For some reason honey that I harvest using a "crush and strain" method stays liquid for a long time, three years and counting in some cases. Honey I harvest using an extractor like most honey producers doesn't last very long, less than a year in most cases. I'm not sure why this is but it is one more reason not to use extractors unless you have too much honey to manage otherwise.
For most uses I actually prefer crystallized honey. It can be spread easily with a knife and it tastes the same although the texture is different. If the crystals are large it can be grainy and not so good but if the crystals are small you get what is called creamed honey which is my favorite form honey can take. I don't make much of it but I savor every bit that I do, if you haven't tried any you are missing out on one of the finer things in life.
I found myself in need of some liquid honey to sell to some friends so I decided to re-liquefy a few jars at the expense of some of their finer qualities. When honey is heated hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is produced which isn't terrible for humans but it isn't desirable in honey. More importantly some enzymes are destroyed and the fragrance, taste, and appearance of the honey is altered. Because of these reasons it is best to use as little heat as possible when liquefying honey that has crystallized. I've found that a setting of "3" on my stove and a pot of water to distribute the heat do the job pretty well.
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