Thought filter press was going to give lighter syrup??

[Ryan Mahar]

Okay, not a 25 year veteran here but have been sugaring for 10 years. Last year invested in filter press and under impression that it would assist in a lighter end product, over traditional gravity filter............I did not see this happen at all, really no change........the syrup is crystal clear/polished and is nice in the bottle over time, but is there a way to make it lighter by adding more DE or somthing that I am missing???

Secondly, first 4 boils of this year, I have made nothing but dark amber (very dark, near B). Same question of am I doing something wrong (not charging the press enough?), or is it just that the trees are not really turned on yet. I am not over cooking, I know that for sure, and have had no sugar sand issues, so do not believe this is an issue in the evaporator.... My sugar content is down .5% on average so far this year............any thoughts????? thanks, Ryan.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I gravity filtered for years and went to a press 7 or 8 years ago and I feel that my syrup is always lighter with the press over what it was with traditional gravity filtering. Grade should be based more on taste than color and hopefully this new grading system will address this more.

[PACMAN]

Ryan,how much DE are you using? Somewhere on here I think someone said to use 1/4 cup of DE for the first 4 gallons.Check the links to be sure. Maybe your not using enough. If your syrup is dark you may need to add more than 2 cups to the 4 gallons.

[ennismaple]

A filter press shouldn't affect the grade - lighter or darker. It will make the syrup more clear which if using a spectrometer will give a higher light transmittance reading but to the naked eye the colour will look the same.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

a press wont take dark amber to fancy but if its close to one grade it could possibly put it over the line.

[jmayerl]

You can't change the color of syrup by filtering. I can't believe someone would mislead you like that. I

[adk1]

Also I wouldn't be surprised that u made darker syrup early because u had low sugar content in your sap. Many have been saying that the first boil back in end of fen they were boiling 1% sap.

[heus]

Lots of people around these parts are making dark this year. Mother Nature just wants us to have dark that's all.

[DrTimPerkins]

.... is there a way to make it lighter by adding more DE...

No, a press will not make the syrup lighter no matter how much DE you use. It will make the syrup clear and free of niter which can cause turbidity (cloudiness).

[wiam]

Ryan,how much DE are you using? Somewhere on here I think someone said to use 1/4 cup of DE for the first 4 gallons.Check the links to be sure. Maybe your not using enough. If your syrup is dark you may need to add more than 2 cups to the 4 gallons.

I have a 7" cast iron. I usually have about 6 gallons when I start press. I use a plastic cereal bowl heaped for first run, probaly 2 cups. After that it is closer to 1/2 cup. If it is filtering well sometimes I only add de every other draw.

[Ryan Mahar]

Thank you all for the great responses, I do feel better that I am not causing a problem, although surprised to hear how it will not change the color some. That was a leader sponsored seminar where it was proposed. Anyhow, the leader press instructions call for 3 cups for the first 5 gallons to 'charge' the press, then you refileter that 5 gallons with your remaining batch and add 1 cup if needed after that for every 5 gallons . But only if needed and that is usually as the season starts to move into the later stages. Guess I have to blame it on mother nature then! As you all know that is a 'sticky' love/hate relationship!!!!!. Hope you all have a great remainder of the season!