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View Full Version : Too Dark!!


jmp
03-20-2011, 07:14 PM
Would like to hear your thoughts as to what I may have done wrong. Sap was about a week old (no chance to boil due to other committments) but was kept cool and was clear. Boiling point of water here today was 213.5. brought temp up to 222.5 in pan then drew off. Checked with hygrometer and it was too thin. Put in pot on turkey fryer and brought temp back to 222.5. Checked with hygrometer again at 211 and still slightly too thin by a few brix! At this point this stuff is DARK! Said to heck with it as I didn't want motor oil. Filtered and bottled (for personal use only). Why why why!!!!! :o

Thanks guys!
500592
03-20-2011, 07:16 PM
You may want to clean your container and filter sap before you put it in your storage container
jmp
03-20-2011, 07:18 PM
Hey 500592. Storage container is a 275 gallon food grade IBC container. Its clean and I filter all sap before I pour it in. I am thinking the sap was too old? Maybe? -John
KenWP
03-20-2011, 09:14 PM
After a week it would not matter how much you filtered and cleaned the tank it would go dark.Sap is like milk and stores the same.
Russell Lampron
03-21-2011, 06:16 AM
How does the syrup taste? I say finish it, filter it and bottle it. For personal use it doesn't matter what color it is. If it taste good you're going to like it anyway. In the future don't keep your sap so long. That is why it was so dark.
jmp
03-21-2011, 08:04 AM
The syrup smells and taste really good, its just dark. The wife and kids love it (and so does our greyhound). I will not keep it as long next time. Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it! Hope all is going well with our operations! -John
markct
03-21-2011, 06:06 PM
theres nothing wrong with dark syrup why the concern?????
jmp
03-21-2011, 08:18 PM
Hi Markct. Guess I feel like I did something wrong. I am ok with it. Plan on selling next year from our proposed sugarhouse. Just want to be making sellable product.
markct
03-21-2011, 08:32 PM
dark syrup is perfectly saleable as long as it has good flavor. i tap mostly red maples so have alot of dark amber and b and every year sell all of it, infact many customers actualy prefer the dark syrup with its rich flavor
bowtie
03-22-2011, 10:47 AM
i get the same thing, dark dark syrup but i am bascialy making kettle syrup, have a concrete arch and just keep adding the sap. i do not know a lot about making syrup, just learning, but from having used real maple syrup most of life i think the darker syrup actually tastes better. i really do not get the grading deal maybe just a way for bigger guys to differentiate themselves with better equip. once it hits approx 220 it maple syrup no matter what color. i just ordered a mason 2x4 with blower and this should allow me to make "lighter" syrup, but not the reason for ordering it, i needed to up my gph to boil my sap quicker.
michiganfarmer2
03-23-2011, 10:41 AM
How does the syrup taste? I say finish it, filter it and bottle it. For personal use it doesn't matter what color it is. If it taste good you're going to like it anyway.

thats my thought
oldboyscout
04-05-2011, 07:08 PM
I just made a batch that looks like the proverbial used motor oil, but tastes great!. The sap was stored cold (ice in it) for about 2 weeks and was slightly cloudy. I'm happy to have it.
Should I package it as "Grade Z Dark Brown"?
markct
04-05-2011, 07:27 PM
I just made a batch that looks like the proverbial used motor oil, but tastes great!. The sap was stored cold (ice in it) for about 2 weeks and was slightly cloudy. I'm happy to have it.
Should I package it as "Grade Z Dark Brown"?

nope it can be dark as anything but is still b if it has good flavor