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Moisture Content Affects The Volume Of A Pound Of Honey
Having been a honey judge for almost 40 years, I keep thinking of ways that a beekeeper can improve their entries in a show or their honey products for sale. Last year, I upgraded my refractometer to a digital model and came up with a theory that if a jar of honey was filled to the proper level, one could weigh the jar, look at a chart and determine the density of the honey. So I proceeded to collect data to make the chart.
Most beekeepers know that five gallons of honey weighs sixty pounds. Many years ago when the government bought honey it had to be in a square tinned five gallon container which was called a "Sixty." One problem with the sixties was the chemical reaction that honey had with the tin when it was used for a few months. Today, five gallon plastic containers have replaced the sixties and those who use them for honey may have noticed that when the containers are filled to the five gallon mark they may have different weights. And, if the containers are filled so they weigh 60 pounds, the level of fill is different. Obviously, these differences in weight mean that the honey has different densities.
On a smaller scale, it has been said that a gallon of honey weighs 12 pounds. Again that information comes from the simple division of 60 pounds by five. However that 12 pound figure needs to be modified to having limits which accounts for its moisture content and temperature. Those limits are: 1 1 .6343 pounds to 12.057138 pounds or approximately three quarts 1 5 fluid ounces to one gallon 0.9 fluid ounces. This presents a problem for most beekeepers who would like to know the density of the honey. Where do you get scales or volume containers that have that kind of accuracy?
I feel that the one pound honey jars would be the ideal size...