Niter

[ghoward51]

We tapped this last week which is much earlier than we would normally tap but we saw some good weather coming. The good weather came and we had an OK run of sap. Normally, our first run makes our lightest colored syurp and the niter really isn't an issue. This year, this first run had a lot of niter and produced only average colored syurp. Can any one comment on why we have so much niter early in the seaqson?

[Haynes Forest Products]

Pent up minerals. The trees are clearing there tubes.

[MilesTeg]

We had the same problem with our boil yesterday. I did test the sap it was under 1% so maybe because it had to stay on the evaporator longer than normal. I put almost 350 gal of sap to my 30X8 and didn't get a draw off it was a long day for no syrup maybe next time.

[3rdgen.maple]

Its pretty normal for my first boil to not be light and have a high niter. After that i gets lighter and then slowly darker till the season ends.

[DrTimPerkins]

Its pretty normal for my first boil to not be light and have a high niter. After that i gets lighter and then slowly darker till the season ends.

Correct (usually).

Two things affect syrup color....microbes and boiling time. At the beginning of the season you have both things happening. First, there is often some gunk in the lines that is flushed out with the first sap run. Second, the first boil is longer because you have to "sweeten" the pans. The result...darker syrup.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Dr Perkins I'm intrested in the part about Gunk in the lines :rolleyes: How does that happen with all the advances in tubing cleaning.;)