breaks down enzymes and vitamins
• Humidity: Under 60% - honey is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture
• Odors: No strongly smelling substances nearby (honey absorbs foreign odors)
• Containers: Glass or food-grade plastic, always sealed

Shelf Life

• Optimally stored: At least 2 years (often much longer)
• Best-before recommendation: 2 years from bottling
• Detecting quality loss: HMF value rises, invertase activity drops, color becomes darker

Conclusion

Good honey is created through careful work from management practices through extraction to storage. Pay attention to moisture content, work hygienically, document every batch, and store properly. This way you achieve honey you can be proud of - and that meets all legal requirements. Your customers will thank you.

Testing Honey Quality: HMF, Moisture Content and Lab Analysis Honey Varieties in Germany: Discover the Diversity QR Code on the Honey Jar: Modern Honey Marketing