Draw Offs??? Help!!!

[Flatfoot95]

Someone told me that you can see "pockets" of syrup in the pan, is this true. If so what does it look like? I was boiling today and could not get a syrup hydrometer reading. I think I would have to draw off too much to fill the cup. By the time I was finished boiling today 2/3 of the pan was on the verge of syrup the last two chambers were hovering around the 218 deg range. Maybe this is alright but I thought that would give too big of a draw off creating the potential for a problem. :?: Thank you in advance for any help at all...

[ibby458]

I'm not familier with your evaporator or how you feed the sap in, but I'd try keeping the depth just a bit deeper. If it's already plenty deep, go ahead and draw it off. You can always finish it off in the house.

Where abouts are you? It's just starting to run here in Potsdamm

[mapleman3]

also if it's your first boil of the season, it may take all day to get enough concentrated sap in the pans before you can draw off, the next time you boil should go quicker, now that the pan has alot of sugar in it.

[Fred Henderson]

My first boil I did not get anything but last nite I made 3 1/4 gals and that was the second boil. It always takes about 100 gals of sap just to sweeten the pans.

[brookledge]

If you have an open pan I do not believe you will or can get pockets of syrup. But definately if you have dividers you can see pockets of syrup. Most of the time (the way you want it) it will always be at the end of the line. But once and a while it can happen in the middle of the pan. Once you get an eye for the way syrup boils you can almost tell when it's done just by looking at it.
Keith