How long is too long to leave concentrate in the pan?

[swierczt]

I'm a batch boiler, and was looking for some opinions about leaving concentrated sap in the evaporator between boils. I can't boil every day, and what I've got is about half way to syrup. I've left concentrate in the pan for a couple of days without refrigerating or packing in bucket and burying in the snow or freezing in the freezer....but I was wonderind how long some of you leave your almost syrup in the pan when you can't get it to syrup right away?

[Ed R]

As long as it doesn't get to hot or to cold you will be fine for probably close to two weeks. The quality of your syrup may suffer if its on the warm side. I would probably ref. if after a week I didn't see a run on the horizon

[New Carlisle]

This is the exact question I came here tonight to find out. Thank You!

We've had a wonderful first couple of days here in New Carlisle Indiana. I'm hoping the season is a little longer than last year!

[swierczt]

As long as it doesn't get to hot or to cold you will be fine for probably close to two weeks. The quality of your syrup may suffer if its on the warm side. I would probably ref. if after a week I didn't see a run on the horizon

Really? That long? That's good to know. I was hoping to get a few days, maybe even a week at most...I've put frozen jugs of water in my pans before to keep the concentrated sap (can't call it syrup yet) cool when the temps got into the upper 40's and near 50. Cover the pans with aluminum covers that I made as well. My sugar house is nothing more than a 'shack' with three walls and open on the east end....mostly in the shade as well so that hepls keep things cool.