Coffee, Filter and canning jars

[eiger99]

This post will cover 3 topics all related to this forum:
1.I've seen some post regarding using a coffee urn for bottling and was wondering if people who have done this could explain pros / cons and other helpful tips. I'm borrowing 1 tomorrow for my first bottling hopefully it will go well. Do you drawoff right thru the filter into the urn?
2. please explain in basic terms your filtering process for backyarders. I use the standard cone filter wet & no don't ring out also use the disposable filters inside the cloth filter
3. thinking of switching to canning jars for cost savings as we usually give all our syrup away. and wanted to find out how long it would stay good in the canning jar. Also pros and cons
I'm looking to improve on my process & any suggestions in backyarder terms would help.

[BryanEx]

I'm looking to improve on my process & any suggestions in backyarder terms would help.
I'll take #3 for ya...

Pros - Easy to source, inexpensive, very easy to fill, stackable for storage, & one of the best seals on the market. If you bottle between 180 & 195 your syrup will keep for years.

Cons - They don't do well for sales unless you know the people and they are just after the syrup volume. They just look a little too "home made" and consumers may question the quality.

- Bryan

[Gravel]

I draw off into a pan, keep testing with hydrometer until it test correctly I then pour into a pre filter that is inside a cone filter which I have sit over the steam of the arch for a few minutes, this filter is set inside my coffee urn which I just got for this season and have only used once, happy with it so far, when the syrup starts slowing down going threw the filter I grab a zip tie, crumple the end of the pre filter up and zip tie the very end of it up, I then flip over the pre filter and the syrup finish's filtering in a hurry, hope this helps.

[Dill]

You want to make sure its a new coffee urn. That's never had coffee through it. Or you'll get some off tasting syrup.

I did canning jars the first 2 years. They work well.
One issue is your syrup looks at least 1 grade if not more darker than it is.

[Gravel]

Mine is a real old one, I cleaned it out and syrup taste fine??

[Dill]

I never tried it. When I was looking into it, most of the searches around here said new. So I just bought a canner from Bill Mason.

[Dennis H.]

If the coffee urn is the type with a heating element on the bottom and is not one of those commercial type that has water around the coffee holding vessel, yuo will want to turn it off before you get to the last little bit of syrup. The heat from the heating element could scrotch the syrup. It should be hot enough anyhow at that point till you get the remainder into a bottle.

Canning jars are a nice way to store syrup. And you can reuse them later, just add new lid. But just let you know, maple syrup bottles cost about the same.

As for filtering, that is the most frustrating part of finishing the syrup. I can't help you with the cone filters as I only tried them once and I said never again and went to flat filters.

[Backyard Sapman]

I used canning jars the last couple years which work great for giving it to family and friends but this year I tapped 30 more trees than last year thinking I could sell some syrup to the general public so I bought decanters this year to look a little more professional. The beauty of it is -- they cost the same as the canning jars do at Wal Mart so it was a no brainer for me. I also picked up some labels for a minimal charge.