55 gallon drums

[Studhauler]

This is going to be my first year making syrup. I can only boil the sap on the weekends. I am will have 10 taps this year. I am planning on storing the sap in 55 gallon plastic drum(s). What are the pros and cons of storing it this way?

[ericjeeper]

Keeping it cold.. If you do not keep it cold, it will ferment.

[markct]

from 10 taps you will be lucky to fill more than one barrel on an average week. But basicly just keep them in the shade and freeze some soda bottles of water to place in the sap that will help keep it cold. Later in the season your sap will spoil too soon to do this but early it will work somewhat ok. The best option would be a small dairy tank as they are insulated and easy to clean. Make sure you clean it each week as they can get pretty nasty with sap sitting that long

[Studhauler]

So I would have to cut the top off the 55 gallon drum to add bottles of ice? I might try my hand at harvesting ice off the lake to stack around the drums for this year. The sap will be kept under a car port attached to the north side of an unattached unheated garage.

[wiam]

So I would have to cut the top off the 55 gallon drum to add bottles of ice? I might try my hand at harvesting ice off the lake to stack around the drums for this year. The sap will be kept under a car port attached to the north side of an unattached unheated garage.

You need to be able to wash the inside of the drums so might as well open them up.

[mustanger]

It is awfully easy to let the sap go sour. It's a great idea if you stay on top of it. I didn't and lost a bunch of sap doing that.

[Studhauler]

What temperature should I try to keep the sap under? What temp does it freeze? Is it obvious when sap goes bad and ferments?

Thanks

[mapleack]

Sap basically freezes at 32 like water, to a point water will freeze first concentrating the sugar. Treat it like milk and keep it colder than 40. You'll know if it's spoiled, milky white, smell, not good.