Sugar'n Newb

[Stax]

Hello all. First time, small hobby sugar'n newb here. Tapped 2 larger Silver Maples in my backyard just over a week ago. Collected approximately 22 gallons of sap over 3 days. Then the forecast went south and my buckets have been dry for the last 3 days. Should finish boiling down the last of my 22 gallons today and hopefully finish the syrup this evening. Some pics. 71167117711871197120

[Stax]

Sorry, just getting used to uploading attachments. Some more pics. 71217122

[MapleLady]

22 gallons of sap ~ sounds like you're off to a good start! Welcome!

[Stax]

Thanx Maplelady...where would u go on the site to learn more about the basics and the "how too's" of sugar'n?

[Ausable]

Stax - Congratulations. Looks like You are off to a good start. Your set up for boiling your Sap reminds me of my own about 18 or so years ago. The basics of making maple syrup. You might try the Site search engine.. The information is here - and there are sure plenty of us on this Site that know how to do it. But - Hmmmmmmm! I would use one of my computer search engines and ask -- How to make my own Maple Syrup? A bunch of stuff will pop up with the basics and where to get booklets and books on how to do it. I don't want you to get totally confused right off the bat. LOL - Basics: Sap in a Pot of Pan the more surface area the better. You'll be Batch Boiling - So - Pot with sap on a heat source - Boil and boil and boil some more - when the contents are about 1 to 2 inches deep add some preheated sap to your boiling pan and keep on a boiling - Keep a little oil or butter or defoamer on hand and if the pot should foam up - add a couple of drops of oil and it will tame it down. Ok - You have boiled and boiled and You are out of sap. As you get closer to syrup you will notice your bubbles will get big and shiny - the near syrup will start to ladder on a spoon. Lol - Before I had my first syrup hydrometer I would panic at this point and start canning. OK - Temps - Maple Syrup when done is approx 7 degrees hotter then boiling water - So ideally - if water boils in your location at 212F it is syrup at 219F if you have a reliable thermometer. Best bet is Fill a test cup with near syrup and gently lower your glass hydrometer into it - if it sits on the bottom of the cup - you have more boiling to do - if it floats you are getting close and now have to pay attention to business. A syrup hydrometer comes with instructions and have both Brix and Baume scales on them and are marked at the point where your near syrup is now syrup. The key to making maple syrup is to know when it is at syrup and get it off the fire or maintain temp - by cutting back the fire and bottle or can it......Gosh--I kinda covered it. LOL --Have Fun -----Mike-----

[Ausable]

Whoops! I Apologize - When I typed my reply to Stax - I didn't realize we were in the "Welcome" section and we should have this in "Maple Talk". Sorry about doing that and I should have caught it sooner. -----Mike------