Rain Water

[molzep]

I'm worried that I could have too much rain water in my buckets from last night (CT taps). Can a Hydrometer tell? Does boiling down rain water concentrate any of the bad stuff?

What do you do?

[JuniperHillSugar]

Full buckets after a couple of inches of rain are usually mostly water. It might be a yellow color from washing down the trunk of the tree. Even with covers I usually dump the buckets after such an event.

I would expect the hydrometer to sink like a rock and show little or no sugar.

[Brian Ledoux]

Good question, wondered same thing myself. If the buckets are not yellow and just have rain, will it make bad syrup? Myself, I need more liquid so I can have an excuse to start up the evaporator. So don't care if I have to boil a gallon or 2 extra as long as it won't produce bad syrup?

[morningstarfarm]

check them with a sap hydrometer...while it may not make bad syrup...it will take twice the time and wood to boil it down...when I collect mine if it measures less than 1.5% I dump it on the ground...not worth my time or wood for that little benefit..:rolleyes:

[adk1]

check them with a sap hydrometer...while it may not make bad syrup...it will take twice the time and wood to boil it down...when I collect mine if it measures less than 1.5% I dump it on the ground...not worth my time or wood for that little benefit..:rolleyes:

I just cant stop thinking that there is something wrong with this???

[Ausable]

Guess this is a judgment call --- I only have 55 trees and have about half of them tapped for the past ten days and about 2 gallons of sap to show for my effort -- the weather seemed right -- but - not much happened - now toooo cold. To be practical - Chris is right on - check with sap hydrometer and if sugar content below 1.5 - dump it ------HOWEVER------ I gotta boil something - darn near anything ---- right about now if I had sap that kinda looked like sap and showed any sugar I'd boil the heck out of it just to make steam and to show the neighbors I'm still alive......lol. Later in the season I'll get fussy - practical - and very busy and listen to Chris -- right now I gotta Boil something ----- lol -- waiting for the first run ----- Mike

[red maples]

I don't mind low sugar!!! I don't even mind boiling water. but rain buckets I will dump. Even though there might low pressure the sap aint really movin today so you got water. besides all the yellow tree washings sound yummy!!!

[PapaSmiff]

Oops! I boiled it. I figured I'd collect my sap this morning since it was going to rain all day. two of the five buckets were a bit yellow. I guess I should have checked this site before I started boiling it.

I gave it the "sniff test" and it seemed fine. I ended up making candy out of it. Tastes OK too. Hopefully, I won't get harmed by it.

Should I give the candy to the grandkids, or is it not safe?

[Ausable]

Hey Bill -- As long as you have sugar present when you boil - the color will change enough to hide the yellow - still -- it has to have a maple syrup taste --- LOL ---- Mike

[morningstarfarm]

hehe just got back in from checking my buckets...brad if you want low sugar you can have the 250 gallons I have out there now...it is measuring just under .5%...but it will make steam for you...:lol: otherwise I'm gonna dump it on the ground in the morning...:rolleyes:

[buckeye gold]

I agree with the "Dump it" crowd I have dumped approximately 150 gallons this week. We had three inches of rain last night and I didn't even check sugar content, I just dumped. Since I am only running a half Pint with 50 taps, I carry a sap hydrometer and test every tree. If It isn't 1.5% it is ground wash! Takes way to much time to boil low grade sap when I have plenty of 2.0-2.5% sap.

[40to1]

The sap hydrometer was very handy today.

It sure gives peace of mind. I don't want to be collecting rain water...
This morning's results (yes, my trees are nocturnal - they run at night) made me happy. Nothing less than 2% - and one tree was at 4%!

[molzep]

Wish I had a sap hydrometer! I bought a syrup hydrometer last night at tractor supply. I didn't know there was a difference. Sunk to the bottom, I added sugar (white sugar) and kept adding, and it kept sinking. That's when I did some reading!

If I'm bored tomorrow, I may boil it down. But today I'm boiling Wednesday's run!

[red maples]

hehe just got back in from checking my buckets...brad if you want low sugar you can have the 250 gallons I have out there now...it is measuring just under .5%...but it will make steam for you...:lol: otherwise I'm gonna dump it on the ground in the morning...:rolleyes:

you can dump that!!! now that would be boiling water!!:)

[Ausable]

Wish I had a sap hydrometer! I bought a syrup hydrometer last night at tractor supply. I didn't know there was a difference. Sunk to the bottom, I added sugar (white sugar) and kept adding, and it kept sinking. That's when I did some reading!

If I'm bored tomorrow, I may boil it down. But today I'm boiling Wednesday's run!

Hey --- I have nothing to boil -- unless I use 100 gallons of water and add my 2 gallons of sap to make some steam. Don't worry about it -- boil the heck out of it and make some early season maple. -- Soon - all of your sap will be 3% -- Have a Great Season --- Mike

[Sugarmaker]

wow .5% is not good and I WOULD DUMP THAT TOO.
SM

[Bruce L]

I would recommend dumping the buckets,personally from past experience I have found when a lid comes off and snow or rain gets in,I tasted the sap and it tasted terrible,figure if you start off with an off flavour,you will concentrate it to an even poorer flavour.

[molzep]

Well I dumped it if it looked yellow.