Any tricks to reduce sugar sand using the batch method?

[fishpal]

My 47 gallons of sap batch seemed to cook down quickly. I thought it was due to a stiff breeze but perhaps I boiled it too rapidly? Does the intensity of the boil effect the amount of sugar sand? There seemed to be a lot. About 3/8 sugar sand in the nearly one gallon batch. Did the breeze help or was I imagining things?

[PerryW]

Nope. There is no such thing as boiling it too rapidly. Sometimes the sap just seems to produce a lot of sugar sand.

I'm assuming you are talking about the sugar sand that accumulates in your filter?

Slower cooking reduces your grade and it takes longer to make your syrup. It also (probably) deposits more nitre on the surfaces of the pan, making cleanup of the pans harder.


here's my syrup pan boiling:


http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/perryW/?action=view&current=HPSyrupBoil2Small.mp4

[wnybassman]

here's my syrup pan boiling:


http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/perryW/?action=view¤t=SyrupBoilSMall.flv

"The specified media does not exist"

[PerryW]

try this one




http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/perryW/?action=view&current=HPSyrupBoil2Small.mp4

[KenWP]

One thing I found helps is to hang a prefilter over the pan and ladle the presyrup into it as you boil and it cuts down how much is in the pan when you pour off to filter. Just don't do it too much as it cools it off and lengthens the boil.

[Vermont Creation Hardwood]

I generally boil much slower than your video, Perry. I never use a defoamer because I never get much foam. I tend to be doing other chores while I'm boiling, so I don't stay near the evaporator. Yes it takes more time, but I have found that boiling slower DOES NOT reduce grade or produce more niter. Since I batch boil small batches, 40 or so gallons at a time, I take it down to about a half inch in the evaporator then finish in the house. If I have consecutive runs I keep adding sap. My results are fancy syrup most of the season and darker syrup only near the end of the season. I have a customer who will buy lots of B grade, but in the past I haven't produced as much as she will buy. Also I don't get that much niter in the pans and it filters well after finishing.

[fishpal]

Many thanks to all of the replies. I decant because my batches are so small (1 to 2 gallons) that I don't want to lose any syrup. Plus I have fun playing with the syrup as I decant.