Nifty idea

[Asthepotthickens]

So as mentioned before, in my quest to make in-freezable syrup I had boiled a batch not that much about a quart to 70 maybe 73 brix. So today I mixed it with some syrup that was at 60 brix. I simply put it in the microwave in mason jars brought it to a near boil shook it up and sealed it. It is now at 68 I out a jar in the freezer .....l. More to come.

[PerryW]

That's how the big boys do it also. Somewhere, there's a formula for mixing different densities of syrup to make your desired density. I always put mine in 5 gal jugs slightly over so I always only have to add water for standard density

[Asthepotthickens]

That's how the big boys do it also. Somewhere, there's a formula for mixing different densities of syrup to make your desired density. I always put mine in 5 gal jugs slightly over so I always only have to add water for standard density

Thanks for that info, my experiment here was to determine at what brix does maple syrup not freeze.
The results are at 67 you get ice cream or a frosty freeze, at 68.5 the syrup simply gets thick and holds its color

[jnmartin]

I'm a little puzzled about the "big boys" practice of intentionally over concentrating their syrup only to have to be diluted at some time later. Seems to be terribly inefficient to begin with. Secondly, once the sugar begins to come out of solution and start forming crystals "solids" that volume of the sugar that has crystallized, even if its not yet large enough to be readily visible, is not reflected in later density tests until it is once again desolved back into solution. Plus, once crystals do begin to form, their presence "encourage" further crystallization. So if im correct about these things, why go through all of that it you can stop it at the desired density for syrup?

[PerryW]

I'm a little puzzled about the "big boys" practice of intentionally over concentrating their syrup only to have to be diluted at some time later. Seems to be terribly inefficient to begin with. Secondly, once the sugar begins to come out of solution and start forming crystals "solids" that volume of the sugar that has crystallized, even if its not yet large enough to be readily visible, is not reflected in later density tests until it is once again desolved back into solution. Plus, once crystals do begin to form, their presence "encourage" further crystallization. So if im correct about these things, why go through all of that it you can stop it at the desired density for syrup?

If I could draw off syrup exactly at standard density, I would, but nearly impossible. I draw my syrup directly off the evaporator, though the filter canner and into 5 gallon jugs. During my typical 1 - 1.5 gallon draw-off, I repeatedly check and recheck the density during the drawoff, usually 4-8 times during a single drawoff. The drawoff might start out right at the Hot Test Line, but it can vary wildly over the duration of the takeoff. I would be surprised if anyone who takes their syrup directly off the evaporator could ever achieve standard density consistently doing it this way. So, for me, I need to err in the direction of too thick, usually 0.5 to 1.0 point Baume heavy. If I err in the other direction (too thin), I risk fermemtation of the syrup and additional boiling is required; whic are both bad.

Although I do sometimes find some crystals in my 5-gal containers, it is not that big of a problem. Certainly not as big a problem as a swelled jug from fermetation.

[Asthepotthickens]

If I could draw off syrup exactly at standard density, I would, but nearly impossible. I draw my syrup directly off the evaporator, though the filter canner and into 5 gallon jugs. During my typical 1 - 1.5 gallon draw-off, I repeatedly check and recheck the density during the drawoff, usually 4-8 times during a single drawoff. The drawoff might start out right at the Hot Test Line, but it can vary wildly over the duration of the takeoff. I would be surprised if anyone who takes their syrup directly off the evaporator could ever achieve standard density consistently doing it this way. So, for me, I need to err in the direction of too thick, usually 0.5 to 1.0 point Baume heavy. If I err in the other direction (too thin), I risk fermemtation of the syrup and additional boiling is required; whic are both bad.

Although I do sometimes find some crystals in my 5-gal containers, it is not that big of a problem. Certainly not as big a problem as a swelled jug from fermetation.

I totally agree with the above that is why I played with this off and on for a week, it is near impossible to draw syrup from the pan over a hot fire and get a bang on brix. Also it's very hard to filter syrup at 67 68. Next year I will draw off and filter at 64 and finish on propane.