Honey viscosity — by variety, by temperature.
Honey viscosity is highly variable. It depends on floral type, temperature, moisture content, crystallisation state and — for some honeys — shear history. Use the tool below to compare typical ranges. These are indicative guide values, not certified specifications.
Gel-like at rest, becomes more fluid when stirred or pumped. Values are apparent viscosity at rest.
Every variety at 20°C, side by side.
Bar shows the typical range. Move the slider above to see how the ranking changes with temperature.
Units and conversion
Honey viscosity is commonly expressed in Pa·s, mPa·s or centipoise (cP). The conversion is straightforward:
1 Pa·s = 1,000 mPa·s = 1,000 cP
A honey with a viscosity of 14 Pa·s is therefore approximately 14,000 cP.
Why temperature matters
Warming honey drops its viscosity sharply — often by a factor of ten between 20°C and 40°C. Measured data on a blended flower honey shows:
| Temperature | Viscosity |
|---|---|
| 20°C | 14,095 cP |
| 30°C | 3,873 cP |
| 40°C | 1,347 cP |
Heat should be controlled carefully. Excessive heat exposure damages aroma, colour and enzyme activity.
Moisture content matters too
Two honeys of the same floral type can handle very differently at different moisture levels. Published data on cotton honey illustrates the effect:
| Moisture | Viscosity at 25°C | Viscosity at 40°C |
|---|---|---|
| 15% | 23,405 cP | 3,779 cP |
| 17% | 8,064 cP | 1,568 cP |
| 19% | 4,076 cP | 883 cP |
| 21% | 2,541 cP | 612 cP |
Newtonian vs. thixotropic honeys
Most clear liquid honeys behave approximately as Newtonian fluids — viscosity is controlled mainly by temperature and composition, and does not change greatly with shear rate.
Some honeys are non-Newtonian or thixotropic. They become less viscous when stirred, pumped or agitated, and thicken again on standing. The most important examples are:
- Manuka honey — gel-like at rest, more fluid when worked.
- Heather / Calluna honey — strongly thixotropic; jelly-like when undisturbed.
- Buckwheat honey and some high-colloid or protein-rich honeys.
For these, the correct term is apparent viscosity, because measurement depends on shear rate, agitation history and rest time.
Processing and filling design ranges
Standard liquid honeys (Acacia, Clover, Wildflower, Orange Blossom)
| Condition | Design viscosity |
|---|---|
| Warm filling at 35–40°C | 1,000–5,000 cP |
| Ambient filling at 20–25°C | 8,000–30,000 cP |
| Cold handling at 10–15°C | 25,000–75,000 cP |
Thick / honeydew honeys (Chestnut, Honeydew, low-moisture)
| Condition | Design viscosity |
|---|---|
| Warm filling at 35–40°C | 2,000–8,000 cP |
| Ambient filling at 20–25°C | 15,000–40,000 cP |
| Cold handling at 10–15°C | 50,000–100,000+ cP |
Manuka and Heather honeys
| Condition | Design apparent viscosity |
|---|---|
| Warm / agitated filling at 35–40°C | 5,000–20,000 cP |
| Ambient handling at 20–25°C | 40,000–150,000+ cP |
| Cold / rested at 10–15°C | 100,000+ cP |
Recommended specification wording
The equipment should be capable of handling honey with a viscosity range of approximately 1,000–5,000 cP at 35–40°C for standard warmed liquid honeys, and up to 25,000–40,000 cP at 20–25°C for ambient liquid honeys. For Manuka, Heather, honeydew, low-moisture or partially crystallised honeys, the system should be assessed for apparent viscosities of 100,000 cP or higher, especially under cold or rested conditions.
Where exact performance is required, viscosity should be measured on the specific honey using a calibrated viscometer at the intended operating temperature.
Notes on accuracy
All values on this page are indicative technical guides for equipment selection and process design. Natural honey varies substantially from batch to batch based on floral source, region, harvest and moisture. For contract specifications or engineering calculations, request a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis or commission viscometry against the actual honey.
Related pages
Every honey we offer, from Heather to Medical Grade Manuka.
MGO 50+ to 800+, plus thixotropic handling notes.
How we pack thick and thixotropic honeys at our UK partner facilities.
Downloadable technical documentation for our honey range.
Country, region, harvest and batch ID for every drop.
Our team can provide batch-specific viscosity data on request.