Need Draw Off Advice

[SeanD]

I use two thermometers to tell me when I'm close, then I check with the hydrometer to know when to start drawing off. I crack it open and then when the temp. drops I check again with the hydrometer. If it's light, I shut off the draw.

I'm getting ready to bottle my first couple of batches and I'm consistently two points over on each draw and like last year, I've got crystals in the bottom of the buckets. It's not the end of the world and I like that I can bring it down to density without having to cook it, but I wouldn't mind getting more accurate draws.

I feel like if I start drawing earlier, it's a guessing game because sometimes it will sit a couple of points low for a while during the boil. If I let the lighter stuff run run longer during the draw, I'm still guessing how much longer to go.

Any ideas?

Sean

[jmayerl]

It sounds like you keep the syrup in pails of some sort before you bottle, right? I found this out from a big producer here that if you draw off just slightly light, the syrup will still evaporate a little water off. We heat pack in bulk about a point short and stil have to thin slightly when we open to bottle. Always better to be a little heavy than light.

[SeanD]

Yes, I'm filtering off the evaporator into pails then covering them until I bottle.