What to use,,,transfering "almost syrup" Batch Boiling

[TerryEspo]

Good Morning Everyone:

Does anyone have a good suggestion for what I need. I boil my sap in batches, not a continous flow set-up. After I have boiled maybe 50-100 gallons of sap, I stop boiling on the outside evaporator. I now have maybe 8-10 gallons of ALMOST SYRUP. I need to stop at that point due to my pan getting too low in my boiler pan.

I then take that into my garage and use a turkey frier to boil down to maybe 3-4 gallons, then bring that into the house to finnish into done syrup.

My question is, What can I use to get my 8-10 gallons of hot almost syrup from the bush to my garage. (4 minute ATV ride) In the past I just used a 8 qt. pot and take a bit at at time. I dont want anything plastic with hot liquids.

Ideally I would like a pot or container that could take all my "almost syrup" and go directly onto the turkey boiler in garage. I guess I could also bring the turkey boiler back in the bush and boil it down there too, so I have even less to get back to the house. Its just nice to get back to home area after a long boil.

I would like to hear what others do with there almost syrup and how to move it around.

Thank-you.

Terry

[psparr]

I have a stainless milk can I found on Craigslist for $30 lid fits tight enough to not splash out.

[ericjeeper]

First with 100 gallons of sap, I would reduce it much further than to 8-10 gallons. You know you have less than 2 gallons of syrup. I always batch but I take it much closer before pulling the pan off onto the wheel barrel. Then draining through my spigot, through two prefilters into a large stockpot.

[TerryEspo]

I dont really know if it is 8-10 gallons of almost sap, but I need to stop boiling at that point due to the level in my pan. I get nervous if it gets to low. I think I read it here not to go below 2 inches. Whatever the amount is, it is still lots to do on the turkey boiler. That is what I,m trying to improve on. It cools down lots too when transfering.

Maybe I should wait till I have even more sap to start with and then my almost syrup will be more concentrated.

I like the wheel barrel idea !!

[325abn]

Bring the turkey frier to the bush. You could also let the near syrup cool a bit then put it into plastic buckets with lid.

[blac]

I agree bring the propane to the woods and then transport finished product, reheat and bottle. I used to batch as well and finished in the pan, well within a degree or two and it got a little thin in the pan, we just anticipated and lowered the heat and pulled the coals and mantained a smaller "finish fire"

[Cake O' Maple]

FWIW, last year I scooped then poured from double-size hotel pans directly into the food-grade plastic buckets from Rural King a few times, and the bottoms got wavy (and didn't straighten out when cool) but that's all. Granted, they were on flat ground when filled, and I only moved them a few feet barely lifting them off the ground out of the way when I was done, so not sure what would happen on an ATV ride. If they were supported well, likely they would be fine...

Probably not the best solution, but it worked when I needed it to!

[Big_Eddy]

Terry
The milk can is the best suggestion so far for transporting any distance. I use a 20L stock pot, but I only walk 100' with mine and I've been known to spill hot syrup down my leg.

I agree with the other posters - get it as close to syrup as you can on your fire. How big is your pan? You can reduce down to 1/2" or even lower if you watch closely. When I was batching on my 2x3, I would boil flat out 1" deep until I ran out of sap, then not feed more wood and watch the level drop. By stirring the coals and adding handfuls of twigs etc., I would lower it down to 3/8" or so in my pan before transferring to a pot. Bring it up to the house, bring it back to a boil and then test the density. Much easier to add a bit of sap and thin it down than it is to reduce it another 50% on propane.

[TerryEspo]

Well, it sounds I am a bundle of nerves for nothing then. I am glad to hear I can boil down lower than 2", that will save me time and propane. I never thought of pulling coals either to lower the temp, great idea !!

I think my pan is 24 x 48, pretty sure anyway, I will measure next time in the back. Trying to remember from last year a 5 gallon pail of sap, water or whatever didn't do more than an inch or so in the pan. I would test my pan but it is just a steel pan and all oiled up and put away right now, I don't want to disturb it, LOL !!

I will bring the turkey boiler to the back as well, looks like it is time for some sort of shack or roof back in the bush.

Thanks for all that has been said so far.

Terry

[mike z]

If your pan sits on top, and not "down in" where the sides can burn, I think you could easily go an inch or 3/4". You need to have the pan sitting level, a flat bottom not warped, and really keep a close eye on it. Eliminate the turkey fryer step somehow. Stainless milkcan all the way for transport, but I'd have to look real hard to find one for $30 though. More like $70-100 around here for a 10 gal.

[TerryEspo]

My pan does sit on top, not perfectly level due to just sitting on the dirt. I can put metal pieces under the pan to make it near level. I will watch Craigs List for a milk jug, I like that idea.
Here is a recent pic of me and the kids burning boxes and lots of Christmas paper a few weeks ago. You can kinda see my rustic arch. Maybe you can tell it has a removeable top plate that acts as a table when the boil pan is not sitting there and I want to open burn.6344

Thanks.

Terry

[lpakiz]

Terry, Just watch how it is boiling towards the end when it is getting low. Whatever corner is boiling hardest And looks shallow, just shim up the opposite side til you are evened out. And as was stated, watch how you fire then. I save the small pieces of wood, especially pine and poplar, to use for just a bit more heat. And have a quart or two of sap handy in case you were too daring. Just a splash buys you some time to pull out coals or let more of the fire burn out. You should be able to get to an inch without problems, as long as the pan has a real flat bottom.

[TerryEspo]

I found last year a "Stomped" beer can made a great shim !! Front left corner !! Not sure what corner this year though. Hopefully last year for outside boiling. That wonderful wife of mine is going to allow me to take over an out building we call the barn. Not a real barn but it is 12 x 20, concrete floor, 2 storey. I cant wait for this year and now due to the barn idea, cant wait for next year too !!

Terry

[mike z]

One last consideration, as you get closer to syrup, and running the pan shallow, foaming can be a problem. Beside a boil over, running very shallow becomes harder to manage as a thin 1" layer of syrup changes to a 1/2" when it turns to foam. This happens in 3 seconds. Just need to be vigilant in knocking it down, that's all.

[maple flats]

Since we bottle into plastic jugs, there are plastic that will do the job. The advantage will be that you can cap it tight. A milk can or large SS pot or other choices are not sealable. The ATV ride might lose some concentrate. Try 2- 5 gal syrup jugs, or even 3 if you want to lighten each loaded jug. Rinse well after each use. Keep these clean and you can use them to pack syrup if you grow to that stage.

[seclark]

If you can block off half of your top opening or less and then use a smaller pan and then it would be a lot easier to handle and could boil it down even further.I have had to do the same thing in the past and it's no fun handling a large pan with hot liquid,of course that's if you can find or build a smaller pan.Then a large stock pot would be large enough to finish.

[Dave Y]

If you want to transport any almost syrup without spilling, get a couple of 5gal plastic carboy containers. the have 3in opening with a screw on lid. pour liquid in , screw on lid , put on atv and take off. problem solved. they are inexpensive and most maple dealers sell them.

[lastwoodsman]

63996400This worked well for me if you have a old snowmobile or something to pull it. I put a pair of old cross country skis on the bottom of the runners. It pulls extremely easy.

[TerryEspo]

Very neat idea !!

[seclark]

Lastwoodsman, I love it.I have a set of old snowmobile ski's and I will use them to make a rig like yours.This site is great,what a bunch of neat idea's here.If not snow I use a 4 wheeler with a small trailor.

[Big_Eddy]

Terry, Just watch how it is boiling towards the end when it is getting low. Whatever corner is boiling hardest And looks shallow, just shim up the opposite side til you are evened out. And as was stated, watch how you fire then. I save the small pieces of wood, especially pine and poplar, to use for just a bit more heat. And have a quart or two of sap handy in case you were too daring. Just a splash buys you some time to pull out coals or let more of the fire burn out. You should be able to get to an inch without problems, as long as the pan has a real flat bottom.

A handful of snow tossed on the coals is another quick solution if you get too daring. A fist full of white pine twigs to add some heat if needed. On my 2x3 flat pan - I'd take it down to 3/8", toss a couple of shovels full of snow on the coals, twist the pan to 45 degrees and pour out the corner into a stock pot. Snow is better than water - it smothers and cools.

[lpakiz]

Big Eddy, Thanks for the tip on snow versus water. I too turn the flat pan 45 degrees and pour out of the corner. I have 2 pipes that I slide thru the arch when I'm ready to dump. Works slick. As I lift one corner, the opposite corner goes down so syrup only deops a couple inches into the stock pot on the ground.