When to filter/

[relseek]

Just curious what most of you do or how you are set up as far as filtering (those who don't have a filter press). Do you draw off the evaporator into a filter/filter tank set up or into a draw off pail then filter later somehow? It seems to me that it would make more sense to draw off directly into a filter but if you have to finish the syrup further, then it should be filtered again correct? I'm trying to get a process figured out in my head before the season starts. This being my first season with a continuous flow pan. Thanks.

[whalems]

I draw off into a pail. (I draw off heavy) Then thru cone filters and then into my finisher. Adjust density with some sap. Heat back up to around 200* thru my flat filter on top of my bottler and into containers. (hot packed)

[Big_Eddy]

I draw off a bit heavy into a stainless pail. No filtering. When I have about 15l of syrup ready I heat the whole lot up to boiling on a propane burner, check for density, add sap to adjust and pour still boiling into a filter canner witha steamed cone orlon and 4-6 pre-filters. I can get all 15l through the filter and bottled before my temperature drops below 185. I collapse the prefilters as they start to slow the flow. Pull the pre-filters out and rinse them, then put them back in for another batch. I can usually bottle 2-3 batches (total 45l) with a single orlon and several pre-filters.

I have 4 large stainless pots / pails and there are some days when I don't bother to bottle - saving the syrup for a later bottling day.

[adk1]

I boil to correct density off the evap. check with hydrometer. I draw off into 3 cone prefilters and one orlon filter that goes into a SS pail. Once I fill the pail, I cover with syran and place aside and get a second pail. I haul all syrup up to my house.. reheat in a SS pot and preheat my SS coffee urn...heat syrup up to 185 degrees, transfer to coffee urn and bottle. trust me, I will I could afford a better way!

[MISugarDaddy]

I pull off into a SS pail from the evaporator and finish it in a SS steam table pan to keep from overcooking it. Then I pour it through a couple of prefilters and an orlon flat filter into my canner.

[Pibster]

I draw off on the lite side and add to a large pot. When the pot is full, I boil it for a few minutes on my propane stove until the correct density is reached. Then I filter it with the orlon and prefilters into my prewarmed coffee urn, bottle at 185.

[Tweegs]

Used to draw off into a pail and filter later. Now drawing off directly into the filters (3 cone + 1 orlon). Syrup will flow better through the filters when extremely hot and we don't have to change the filters near as often.

We empty the pails of filtered syrup into 5 gal. totes for travel back to the house. Reheat and hot pack into consumer sized containers and/or bulk pack there.