New To The Site

[Waterbird17]

Hi All,

I am still figuring things out on here so please forgive me if i am doing anything worng

I am from NJ, I've been tapping for a few years now. We are in full production right now, I have 25+ taps out and I am pulling lat least 10 gallons a day. I have 150 gallons of storage and i have been cooking in a turkey frier. Its not that efficent but it gets the job done i guess.

I have finished a full gallon of syrup already this season.

I have a few questions, what the deal with sap spoliage??? how long will fresh sap keep, how can i tell if its spoiled?

Also, what i have been cooking has been getting a little merky, its getting a little color but a little merky.

Should I look into a hobby evaporator? Is anybody selling one?

Thanks for your help guys.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Welcome Jump in the waters fine:)

1 Keep sap as cold as possible
2 if it stinks its spoiling
3 Merkey is OK its how it looks until it gets darker and merky then you filter and eat
4 Its time to make the jump up Spend the money and get the hobby unit. Its like that nose job you always wanted:o You will be walking around in circles saying WHY DIDNT I DO THIS SOONER. Honey come look its real cool. Go get Fred I want to show him my cooker hey everyone come LOOK:D

[Waterbird17]

Thanks for the info, Where can i get an afforadiable cooker, I am not looking to spend a grand on a cooker, is there a large used market?

Also, how do those evaporators work? are they hard to maintain? can I fire it up in the morning and let it go all day?

[adk1]

Wow, you need Syrup 101..Do yourself a favor and buy the NA Maple PRoducers Manual. Read it from cover to cover. It is the bible of syrup making. Also buy yourself the Backyard Sugarin book. It is a great book for any backyarder to have or someone who wants to get into sugarin on the cheap!

[Haynes Forest Products]

Evaps are like cars yes you can start it up and drive it all day YOU just have to behind the wheel the whole time:rolleyes: OH YEA and with your eyes on the road:)

[3rdgen.maple]

I am from NJ, Well that explains it right there, LOL kidding and welcome aboard.

[Turtlecreek]

I bought my first evaporator 2 years ago and since upgraded, same size just a little better pan. I bought my first one from Dan W on here for a good price with a barrel arch. Keep looking on here sometimes a deal comes up. What I did this last time was I took my old pan to a menonite welder and he built me one for 380, its basicly a half pint with two draw offs comming out of the bottom of float boxes, all welded. I thought I got a good deal considering Leader wants almost 600 for a plain jane pan.

[danno]

I am from NJ, Well that explains it right there, LOL kidding and welcome aboard.

EZ there 3rd gen - I'm originally from NJ, until I realized the errors of my ways:) NJ has some beautiful maple.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Wow, you need Syrup 101..Do yourself a favor and buy the NA Maple PRoducers Manual. Read it from cover to cover. It is the bible of syrup making. Also buy yourself the Backyard Sugarin book. It is a great book for any backyarder to have or someone who wants to get into sugarin on the cheap!

you keep talking about this book ADK1, wheres the pic of the steel tubes and things "goosenecks" just given u a hard time buddy

[Waterbird17]

thanks for the info guys, I'm going to get that book. Today I pulled 15 gallons of sap which is a nice load for me.

Sorry for all the stupid questions, but don't forget I am from NJ, there isnt really anybody I can ask. I tell people i make syrup and they think i work for aunt jamima;)


I dont have the money for a serious evap. are there any alternatives to buying a big expensive cooker. Right now i'm using a turkey fryer and its takin its time and sucking propane

[morningstarfarm]

if you have a resturaunt supply store local to you..go but 3-4 steam pans used...then build a cinder block arch to lay them on...look around for some free pallets for fuel and there you go...there are a ton of threads on cinder block arches here..I boiled like that for a few years before making the jump to an evaporator..the big secret to boiling is surface area..not depth..those steam pans will boil a ton faster than a turkey cooker saving you many hours and a ton of money for the propane...good luck:lol: I remember when I was in your shoes, but if you're gonna pick a problem to have....too much sap is the one every one of us here will pick:lol:

[Waterbird17]

thanks again for the info, I am going to look for some big steamer pans and make a home made one.


one other question, The batch i'm cooking right now is very merky, what kind of filters should i use and how should i make sure the sap goes through the filter in a some what timely fassion. is there any technique?

thanks, Al

[morningstarfarm]

I'd go to the maple guys site and order an orlon cone filter and a package of prefilters...make a square frame out of 1" pvc pipe to hole it...get it damp and keep it warm..run your syrup through the orlon and 6 prefilters inside it (one inside the other)..when it stops running take the innermost prefilter out and dump it into the next one...keep this up until you're done filtering..secret is hot syrup and warm moist filters..good luck