Black syrup

[Michaeljp86]

I just started making syrup this year, its something I always wanted to do and so far so good, well kinda. The first sap I collected I boiled down in the house on a electric stove. It tasted great, a nice gold color. Then between me and my brother in law we gathered up about 70 gallons. So we built a fire pit with metal grates and used those big aluminum foil pans to boil it down. It tastes fine but its really dark, almost black.

Did we burn it? I know there was some ash getting in it but we strained it through a cheese cloth and then a really fin filter funnel.

[spencer11]

It sounds like its just dark to me, put some in some glass and hold it up to the light if you haven't already, it should look reddish. I assume it took you a while to boil down, which is probably why it would be so dark

[5050racing]

Post a pix of it in the light or a window background,If tastes good you did good!

[Michaeljp86]

While boiling it I would add more as it boiled down. I cant even see through it while holding it up to a light. It a spoon is looks golden brown.

[Michaeljp86]

http://i469.photobucket.com/albums/rr52/Michaeljp86/DSCI1262_zpse2fa1ce3.jpg

This was boiled in the house, it was made from red maple.

This was the stuff boiled over a fire, Im not sure what type of maple they are.

http://i469.photobucket.com/albums/rr52/Michaeljp86/DSCI1261_zpsecba6c9a.jpg

[Run Forest Run!]

The remaining niter will settle to the bottom when you let it sit for a few days, then it will look lighter. If it tastes good, then don't worry about it. If that was my batch it wouldn't last long enough to settle. Enjoy and be proud! You did great!

[spencer11]

Without seeing it in person it looks fine to me, it will get clearer when the remaining niter settles and the syrup stops swirling

[happy thoughts]

I just started making syrup this year, its something I always wanted to do and so far so good, well kinda. The first sap I collected I boiled down in the house on a electric stove. It tasted great, a nice gold color. Then between me and my brother in law we gathered up about 70 gallons. So we built a fire pit with metal grates and used those big aluminum foil pans to boil it down. It tastes fine but its really dark, almost black.

Did we burn it? I know there was some ash getting in it but we strained it through a cheese cloth and then a really fin filter funnel.

It's hard to tell just what color it is from your pic, but if it tastes good who cares what color it is :). A lot of people actually prefer the dark stuff for it's stronger taste. If it was scorched it might be because of the light weight pans you used. It sounds like they are the disposable kind???? I figure by now you and your brother are hooked on maple:) You might want to look for some 6" deep full size stainless steel steam table pans which will hold up for many years to come. Sometimes you can find them used at restaurant supply places.

Though the fire pit sounds fine you also might want to look around this site for some concrete block arch threads. Here's one I picked at random with some pics. This arch uses four pans but you can build one as short or long as you need. Someone here built one with eight pans. The one we built just uses 2. They're easy enough to build by stacking blocks on level ground and will save you some bending next year. We *all* know there will be a next year!

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?10096-Concrete-block-arch&p=141738#post141738

Have fun and enjoy the rest of the season :)

[Michaeljp86]

Yes we used those disposable pans, we didnt really know what we were getting into so we were doing the best we could as quick as we could before it spoiled. Next year we should have a better setup. Theres a auction house about a hour from me that has restaurant equipment a lot so Ill hopefully get some nice stainless trays from there.

We stacked up 3 rows of concrete block 2 high and about 2fr between the 2 walls and that allowed us to have 3 pans going.


It's hard to tell just what color it is from your pic, but if it tastes good who cares what color it is :). A lot of people actually prefer the dark stuff for it's stronger taste. If it was scorched it might be because of the light weight pans you used. It sounds like they are the disposable kind???? I figure by now you and your brother are hooked on maple:) You might want to look for some 6" deep full size stainless steel steam table pans which will hold up for many years to come. Sometimes you can find them used at restaurant supply places.

Though the fire pit sounds fine you also might want to look around this site for some concrete block arch threads. Here's one I picked at random with some pics. This arch uses four pans but you can build one as short or long as you need. Someone here built one with eight pans. The one we built just uses 2. They're easy enough to build by stacking blocks on level ground and will save you some bending next year. We *all* know there will be a next year!

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?10096-Concrete-block-arch&p=141738#post141738

Have fun and enjoy the rest of the season :)