sugar sand and flavor - necessary to filter?

[emu742]

I can't remember what I read in some books from the library whether sugar sand causes any long term impact on flavor? Cloudiness is not really an issue for me. If I can skip the final filtering I wouldn't mind :D but that is if it doesn't have an impact on flavor over the long haul (say a year or so).

[Haynes Forest Products]

If its just the fog bank on the bottom of the syrup and its not moldy I cant see why it would hurt. I get it sometimes when temps get out of whack. I have never had someone say a thing about it. Its like fine wine with the sediment;)

[3rdgen.maple]

It not so much the sugar sand I would worry about but other stuff that gets in the pans that arent so pleasant. Bugs. I see a few in the filter and every once in awhile floating in the pan. Filters are cheap so I wouldnt skip the process.

[DrTimPerkins]

I can't remember what I read in some books from the library whether sugar sand causes any long term impact on flavor? Cloudiness is not really an issue for me. If I can skip the final filtering I wouldn't mind :D but that is if it doesn't have an impact on flavor over the long haul (say a year or so).

An excess of niter in syrup can impart a bitter flavor over time. In addition, if you have lead-soldered equipment sap collection or processing equipment, the niter can have EXTREMELY high levels of lead in it, which will resolubilize into the syrup.

[emu742]

Haven't spotted anything at all in my jar to strain out (closed tube system, air tight entry into collection jar, don't know if it'd be possible for anything to get in the way it is right now), but I have been straining through coffee filters before boiling nonetheless.
(perhaps I'm being a bit over the top doing that?)

Using the average kitchen pot to cook it down in (I believe stainless steel).
There would not be a lead issue for those, would there?

I suppose what I'm leaving in the sediment is minerals like calcium that could make it a bit bitter over time?

[Mike in NY]

Filter it out. The stuff tastes like mud. it has to contaminate the syrup with an off flavor

[adk1]

I will filter no matter what.

[Thad Blaisdell]

The old timers always let it settle then drain off above that.

[michiganfarmer2]

The old timers always let it settle then drain off above that.

I do that before running my syrup through the filter press

[happy thoughts]

I'm just a small producer that's happy with a gallon or so of syrup for home use. I don't filter but I do try to remove as much of the sand as possible by sedimentation. I usually end up with a pretty clear syrup with minimal sand even after it's stood many months in the bottle. I have never noticed an off flavor even after a year if the stuff lasts that long. We do keep all our syrup refrigerated.