Filtering...

[MassMapleAdict]

I am trying something different this year, I have been filtering at the evaporator and recycling the sap back in to my preheater, again and again. Then I am filtering again during the finishing process. Am I wasting my time filtering so early in the process? And when is the "nitre" actually produced? During the initial boil? During finishing when the sugar content increases? Any thoughts?

I definately don't want to create more work for myself than I have to. 8O

[Rob Harvey]

We filter when we draw off and then finish the syrup in a gas rig and filter again. We still get a lot of niter the second time but not as much as when we dont filter when we draw off. Rob

[mountainvan]

I believe sugar precipitated out of the syrup at about 60%. read that in a maple digest. I filter right off of the evaporator, finish there too, pack in glass, and have no problem with cloudy syrup, if I change the felts before they really start to plug up. to answer your question, yes I think you're filtering too much. when finishing on the evaporator once is ok, drawing off early and using a finishing pan as stated before is best.

[mountainvan]

sorry sugar does'nt come out, sugar sand does. had a rough day.

[brookledge]

What do you mean by recycling the sap again and again? Are you washing your filter in sap? Any time syrup boils it will release a little more nitre. Most will only filter the syrup once. When you re-heat the syrup to can at 185 keep it under 200 and you should not have a problem with sediment.
Keith

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I like to let my syrup set for about a week or two and then reheat it and filter it once it gets to correct density. 90% + of the sugar sand will settle to the bottom of the buckets and you can pour the syrup off and it makes filtering a lot easier and faster. :D

[maplehound]

The neighbor who got me started in this said that he never filtered his syrup just let it sit for several days then packed it in freezer boxes and put it in the freezer. I don't recomend it but it would help get some out first if you are reheating it to finish it later.
Ron

[MassMapleAdict]

Sorry poor choice of words, I should have said recirculating. Either way I did this over the weekend and my syrup was crystal clear!! I will give it another go this weekend.