High boiling temps?

[clydefrog]

Hey folks!

we started cooking this past weekend in so. indiana and i brought home 5 gals or so to finish on the stove. Long story short i expected to get about 3/4 of a gallon of syrup, but right now I'm boiling at 220 degrees already and theres almost 3 gallons still and its not sheeting off my spoon.

The budget this year dictated not replacing my broken hygrometer so i'm stuck with the beer thermometer...i checked it on boiling water to make sure its accurate and its right at 212 degrees.

If you were in my situation what would you use as your go to method for determining finished syrup? We use our syrup for home use and gifts so i have wiggle room as far as crystalizing goes so i was going to err on the high temp side but i'm already above where i'd like to be.

thanks in advance

[Pibster]

Mine usually gets up to 221 before it's close enough to check with my hydrotherm.

[Maplewalnut]

Tough to say without knowing how much sap you started with. I would go by the thermometer, its really the only measure of 'finish' you have

[wiam]

If you store it in the freezer it is close enough.

[Swagner]

I've noticed that if you watch the bubbles as it boils as the syrup starts to get close to done they completely change their appearance. Not sure how to explain their looks other then they appear denser.

[clydefrog]

I've noticed that if you watch the bubbles as it boils as the syrup starts to get close to done they completely change their appearance. Not sure how to explain their looks other then they appear denser.

i grew up in florida making cane syrup, there was a similar phenomenon that let us know we were close...im just feeling insecure without my hygrometer

[CampHamp]

I think you're done! Crystals look pretty, but I'll take extra syrup any day.

[Clinkis]

If your syrup is at a foaming boil this can give you an abnormally high temp reading. Aside from that, I've always found using a thermometer frustrating. Some days with my auto draw off I need to set it as high as 223 before my hydrometer says its syrup.

[bowhunter]

On my half pint I find that starting to draw at 220 F and stopping at 219 F gives me syrup. I use a hydrometer, but now I usually wait until I've drawn off 2-3 gallons in my turkey frier. I try to be a little high so I can cut back with water if necessary. Temperature measurement of viscous, boiling liquids is pretty difficult. I run about 3/4 inch in the pan and find it's difficult to get the thermometer in the boiling liquid and not in the foam or on the bottom of the pan. When I have enough in the turkey frier I heat it up to 210 F and check the density with the hydrometer. I can either boil a little more off or add water back. I was able to avoid boiling any off in the turkey frier last year and have done one batch this year without boiling off in the turkey frier.

[RC Maple]

Thermometers only get you close and hydrometers are not that expensive. Buy one - wait- buy two, that way when one breaks you still can know for sure when you have syrup.

[johnallin]

"hydrometers are not that expensive" Probably about the same as you'd pay for a good thermometer, but Certainly more accurate. Why chance it?

[Sugarmaker]

Syrup should sheet or apron as Dad called it, off of a flat straight edge scoop. Instead of drips it should be one big drip about 1-1/2 wide. At that point you are about 1-2 degrees from syrup. I think your pretty close if you have calibrated your thermometer in boiling water at 212 F.
Regards,
Chris

[maple flats]

Checking the thermometer at boil is accurate, but only if you do it correctly. It must be a real hard boil, not just when bubbles first start to rise in the water.

[Ravenseye]

I often finish syrup at a higher temperature but the hydrometer says it's done and I believe it.

[DrewCP]

Mine usually gets up to 221 before it's close enough to check with my hydrotherm.

That's the situation with us too. We use a hydrometer though. I have a hydrotherm just never used it.