producing a littler grade

[Flatlander]

Hope someone can help me with this.

Years ago, I cooked on a flat pan in batches. I would get a boil rate between 5 and 10 gals/hous. I could make some great golden colored syrup.

Now I cook with a 2 X 6 with a piggy back. Once I get everything hot, I can usually run 25 -30 gal/ hour rate but my syrup is always dark. Its good tasting but I miss that golden color and flavor.

Any suggestions?

OOPS thats supposed to be a "lighter" grade!

[Ausable]

Flatlander - I really wish I could help - but - I have the same problem You described. When I batch boiled - my maple syrup was beautiful - most of the time. Now that I have a basic 2' x 5' home built flow thru evaporator - my maple syrup is very dark - but the taste is quite good. I heard it might be caused from using steel pans - all the pans I have used are steel - both methods. In the flow through - I leave my pans sweetened between boils and heard that might cause it. But - I would let near syrup sit in my batch pan and continue boiling the next day and not effect color. Heard it might be partly from the maple sap - collected at different times - Maybe? I really don't know. I give most of my maple syrup to family and a few friends and they like it --- so be it. But my male ego - misses the "Vermont" looking maple syrup - Aka Golden Amber. I will watch the replies to your post and see what we both shall learn.

[325abn]

It is what it is!! We get what ma Nature give us with regards to colur

[Tweegs]

First thing that comes to mind is sugar content.

Got to make an assumption here that years ago, when you were using flat pans, you didn’t have as many taps as you do now.

Is there a chance you are holding onto the sap longer before boiling?
Last year was kind of a fluke, got warm fast.

Holding the sap too long or letting it get too warm will allow the microbes to start eating the sugar. Lower sugar content means darker syrup.

Just tossing it out there as a guess.

[maple flats]

The way to get a lighter grade are to boil faster, only fresh sap and have a good clean pan. Sometimes in the bottom of the channels on a flue pan things get missed when cleaning. Make sure things are clean.

[325abn]

Isn't it logical that if the coulor of syrup could be adjusted to any meaningfull difference, it would be? I think the big comercial guys would be doing it.

[Flatlander]

Tweegs and Maple Flats

The reason I went from a flat pan to a continuous flow pan was that I needed more(faster) production. I have been adding taps every year for the last ten years or so. I have been cooking each days sap run this week so the sap does not sit around. I started cooking just last week but I don't clean out the flue pan between each run when I know I will be cooking again the next day. It will cool off for the next couple of days so I will drain off the pans and clean the out before the next run begins. I talked to a small producer in Wis last week and he had the same problem, so he went back to a flat pan.

I should think I would get a much higher boil rate than I do but I can't seem to break that 30 gal/hr rate very often. So, I'll keep pluggin along trying to improve where I can. Appreciate your comments.