Moldy Syrup...Still any good?

[Flatfoot95]

I just popped the top on 3 5 gallon pails that I was going to bottle and found some mold on them. Is this a total loss or can you skim and reboil. Will this affect flavor? Am I S.O.L.

[maple flats]

Test it and see. A couple of questions on how this might have happened. Did you fill each can all at once or was it a little now and a little latter? Was it over 180 when filled? Did you tip the cans over to sanitise the level above syrup when at 180+? Now for your answer. According to the jusg I buy (consumer sizes) you heat it to over 180 for several minutes and skim any thing on top. then taste it for off flavors or aftertaste. If that test is good, can it properly and it should be good, if taste is off it would be better to dump it. The mold should not hurt anything but if the flavor of the syrup retains a moldy taste it could hurt future customer repeat business. That is my opinion.

[brookledge]

Taste the syrup if it taste fine then I'd skim off the mold and re can it. It would be a good idea to run through some cheese cloth or something to get all the bits and pieces. If there is alot of mold then bring it to a boil add a little water to bring the density back down ( use hydrometer) and then filter it again.
As for the mold in the first place you need to make sure you are getting the syrup up over 180-185 when you can it. If that is done you will be able to keep it indefinately with out spoiling.
Keith

[Flatfoot95]

I should of been a little more specific. I am aware of the proper temps for canning. The pails in question were draw offs. I just have been so busy lately and was short on jugs I didn't get to it in a timely manner. My fault entirely. If I would have had a refigerator unit to store them in I am sure they would have been fine.

Thanks for your suggestions they are right on cue with what I was going to try. I am going to filter through a pre filter when I dump it into my finishing pot and then completely refilter it before I can it. If it taste moldy however still after reheating I am not going to pass it through my filters as I am afraid it might leave a aftertaste in the filters for future batches.

This was my first year.....live and learn I guess. Wont make the same mistake again.

[markcasper]

flatfoot, If it is this years syrup, I don't think the mold will have been there long enough to affect it. I still have 100 gallons in milk cans yet to bottle and will be working on that today and tommorrow.

I always aim to wrapped up with bottling by memorial day. Usually its cool enough to last that long. There are a few cans i noticed with a few spots of mold appearing, but like I said, its not been long enough and its been quite cool here. If i can't get to it for a few eeks yet, I usually stir it every day, or every other day, seems to help keep it from getting worse.

If worse comes to worse, then there are 2 empty chest freezers at hand until i do get to it. If the syrup sat all summer in the heat, thats when the mold would be a BIG issue. Mark

[ibby458]

If you reboil and refilter that syrup, you'll never know it had mold on it. The steam seems to carry off any bad flavors. (You'll likely have to add some water, and it may darken a bit)

To give an extreme example, this year I reboiled and refiltered 20 gallons of 8 yr old syrup that had a thick layer of mold on it. (I was doing it as a favor for the guy that owned the evaporator that I thought he was going to sell to me) We tasted it after it was put in clean pails, and he said it tasted the same as the dayt he put it up. The syrup buyer tasted it, said there was nothing wrong with it, and paid him the same price as he paid me for the same grade.

[Flatfoot95]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.....filtered (prefilter), boiled, filtered and bottled everything this morning. Taste was absolutely fine. Thanks again..