Finishing question. Need help

[Stupatterson]

Have the finishing process fairly well down. The problem is if I boil down to the proper density and fill say 5 bottles with finished syrup, they get progressively thicker. The last bottle is much more concentrated than the first. If I try to pull off the cooker just a little earlier, the first couple will be just a little thin and the last one again a little overcooked. Should I poor off all finished syrup into one container, let cool somewhat, and poor off into smaller containers and then freeze for safe keeping. Worried about keeping sterile and bacteria free for use later in the year. Thanks

[maple flats]

Remove most of the heat and cover the finishing container to hold the moisture loss to a min.

[COMSTOCK MAPLES]

Best thing for me is to let the batch cool to 185 deg then bottle. Good luck !!

[maplestudent]

I'm not sure what sort of quantity you bottle at a time, but I'm guessing it's relatively small. In the past I've usually bottled 1 to 2 gallons at a time, using containers no larger than a quart size. When the syrup is at the proper density, I filter into a stainless steel pot. I have a stainless steel coffee pot similar to http://www.amazon.com/Chinook-Timberline-Stainless-Coffee-Percolator/dp/B001J2HFX8/ref=cm_lmf_tit_15 that I transfer syrup into after filtering. I check the temp, if it is still above 185 then I pour into whatever size containers I'm using. If it is below 185, then I heat it to above 185 before filling the containers. That way, I only reheat what I am ready to bottle. They make these pots in larger sizes too.

seems to work well for me. I still have some decorative glass bottles with syrup from last year and they look fine (and no sugar sand). I may get a little sugar sand from time to time because of the reheating (and I'm talking a very small amount), but I figure that if the friends and relatives that I give it to don't like it, they don't have to accept it (nobody has ever refused it though). I don't sell any.

[Shirlsaw63]

Hey Maplestudent - love that idea of the stainless steel coffee pot for bottling! I'm going to pick one up for next year!! Thanks for sharing!