How long?

[jnmartin]

I started boiling yesterday in a 12x24x8" steam pan with 38 gal on hand and 21 bags filling rapidly. With the 1 pan on a turkey cooker and another pre-heating I was able to boil only 33 gallons in a very long day for me. We collected another 33 gal yesterday so I'm back at 38 gal to boil today.

I keep the steam pan filled and accumulating the sweet through out the day and this morning just fired up again continuing where I left off last night. The sweet in pan is showing color but still very light. I can still see the bottom of the pan through 7" of liquid. Until something changes it doesn't look like there will be a let up in sap collection rate for the next few days and I feel like I need to keep the boil going every waking moment. After all, I've tapped the trees and they're being good to me so I feel obligated to keep up with them.

So finally my question is, how long should I keep adding to the boil before I should empty the boil pan and start fresh? I really don't want to darken the finished syrup unnecessarily. I know some like it darker and I also know I'm a stubborn old perfectionist...but I'm too dang old to change now. Any advice from your experience would be very helpful and appreciated.

Thanks, Jerry

[happy thoughts]

Do you have a ballpark idea of what your sap to syrup yield will be? Using a ratio of 40:1, if it were me, I'd boil down the 33 gals you did down to a gallon or so for finishing. You can store it in the fridge for a few days if needed. Start fresh and do the same with the next batch after which you can combine the two for final boiling.

If it helps to estimate what amount you have in the pan, a full size steam pan runs about a gallon/1.25 inches in depth.

[michiganphil]

... if it were me, I'd boil down the 33 gals you did down to a gallon or so for finishing... Start fresh and do the same with the next batch.

2nd that Happy Thoughts. It will give you lighter syrup than if you boil continuously over a couple of days.

[jputney]

You said you can see through 7" of liquid. I'm not sure if you are keeping it that deep in the pan but if you are that will slow your boil rate way down. The shallower you run the faster the boil.

[jnmartin]

My first boil, that I didn't burn to a black crisp, I had a little over 11 gal sap and got a tad over 2 qts syrup. I think that was close to 3.75% sap...but I got kicked out of the third grade for not shaving close enough. But seriously, that seems maybe high yield sap to me but maybe not. These are all sugar and black maple trees.

So anyway my full size pan is 8" deep and is supposed to hold 6.6 gallons. Probably brim full I imagine. So far to this moment I've run about 40 gal through it. Getting pretty sweet at present but still tests well under 45 brix in the pan.

[jnmartin]

I am keeping it between 5 and 7" deep in pan. I'll get ready to pour it off and make a fresh start. I'll try to lower the level just didn't want to take a chance on scorching it, or worse.

[happy thoughts]

My first boil, that I didn't burn to a black crisp, I had a little over 11 gal sap and got a tad over 2 qts syrup. I think that was close to 3.75% sap...but I got kicked out of the third grade for not shaving close enough. But seriously, that seems maybe high yield sap to me but maybe not. These are all sugar and black maple trees.

So anyway my full size pan is 8" deep and is supposed to hold 6.6 gallons. Probably brim full I imagine. So far to this moment I've run about 40 gal through it. Getting pretty sweet at present but still tests well under 45 brix in the pan.

Do you finish on the fryer or inside on the stove? If you finish on the stove and think your yields are better than 40:1 then you'll probably want to boil down this first batch a little thinner to say, 1.5 -2 gallons for later finishing. How large is the pot you finish in? I'd maybe shoot for half that volume or shoot for about 60 brix which should be a volume that shouldn't be too hard to store in the fridge a few days if needed. Whatever the case. I'd put this first batch to sleep if only partially and start fresh with the rest of the sap including a shiny clean pan. That way your syrup won't get any darker because of prolonged boiling or sugar burn.

[jnmartin]

Thanks I've removed it from the fryer. I finish inside on the stove in about a 12qt stockpot. I cleaned my steam pan and boiling fresh sap as I speak. I'll further reduce what I took off to about 60 brix as recommended. Thanks a bunch. I checked it a thin glass and it's still quite light.