Freezer Question

[SeanD]

I have a question for those of you who freeze your bulk syrup. What size freezer do you use and what size containers can it hold?

I'm going to get a chest freezer. I keep my bulk syrup in any combinations of 2 gal, 4 gal, or 5 gal plastic buckets. I'd like to see how much info I can gather to avoid walking into Sears with 10-12 buckets and loading them in their displays.:o

Sean

[maple flats]

I don't use one, but get the measurements of what you use, when full (they bulge some), and do some math. If trying Sears, are you anyplace near one of their scratch and dent centers? I have one a few miles from me and the prices there are far lower if you don't mind some dents.
For eventual cooling of my stored syrup, both retail and bulk I am going to build a dedicated cellar. In well insulated cellars with no extra cooling you can expect temps to stay in the 50's most of the year. I also looked at ideas using a walk in cooler and an air conditioner run by a unique control by Coolbot http://www.storeitcold.com/ This uses an air conditioner with a coolbot control to get temperatures in the 30's when properly insulated and a properly sized AC, but it is not good for a cooler that will be opened and shut too many times a day. At let's say, 36 degrees your bulk will be good a good long time.

[SeanD]

Here's what I discovered for those that go down this path. The interior dimensions listed for any chest freezer do not take into account the boxed out area for the compressor, so all my planned math and research went out the window when I went in to see the actual freezer I wanted.

Here's the skinny: A 14.8 cu. ft. freezer can hold a maximum of 43 gal. You can put four, 5 gal. buckets in the bottom if you stagger them like bee comb. Then you can put four, 4 gal. buckets on top of those and still be able to shut the lid. You can fit one more five gallon bucket on top of the box with the compressor and put a 2 gallon bucket next to that.

It's not the most efficient use of space putting round buckets into a rectangular container, but the spaces leave room for other things if you wanted. It also beats dumping syrup because it went bad.

Sean

[wiam]

I have some square 4 gallon buckets that fruit came in. I think my FIL got them from a creamery. Sorry, I can't ask him anymore. Those would work better. I also am planning an in ground cooler. I already have my RO shed built into a bank and does not freeze with out heat. Free is good

[MASSEY JACK]

Since when does syrup packed hot and at the proper density go bad? I just sold 40 gallons of 5 year old syrup packed in 5 gallon blue plastic containers that tasted fine. The only thing I have found is that it lost one color grade. I know of a farmer that quit making syrup 30 years ago when they moved to the farm they own now and they are still eating the syrup they made from the old farm!!!!! I keep an open container of syrup for the house in my freezer so it won't grow mold on it but that is because it has been opened.When I kept syrup in my crawl space where it is dark and cool it did not lose grade even though it was in plastic. After I built the new sugarhouse I have left the containers in there all year and have been losing a color grade but not a flavor loss. I keep thinking it is bad to lose a color grade but the truth is that I have too much light syrup for my market and so it is a good thing for me to darken it down a little anyway.I think a freezer is a waste of money. Check your density. Pack at 180 plus degrees. Store it in a dark location if possible. Just my two cents....

[SeanD]

I don't freeze my hot-packed syrup. I freeze the bulk syrup that I pull off the evaporator. In a typical boil I draw 2-4 gallons over many hours. Even with new syrup coming off the evaporator the stuff in the bucket is way below 180 deg. It's usually closer to 100 deg. by the end of the night. I don't have time to bottle nor hot pack and re-filter immediately after a boil nor often enough during the season to keep up, so I need a way to store a lot of syrup for months until I end up bottling it. I only bottle about 4-5 gallons at a time. That allows me to bottle in containers based on demand and fill special orders.

Last year I had my last 1.5 gallons held aside for Christmas gifts. When I opened it up in early December it was moldy and the mold flavor was in the syrup. I had to dump the syrup and bought everyone good wine instead (really expensive). The freezer has already earned its keep.

Sean

[Vermont Creation Hardwood]

I do exactly the same, freeze my syrup after filtering in half gallon mason jars. I bottle properly in plastic just before shipping or selling it retail. Freezing keeps it perfectly, no lowering of grade, no change in flavor. I also keep samples from prior years in the freezer. Each year can have quite a different taste. It's nice to have a real taste rather than rely on memory.

[ennismaple]

We freeze ours in 10L jugs. Because they're rectangular they fit perfectly into the chest freezer. I think we can get about 16 on the bottom layer and maybe 14 on top of that, so up to 75 gallons - but this based on my questionable memory!