Maple Syrup Photometer (by Hanna)

[English River Maple]

Does anyone use or own one of these? I am interested in purchasing one to get away from the temporary maple syrup grading kits. Thank you in advance for any information you can provide.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Hanna-HI95759-Maple-Syrup-Colorimeter-Photometer-/370231356557?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5633822c8d

[DrTimPerkins]

Does anyone use or own one of these?

Yes, we've tried them. The beam of light going through the syrup is fairly small, so any small amount of suspended particulate (niter), a fingerprint or smudge on the glass, a little frost or fog on the glass, a scratch in the bottle....pretty much anything, will result in a lower transmittance reading, and thus result in your syrup being graded darker than it otherwise would be with a visual comparator (like the Vermont temporary kit). Better results can be obtained in more controlled conditions like inside your house or in a lab, but the usefulness in the sugarhouse is questionable in my opinion.

I'd wait a few more years to see if the IMSI grading standards go into effect, and then purchase a revised USDA kit. The color plates are plastic, so you need to be careful with them to avoid scratches, but it is considered a permanent kit and isn't terribly expensive.

[English River Maple]

Dr. Tim, thank you for your thoughts and recommendations based on your tests, thats just what we wanted to know.

[TerryEspo]

Plastic color plates are a great idea,,,bring them on !!