Very Dark Syrup

[Flatlander]

Hey all. Hope everyone is doing well. I just finished out 10 gallons of syrup. It is very dark. Not sure whats going on. I have always had problems making lighter syrup with this rig, my old flat pan always made golden syrup. Anyone else notice their syrup is dark or is it just me!

[Russell Lampron]

It could be the piggy back. Some evaporator sizes with piggy backs and steam aways are difficult to make lighter syrup with. Some of the producers in my area are making dark syrup this season too and it could just be the sap this season. I built an air injector for evaporator and all of my syrup has been medium so far. An air injector could help in your situation if it is the piggy back.

[heus]

I usually make light or medium but this year all 160+ gallons have been dark amber.

[KevinS]

Mine has been coming off much lighter than I prefer. I know the lightest is the "best" but not to my taste, I prefer it a little darker

[Flatlander]

Russell

Have often wondered what 30 gals of preheated sap might do as opposed to some of the preheaters that use pipe to preheat and maybe hold a couple of gallons. At the end of a session, I drain that pan all the down at the end of the night. I would assume the steam still "burns" the pan a little bit. Its the only way I have ever used the pan. I do have an air injection system for this but I have never set it up. If I ever get a full time sugar house, I might consider it. Do you drain your piggy back out with each boil session? Whats your boil rate with your rig?

We also burnt the front pan several years ago. Cleaned out pretty but warped badly. Thought this warpage might hold the sugar longer than it should in the depressions of the pan.

Talked with a friend up near Sheboygan the other day. I bigger producer up there was complaining of dark syrup as well.

Kevin, want to trade dark for light?

[Russell Lampron]

Russell

Have often wondered what 30 gals of preheated sap might do as opposed to some of the preheaters that use pipe to preheat and maybe hold a couple of gallons. At the end of a session, I drain that pan all the down at the end of the night. I would assume the steam still "burns" the pan a little bit. Its the only way I have ever used the pan. I do have an air injection system for this but I have never set it up. If I ever get a full time sugar house, I might consider it. Do you drain your piggy back out with each boil session? Whats your boil rate with your rig?

We also burnt the front pan several years ago. Cleaned out pretty but warped badly. Thought this warpage might hold the sugar longer than it should in the depressions of the pan.

Talked with a friend up near Sheboygan the other day. I bigger producer up there was complaining of dark syrup as well.

Kevin, want to trade dark for light?

I don't have a piggy back just a steam hood with pre heater on my flue pan. I was having a problem with dark syrup because of how high I concentrate with my RO. The sap in my flue pan was already syrup colored when it entered the front pan. I built the air injector last season and it made an immediate difference. I boiled 4 times this season and the sap in my flue pan is still clear.

My evaporator does about 40 gallons per hour. My front pans are warped as well, I have 2 front pans and they both got burned bad on the same side. When you are boiling everything keeps flowing but I'm not sure about the sugar staying in the wells. I'm thinking that the warpage will create hot spots that can burn again.

[Flatlander]

Russell

Sorry, I thought you meant you were using a piggy back as well. My injection system is set up for the piggy back. Why does the air injection system keep your sap clear? It s been a long time since I read up on using these.

[Russell Lampron]

Russell

Sorry, I thought you meant you were using a piggy back as well. My injection system is set up for the piggy back. Why does the air injection system keep your sap clear? It s been a long time since I read up on using these.

With concentrated sap from an RO or piggy back more nitre is released from the sap in the flue pan than when boiling raw sap. When you boil raw sap it is typically at 8% when it goes into the front pan. When it is concentrated with an RO it can be in the lower 20's going into the flue pan and much higher going into the front pan. I'm not sure what the percentage is coming out of a Steamaway or piggy back but it is high enough to create more nitre in the flue pan which makes the sap in the flue pan darker. What an air injector does is blow air directly down to the bottom of the flues to keep the nitre from settling and burning which keeps the sap from changing color. I also run the air injector in my front pan and have noticed that my front pan is staying cleaner too. My filter press clogs up a little quicker but the lighter syrup is a good trade off.

[MapleMounder]

Flat,

I just finished off and bottled our first 6 gallons for the season. The syrup is darker than normal for this early in the season. The sugar sand seemed to be abnormally abundant too, like twice what we would normally have. It was also dark not the normal almost "silicia sand" color. Don't know what that means. We filtered through 6 prefilters and a final and it came our nice and clear.

MapleMounder

[WI Sugarpop]

We've boiled twice now and both were very light. We're right at the beginning of the season and only collected about 10% of our expected sap so far.

[KevinS]

My last two boils were substantially darker. getting to the color and flavor I like. Several people who are waiting for syrup are holding out for darker yet.
Russell if I do not get enough good and dark to blend the light stuff with I might just take you up on that!
But I have to make one thing clear. I am not a legal producer for sale. I wanted to do it. but after talking to our health dept. several years ago, I do not and did not have the 50 g's it was going to take to make them happy on facility improvements. especially since I am only hobby sized. I produce between 10 and 30 gal. our best ever was 36 gal. So building a commercial kitchen at now over 50 g's is not really an option... Oh I wish Maple was through the dept. of AG here in Il...

[Russell Lampron]

My last two boils were substantially darker. getting to the color and flavor I like. Several people who are waiting for syrup are holding out for darker yet.
Russell if I do not get enough good and dark to blend the light stuff with I might just take you up on that!
But I have to make one thing clear. I am not a legal producer for sale. I wanted to do it. but after talking to our health dept. several years ago, I do not and did not have the 50 g's it was going to take to make them happy on facility improvements. especially since I am only hobby sized. I produce between 10 and 30 gal. our best ever was 36 gal. So building a commercial kitchen at now over 50 g's is not really an option... Oh I wish Maple was through the dept. of AG here in Il...

Here in NH maple syrup is considered an agricultural product and we are inspected by dept of agriculture inspectors. For the farmers it is considered the first harvest of the year. I don't run my sugar house as a business, it's just a hobby business. They don't make us build commercial kitchens to sell our products but do recommend things like concrete floors, a rest room and hot water. I use the hot water from my steam hood and can heat some up in my canner if needed. My house is about 60' away and I bring it down from there too. The only thing that I don't have is the rest room.

[Flatlander]

Russell

Thanks for your response. I appreciate the detailed answer. Hope your season goes well.

Mounder

I noticed I too have a little more sugar sands but not alot. Had a college class out on Tuesday. Collected 180 gals Monday night. Running hard today. My wife is holding down the fort today and I plan to cook tomorrow as soon as I get home. Not sue what my total amount for the season but I'm pushing 25 gallons with more to come. Sap was down to 2% on Monday.

WiSugar Pop

My good friend moved up to your neighborhood last summer. Trying to get him going with sugaring as well. Marked enough trees for him to have 120 taps or so. Hope he jumps in next season!

Good luck all!

[WI Sugarpop]

Flatlander,
Where did your friend move to. He is welcome to stop over and see our operation.

[maple flats]

Mine has been coming off much lighter than I prefer. I know the lightest is the "best" but not to my taste, I prefer it a little darker
The best syrup is the one YOU prefer. I also prefer dark Amber for all but on vanilla ice ream, that seems to call for medium in my book. Until I sell out, my B is my #2 seller, right behind dark, for my local sales, but on my internet sales medium is #1.

[Flatlander]

Flatlander,
Where did your friend move to. He is welcome to stop over and see our operation.

I think he figures he is just south of you on Co. N. He found on this site or another where you were. He wants to take a peak at your Smokey Lake pans. He is leaning towards that if he can find an arch. I know he went up to a couple other of the big producers right north of him on S? and another one somewhere close by. Don't hold it against him that he is an X-flatlander!!!

I'll let him know to take another look at this site.

[Flatlander]

The best syrup is the one YOU prefer. I also prefer dark Amber for all but on vanilla ice ream, that seems to call for medium in my book. Until I sell out, my B is my #2 seller, right behind dark, for my local sales, but on my internet sales medium is #1.

I totally agree. I and many of the my other customers want the light syrup. I have several that prefer the darker amber and I have alot of beer making brothers that want the grade b. It just drives me crazy that since I went to a faster boil on the 2 X 6 evaporator 25 to 30 gals/hr versus my old milk tank pan 5 -10 gal/hr, I can't make light syrup any more.

[WI Sugarpop]

I think he figures he is just south of you on Co. N. He found on this site or another where you were. He wants to take a peak at your Smokey Lake pans. He is leaning towards that if he can find an arch. I know he went up to a couple other of the big producers right north of him on S? and another one somewhere close by. Don't hold it against him that he is an X-flatlander!!!

I'll let him know to take another look at this site.

You can have him PM me. I'll be happy to help. I enjoy the visits in the maple shack. Oh, by the way, my wife was born in Chicago. Fortunately they moved to WI when she was 5.