Filtering small batches - grrrrrr!

[MapleLady]

I have been doing my finishing on my kitchen stove and bottling in mason jars. I did a small batch last night and another one tonight for a total of 104 ozs (6 1/2 mason jars). I have tried several methods of filtering, but am not happy with my final results - a bit cloudy syrup. :cry: Last night I tried running my hot syrup through milk filters (recommended to me locally). This seems to work great on 'almost' syrup but not great on hot, finished syrup - finished syrup in jars is 'slightly' cloudy. Tonight I tried filtering through 3 layers - separated - of filter paper I got from a vendor. I used a kitchen streamer pan - filter paper was in top pan to drip into bottom pan and kept cover on to keep in the heat. Even kept it on my warmer burner on stovetop, so as not to loose heat. Did the job, but still not great. I have a large cone filter I bought before the season, but haven't used it because I am not sure how I might use it on a small batch in my kitchen. What do my micro- maple addicts out there do to filter their finished syrup? So aggravated over here.....

[shane hickey]

I recommend saving all the finished syrup till the end of the
season. Then take it to a producer that can reheat it and
Run it through a filter press. I do this for some of the smaller
Producers in the area then charge them 40 dollars to
Cover the filters,gas, and filter aid. Plus using the canner.

[psparr]

I had the same problem my first year last year and still did this year with a 2x6. Hated using my cone filter only to lose who knows how much syrup in the filter but I figured it out.

I filter with the cone filter, and per filters.
When I'm done I put the soaked filters in a gallon size ziplock bag an throw it in the freezer until I boil again. Then when I'm almost finished with all my sap, I rinse the filters in the sap to get out any trapped syrup. And just repeat the process over again.

Hope that helps.

[vermontpure]

I use cone filters also. 3 pre filters inside a synthetic filter @ i filter every batch twice. I've always had perfectly clear syrup but the last batch i did ended up with a small amount of niter in it & i have no explanation for it. However, all the filtering is a pain in the a**, takes forever. I usually end up dumping half a batch out of filter,rinse filters, reheat syrup & finish filtering because the synthetic filter plugs up even with 3 prefilters.

[Run Forest Run!]

Hi MapleLady. Sorry to hear about your frustrations. I just finished off my first batch for this year and have had great success with my method.

First let me say that I have a lot of patience when it comes to filtering. Considering all of the work that goes into boiling down the sap, I figure that a little extra effort on this step is worth it. Like you I only make tiny batches. Tonight was my largest batch ever and I made 2 1/4 litres (that's about a half gallon in US measurements). There is no way that I'm going to use one of those big thick filters as I'd lose half of my batch.

All of my syrup last year was crystal clear. Tonight's batch looks great as well, but I'll see if there is anything in the glass when it cools down. Anyhow, this is what I do...

I use one of the cone shaped pre-filters and place it inside my jelly bag. My jelly bag is the type that sits on a metal stand so I can place the stand and bag with filter inside my SS pot when I do my final boil on the kitchen stove. I wet both the filter and jelly bag with warm water before putting the near syrup through it. It takes a bit of time for everything to make its way through the filter/bag combo, but the liquid is clear when finished.

Then I heat the near syrup to the correct density/temperature and once it is syrup I run it through the same filter and jelly bag again. (They have both been rinsed.) This time the jelly bag stand is placed in a smaller SS pot and I let my syrup drip as long as it takes. Because the syrup is now cooler than it should be to properly bottle it, I then carefully reheat the filtered syrup to 180-190 and then bottle it.

Tonight I took psparr's advice and have put my jelly bag and filter in a ziplock bag and placed them in the freezer. I'll swish them out in warmed sap when I do my next batch. (Great tip psparr!)

There is nothing more frustrating than seeing a cloudy end product when you've taken the amount care that you have. Perhaps my method might work for you?

[Galena]

I use paper coffee filters, probably the most primitive setup here, as I also make teeny little microbatches. Mostly it works surprisingly well though I do usually have a minute bit of nitre in the bottom. I do have a huge thick felt filter but again I would lose too much syrup it I used it. Psparr's method sounds great though.

Good luck!

[MapleLady]

Thank you everyone for all your filtering tips! Your advice is helping me to see where I need to make changes in my process. Comparing my two batches this morning, last night's syrup is more clear than the night before, so I guess I'm making progress. Filtering isn't as quick a process as I originally thought! Karen, I especially like the idea of using a jelly stand/bag with filters. That jelly bag stand would sit in my SS pan much better than what I have been doing. Also going to try Psparr's tip about storing the filters in a zip lock bag to rinse later.

Feeling much better about all this! :)

[ckkrotz]

MapleLady, I can relate to your struggles. We filtered our first 2 weeks' worth of syrup (a little over 2 gallons) the other night, and it was very frustrating! We have a 40 cup coffee percolator, and we were filtering into that. I guess we had forgotten how long and tedious it is, and took on the project right before it was time to get the kids to bed- bad idea! We ended up putting 1/2 our syrup in the freezer because our percolator lost too much heat by the time the syrup got through the cone filter (we had the coffee pot off to prevent more niter formation. I would love to find a local sugarer who would filter all our syrup for us!

[Bucksaw]

What is a jelly bag filter? Similar to cheese cloth?

[happy thoughts]

No one can be more micro than I've been. If I can find a way to keep costs down or make less work or mess I've probably tried it. I barely filter at all but mostly rely on settling. My packed syrup is pretty darn clear even right after bottling though not perfect. In most bottles I get a very thin film of niter on the bottom after a few weeks of standing. Some have a little bit more but not much, these I reserve for home use. I know my equipment is lead free so I'm not worried about a bit of niter on the bottom. The best bottles are reserved for gift giving.

[daverobitaille]

Hi all,

If your syrup is not for sale there is nothing wrong if it is a bit cloudy after you bottle. It will settle to the bottom and that stuff is not poison at all. After a wile when you poor your syrup the top is always crystal clear.
I usually filter once from the evaporator at around 220 F and finish inside to the right temp for that day and filter again right away wile it is hot. There is always a tiny bit left but not much. I always usually filter about 3 Gallons at the time. Some days it is crystal clear and some days just a bit cloudy. Sometime I wonder if it as something to do with the atmospheric pressure as well????
again... If it is for your own use do not worry too much about it.
Dave

[Run Forest Run!]

What is a jelly bag filter? Similar to cheese cloth?

No, a jelly bag is much thicker. Cheese cloth has a very large weave. This isn't the same unit that I have, but here's a photo of one so that you get the basic idea.

http://www.amazon.ca/Norpro-Jelly-Strainer-Stand-Bag/dp/B0012C5ZPK

I've been using mine for over 20 years and have never needed to buy a new bag. The bag that I have has metal grommets in it that hook onto the frame. After use, I just rinse it thoroughly, several times, in hot water and let it drip dry. That unit has been used to make hundreds and hundreds of crystal clear jellies and juices over the years and is now a star with my syrup. I couldn't live without one.

[MapleLady]

Definitely going to give the jelly bag a try over here. I like the idea of a stand while filtering. I have been afraid to get burned with the contraption I have been improvising with! :)

[Galena]

Definitely going to give the jelly bag a try over here. I like the idea of a stand while filtering. I have been afraid to get burned with the contraption I have been improvising with! :)

+1 think I'll try the jelly bag, sounds a lot more versatile and easier to work with. Hope I can find a stand for it too. Thanks Forest!

[Run Forest Run!]

I hope you ladies have as much luck with the inclusion of a jelly bag in your filtering procedure as I do. So far I've no complaints.

[sweeteffinsyrup]

What a great thread! I've picked up a couple very helpful hints, both of which I think I'll try. I might buy a jelly strainer just to use as a stand for the Orlon bag I just bought and haven't used yet... yea the one I haven't been looking forward to using. Last year (my first year) I only filtered with cheesecloth and knew I wanted to do a better job, even for our own use. I'll keep you posted on how my method works, once I try it.

[Run Forest Run!]

This is what my first batch of 2013 looks like using the prefilter and jelly bag setup. I have one bottle of last year's syrup still kicking around in the fridge so I went and checked on that one. There is the teeny tiniest bit of niter in the syrup, but not enough to even settle on the bottom.

7402
7403

[Troutman10]

So this Jelly Bag you're speaking of...is this a tighter fabric compared to cheese cloth? I too am small and looking to have a better process in filtering. I have synthetic squares that I used last time I filtered. The synthetic material would only allow maybe 6 oz of syrup to pass through it before it would totally clog up. I would then rinse it off with hot water and filter again until the filter was clogged again and keep repeating the process. There's gotta be something out there that has a little tighter weave than cheese cloth and not as tight as synthetic paper.

[Run Forest Run!]

Troutman10 and everyone else interested in jellybags, the type of bag that is on my stand is made from 100% cotton. It is not an open weave like cheesecloth. It's more like the material that you would find in a flour sack or a really good quality tea towel. Jellybags are meant to filter out all of the pulp when you make juice for jelly or for drinking, so the weave has to be pretty tight. If you find a jelly bag and you think the weave is too open, then you might want to put a second pre-filter in the bag if what drips through a single pre-filter isn't good enough. I find the fact that the bag is on a stand a really great convenience.

[MapleLady]

Another note on the jelly bags.... I was able to find a Mirro Jelly stand with 2 bags yesterday. However, the bags that were packaged with the stand are made out of nylon and have an open weave. Aside from the fact that I don't think they can take the heat of the syrup, and Karen said 'her jelly bag was made of cotton', I bought a package of 2 100% cotton jelly strainer bags to try with the jelly stand this week. My total investment at the local hardware store was $14. Very reasonable!

[bowhunter]

Karen,

Your syrup looks awesome. So to be clear you're using just the cotton jelly bag with one pre-filter? I think I'll need to use the commercial filter as a liner in the jelly bag because I've had a lot of niter on some batches.

Dave

[Run Forest Run!]

Karen,

Your syrup looks awesome. So to be clear you're using just the cotton jelly bag with one pre-filter? I think I'll need to use the commercial filter as a liner in the jelly bag because I've had a lot of niter on some batches.

Dave

Thanks Dave. Yes, what I use is the cotton jelly bag with one pre-filter. Here's a picture:

7443

Make sure the jelly bag and prefilter have been run through warm water first because pouring through dry filters causes extra soaking up of the near-syrup and syrup. They should be moist, not sopping wet so gently squeeze out the excess water.

Near-syrup runs through these filters with no problem at all. That filtering step is when I got most of my niter so I rinse the filters really well while the near-syrup is cooking on the stove. When you have finished syrup to filter, do it in several loads so that you can keep the syrup on the stove to keep it warm. If the syrup cools down too much, things really slow down going through the cotton.

[MapleLady]

Thanks Karen for the pic! I plan to try this filter set-up this week!

[bowhunter]

Karen,

Thanks. The pictures are helpful. It's actually a little bigger than I thought. You know I filter all the partial syrup off my half pint, but sometimes it filters pretty well off the stove when it's finished and once and while it doesn't. I'v lost track of the number of batches I've made, but I think it's around 16-17 so I've gotten lots of practice.

Dave

[Run Forest Run!]

I know what you mean Dave. The last batch I filtered went through pretty slowly. So I rewarmed some of it and then added it back in. I can't wait until the day that I can also say I've made around 16-17 batches. I've only got a combined total of 7 under my belt from this year and last.

[MapleMan1]

I have just started this hobby myself this year and want to thank you guys for this helpful information. We made our first real batch last weekend (about a quart) and it came out pretty cloudy. This thread has helped me very much.
Thanks!

[Run Forest Run!]

Congratulations on having made the best maple syrup you'll ever taste in your life - your own. Welcome and have fun this year.

[acerrubrum]

Wow, this is exactly the thread I was hoping to find last night as I was filtering and saying to myself, "how do other people do this, there has got to be an easier way!" I too am checking into the jelly bag, or some other way to have a lot of surface area of the paper filter working while filtering.
Thanks for the great tips!

[AJ Peacock]

Thanks for the great thread. I'll be getting a Jelly bag/stand.

We made 6 gallons last year (our first year). This year we only have 13 taps out and have made 2.5 gallons so far.

I experimented a LOT last year and landed on an easy process that gave me perfectly clear syrup, but requires tons of patience.

I'll boil 20 gallons of sap until it's 'almost syrup' then run it through a large collander (spaghetti strainer) lined with 2 layers of 100% cotton white tee shirt while its still warm (190F or so).

Then I finish it on the stove (using a thermometer to 8F over boiling water) and let it sit overnight to cool, the niter will settle out.

Then I'll filter the syrup (same filter setup) (room temp), pouring slowly to avoid the niter. The Niter goes down the drain with the last small amount of syrup. (dampening the cotton helps a lot).

The filtered syrup is placed in a microwave safe container that can be poured out of easily.

I heat it up slowly in the microwave (30 seconds at a time), until I reach 185F using an instant read food thermometer.

Bottle into pint mason jars that have been preheated with boiling water.

Hope this helps.

AJ

[Run Forest Run!]

AJ, if 13 taps have given you that much syrup so far this year you've got some spectacular maples! Fantastic! Thanks for sharing your filtering tricks. Every little bit of info helps us all.

[MapleLady]

Never thought of re-warming in the microwave, but makes perfect sense - and I would think easier to control the temperature. Thanks for sharing that tip AJ!

[Galena]

Hey AJ! Great setup and ideas, I was wondering if there was some way to warm the syrup or near-syrup in a microwave. I hate having to reheat in pots and pans as syrup is lost that way. Thanks for the tips!

[buck3m]

Sedimentation was once the standard method of removing niter.

Put your syrup in containers (large, narrow,clear and tall would be ideal) and be patient and wait until the top of the syrup is perfectly clear (I'd wait a week or more if possible.) Then carefully pour the clear top off syrup off which is ready for canning. If you have many containers pour all of the "dregs" together and let that settle then pour off the clear syrup again and discard the remaining niter. (Someone suggested mixing the niter with sap and swishing that around good to dissolve some more sugar, letting that settle, then pouring off the clear to add it to the boiling pan. Sounds like a good idea for the small producer trying to salvage maximum sugar!)

Disadvantages of sedimentation:
On occasion some niter may remain (which is why the pros use filters.)
Takes patience

Advantages:
Usually works well
Easiest method
No expensive filters
No syrup lost in filters (a potentially big factor for micro producers.)
Even if stubborn cloudiness remains, it will make your filtering much easier if you decide to go that route.

We employ the basic method above but use cone filters as a final step just to make sure, but settling syrup first makes filtering much easier regardless.

[Nodda Duma]

I make 1 or 2 qt batches and I use a wool cone (ie traditional) filter to filter my syrup. I set my oven at about 175F, and put everything in there overnight. So you have to trust your oven not to get too hot.

In the morning, the syrup has all been filtered and is crystal clear. And I didn't have to watch it slowly drip for hours. I lose very little to the filter ... maybe 1/3 cup? The only problem is that the syrup thickens up... So much so that sugar crystals would quickly form if I bottled it (i measured 40 Baum at 100F on my last batch). So I heat up some more sap and mix it back in to thin it to the proper consistency for syrup.

The key is not to get above 190 after it's filtered, because niter will begin to form again. So as you know heat and bottle right at 180-185.

-Jason

[John c]

This year I decided to save all my "near syrup" in buckets so I can do one "BIG finish" instead of wasting a bunch of sugar doing a bunch of "small finishes". I boil down until the bubbles are very small and vigorous, then I let it cool down and dump it into 4 gallon frosting buckets. I have yet to do a finish this season, but soon I should have enough "near syrup" to do a 10 gallon finish.
I'll let you know how this works out for me!

[Diesel Pro]

That jelly bag is a great idea. Would like to find one in stainless though.

I assume that a permanent coffee filter is not fine enough? Would be nice to have a microscreen basket for simple cleanup and reuse.

[Bucksaw]

Filtered for the first time last night...wow was that a slow process! I used some paper filters cut up to fit a stainless strainer and filtered through that...they would clog up pretty quickly and have to be rinsed off before they would work again. The last post got me thinking...could you just use regular coffee filters? Stack a few of them on top of eachother to a better filter or are they too porous?

[happy thoughts]

...could you just use regular coffee filters? Stack a few of them on top of eachother to a better filter or are they too porous? No. They can work with very thin watery concentrate but don't work well at all for final filtering. You'd need several lifetimes/gallon :)

Here's something I came across yesterday in a 1960's copy of the Maple Sirup Producer's Manual that might help those who filter, particularly the last paragraph....


When a finishing pan is used, the sap being drawn from the evaporator for
transfer to the finishing pan need not be of constant density. It can be any density above 45° Brix (3° or more above the boiling point of
water). The higher the density of the sirup that is withdrawn from the evaporator, the smaller the amount of liquid that has to be evaporated in the finishing pan.

Another and important advantage of using a finishing pan is that it permits filtering the sirup that is being transferred from the evaporator to the finishing pan. Sirup at this density (45° to 60* Brix) has essentially all of it's sugar sand (see pg.78) precipitated. At this density, it has a viscosity (fluidity) only slightly higher than water and filters much more readily than does standard density syrup.

[Asthepotthickens]

Filtered for the first time last night...wow was that a slow process! I used some paper filters cut up to fit a stainless strainer and filtered through that...they would clog up pretty quickly and have to be rinsed off before they would work again. The last post got me thinking...could you just use regular coffee filters? Stack a few of them on top of eachother to a better filter or are they too porous?

Do yourself a big favor go buy a cloth filter and some pre filters. Wash and re-use them I have poured over 30 gallons of syrup through mine and it still looks like new just rince out with hot water before it dries

[Bucksaw]

Do yourself a big favor go buy a cloth filter and some pre filters. Wash and re-use them I have poured over 30 gallons of syrup through mine and it still looks like new just rince out with hot water before it dries

Cone filter or flat filters? I need to rig up something a little better than what I was using last night but this is mostly for planning for next year. I would like to either do something like a coffee urn filter / bottler or maybe flat filter / bottler if I get some extra $$. Going to do a final boil this weekend and then pull the taps if it doesn't get below freezing.

[Asthepotthickens]

Cone filter or flat filters? I need to rig up something a little better than what I was using last night but this is mostly for planning for next year. I would like to either do something like a coffee urn filter / bottler or maybe flat filter / bottler if I get some extra $$. Going to do a final boil this weekend and then pull the taps if it doesn't get below freezing.

Cone filters, I took an old chair cut a hole in the seat rigged up some clips and I hang the cone filter throug the hole. Then I put four per filters in. Very easy

[Plungerke]

Karen, I am a first year mapler and filtered my first batch (2-1/2 gallons) with cheese cloth; All the while thinking there has to be a better way. I found the Jelly bag on Amazon but I am not sure what the "Pre-filter" is that you have mentioned and I see in your picture. Could you provide a little more detail on this item. Thanks for the great info!
Kelly


Thanks Dave. Yes, what I use is the cotton jelly bag with one pre-filter. Here's a picture:

7443

Make sure the jelly bag and prefilter have been run through warm water first because pouring through dry filters causes extra soaking up of the near-syrup and syrup. They should be moist, not sopping wet so gently squeeze out the excess water.

Near-syrup runs through these filters with no problem at all. That filtering step is when I got most of my niter so I rinse the filters really well while the near-syrup is cooking on the stove. When you have finished syrup to filter, do it in several loads so that you can keep the syrup on the stove to keep it warm. If the syrup cools down too much, things really slow down going through the cotton.

[Run Forest Run!]

Hi Kelly! I'm sure the cheesecloth did a miserable job for you. The weave is far too open to do much good. But, you are sugaring and having fun. That's the most important thing of all!

The prefilters that I've been using I purchased at my local TSC store. They are supposed to be used in conjunction with the thick felt filters, but those of us filtering a few quarts, litres or gallons find it soaks up all our hard work. Anyhow, that's where I got mine. They seem like some kind of synthetic, but I couldn't tell you exactly what. They are about $3 each and are easily rinsed and hung to dry so that they can be used over and over again.

Today and yesterday I tried something different with them. I removed the jelly bag and pinned three layers of prefilters to the jelly bag stand to see if it would filter any better. It actually did a great job. So the moral of the story is if you can't find a jelly bag made from cotton, then use three prefilters on the frame instead. To be honest the syrup went through faster than when using the jelly bag. (Mine is a really tightly woven cotton.) I am 100% thrilled with the results.

[Run Forest Run!]

Me again...

This is the type of filter I am talking about. I can't speak to which brand I bought because there is no manufacturing info on mine.

http://www.cleverbrand.com/default.aspx?CN=C8DB3D6B5540

[wnybassman]

Today and yesterday I tried something different with them. I removed the jelly bag and pinned three layers of prefilters to the jelly bag stand to see if it would filter any better. It actually did a great job. So the moral of the story is if you can't find a jelly bag made from cotton, then use three prefilters on the frame instead. To be honest the syrup went through faster than when using the jelly bag. (Mine is a really tightly woven cotton.) I am 100% thrilled with the results.

Sounds familiar. lol Those pre-filters look just like the ones I use. I stuck 4 in the coffee urn last night only because my syrup was everything I drained out of the outside pan and is was especially nasty looking (bugs, sand, soot, woodchucks, etc.) Probably still could have got away with three because really nothing makes it through that first one anyway. When I clean them out I just use (a lot of) hot water and squeeze the water out, never wring, just like the felt filters. I think it makes them last longer.

[ShLUbY]

For all the people who have synthetic or wool cone filters and are afraid to use them because of a very slight amount of syrup loss... (it's really not that much... i use one myself)

Correct me if i'm wrong... but can't you just refrigerate (or freeze also) the "almost syrup" and just keep saving it up until you have enough that it's worth processing through the cone filter to get the best product possible? not to mention this would help you do all your filtering at once... so you dont have to keep washing those filters over and over again... I read somewhere on this forum that almost syrup in the fridge will last 1-2 weeks... and longer if frozen. So save up enough to where you know you're gonna get a gallon or more for the final product and filter all at once!

I'm not knocking anyone's methods here or anything because i see great results from folks like Karen... just trying to ask questions to get answers :) I'm a newb so hey what do i know?!?!

[Run Forest Run!]

Blake you absolutely can do that. I've saved up my last two boils of 'nearup' to do a larger finish. My problem is that at the beginning of the season I'm too impatient to get some syrup that I can't wait! lol

[chicken123]

Today and yesterday I tried something different with them. I removed the jelly bag and pinned three layers of prefilters to the jelly bag stand to see if it would filter any better. It actually did a great job. So the moral of the story is if you can't find a jelly bag made from cotton, then use three prefilters on the frame instead. To be honest the syrup went through faster than when using the jelly bag. (Mine is a really tightly woven cotton.) I am 100% thrilled with the results.[/QUOTE]

How fast will the syrup filter thru?

[wnybassman]

How fast will the syrup filter thru?

The last couple batches I filtered through 4 prefilters only, and a gallon and a half goes through at a pretty good rate. I pour it all in at once. I filter right into my coffee urn bottler and I don't have to slow down bottling, it's done filtering before I'm done bottling.

[chicken123]

thank you

[Noseguard76]

Thanks for the Jelly Bag idea. Just bottled 1/2 gallon worth into pint containers using a Jelly Bag over some fabric from a 5 micron bag filter set on a Jelly Bag stand set over my coffee pot. Worked great. Could not believe the amount of niter that the Jelly bag collected. I'll have to find a coffee urn for next year

Noseguard

[fishman]

Bassman-how is your clarity without an Orlon filter? I use 3 refiners and orlon and i hate how much i lose in the filter + its so slow once u put 2-3 gallons thru it.

[wnybassman]

Bassman-how is your clarity without an Orlon filter? I use 3 refiners and orlon and i hate how much i lose in the filter + its so slow once u put 2-3 gallons thru it.

Certainly clear enough for family and friends. Still using some from last year that is still just as clear. All you can do is try, perhaps not all prefilters are created equal.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s163/wnybassman/maple/3-31-2013_2_zps1b33ca2e.jpg

[Run Forest Run!]

I'm glad the the jelly bag/stand has been helpful for so many small-timers. I happened to pull it out of the cupboard last year (my first year sugaring) out of desperation/necessity as I didn't have the special orlon filter. Seems to do the trick for me. Depending on the type of jelly bag that comes with your stand, experiment using prefilters with it, on its own, or just the prefilters pinned to your stand. You'll definitely find a combination that will give you perfect, or next to perfectly clear syrup.