Too mush ash?

[Groves]

Apologies for what may be an oft-asked question.

The search feature (understandably) makes it impossible to search for very short words like....ash.


I'm a batch guy using steam table pans on a cement block arch. 8 pans in a line.

I'm noticing in my syrup a large amount of cloudiness, but it's not distributed cloudiness, but more like billowing thunderclouds. I haven't had this in other years I don't believe.

I'm wondering if I've somehow let a larger amount of ash from the fire into the pans, and maybe that's what's causing it? I used to overlap the lips of my pans, but I didn't do that this batch.


Anyone have this sort of cloudiness in their syrup? I used to think it was just a LOT of niter, but now I'm not so sure.

[happy thoughts]

You could always overlap your pans the next batch to see if the problem resolves. Or maybe it's just a characteristic of the niter forming this year???? Or something peculiar to certain trees you've tapped this year or even the age of the sap before processing. A few years back I had something similar but only in sap given to me by a friend that was processed separately from the sap I collected. Should be interesting to see what others say because that batch always had me curious. Does the cloudiness settle on standing?

[Groves]

I'll overlap the pan.

I do have lots of settling, but sometimes this dark cloud is more floating than sinking.

[Ausable]

Groves - Might be a dumb question - But - Is Your rig in a Sugar Shack? Or are You boiling in the open air? If outside - It might be soot from your stack. ----Mike----

[Groves]

We're outside boilers.

I didn't have this problem the first several years, so I'm trying to figure out what changed.


I think I got tired of overlapping the pans, always somehow needing to get at a pan that was trapped under another.


I'll re-overlap them in our next batch and see how it goes.

[Big_Eddy]

I'm noticing in my syrup a large amount of cloudiness, but it's not distributed cloudiness, but more like billowing thunderclouds. I haven't had this in other years I don't believe.

It's niter. Reheat to boiling, filter again properly. It'll go away. Some years are worse than others. I have had jars that are crystal clear when bottled and 2 hours later as they cool I look at them again and the clouds are forming.

Most common causes.

Poor filtering. I assume you are filtering properly with a flat or cone felt filter and the syrup is initially clear when bottled
Are you reheating your syrup after filtering to ensure it's hot when it goes in the jars? If yes - make sure you use a water bath or double boiler and not direct heat. If the syrup boils at all after filtering, more niter can precipitate out as it cools in the jar.
Are you preheating your jars in an oven? If so - set the oven to 185 or 200, not any higher. If the glass is over 212 and the syrup "boils" when it hits the glass - new niter will precipitate out once the syrup cools.


Reheat, refilter, rebottle. It should clear up.

[SeanD]

I agree. It sounds like niter suspended in the syrup. I learned this year niter can take different forms. It's most commonly a haze that usually settles down the bottom. Last year, I had something that looked like snowflakes or pieces of cotton floating in there and some of it just wouldn't settle to the bottom at all. It was very weird.

Big Eddy gave you the solution you need.

Sean

[Sugarmaker]

Groves,
Yes the filtering process would be what I would look at as mentioned.
Let us know.
Regards,
CHris

[CincySyrupPusher]

Is it cloudy in the pans or after bottling?

Between the "finishing" pan and bottling, are you letting it cool then reheating? If reheated after filtering (to about 200º or more) niter will be regenerated and would need more filtering before bottling.

[Groves]

It sure doesn't act like the niter of the last 5 years.


But, niter or ash, it's gotta be filtered. Might try that wine filter.

And, I'm going to overlap my pans again and see if that makes a difference.

Thanks, fellas!

[cjmiller272]

Id bet its ash. I had this problem last year boiling outside. I leaned a sheet of plywood up between my stack and over evap. Then cycled all my syrup through prefilters and poured that stuff back into rear pan. It helped alot.