best way to filter just a few gallons of syrup

[hholt]

I'm looking for a equipment recomendations on the best way to filter just a few gallons sof syrup. Should I get a wool cone filter, or a sheet and put it in a collander over a pot. If you're using a cone filter how do you support it? Do you need a prefilter to go with the wool filter? Thanks!!

[Fred Henderson]

A cone filter usually has 4 loops sewn into the bag and can be supported many ways. Wooden dowels ,wire, some type of hook, you find what will work for you. You don't have to have the prefilter. Bring your syrup up to 180 drg and pour it thru.

[mountainvan]

I used to hang a cone filter in a milk can to filter.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

If you are filtering more than a couple gallon at a time, better get some prefilters too as the cone filter will clog quickly and will cause you to waste syrup. As one prefilter clogs, you can pull it out and dump the syrup into the next prefilter until you are done. I have started with as many as 6 or 8 prefilters to get all the syrup filtered. Just make sure filter and prefilters are damp so thru syrup will pull thru.

[HanginAround]

The prefilters are very cheap, and will save you lots of grief as far as clogged filters and life of your filters as well as ease of cleaning.

[Sugarmaker]

Yes,
Cone filter and several prefilters is the way to go for just several gallons.
Chris

[Pete33Vt]

What a lot of people use for a few gallons around here is to find an old milk pail. The kind where the top is only about 8" around, and wide at the bottom. Have some pins welded to the top and have a draw off valve on the bottom. Use wool cone filters with a few prefilters and just pour in. That way you can can right from the pail. And use the prefilters as was stated.

[hholt]

Thanks again for your help you guys!

By the way, I just built my first sugar shack....it consists of two 5' stacks of split oak giviing me a right angle windbreak :^) Gotta start somewhere, right?

[davey]

I removed the nozzle, etc... and then cut the bottom off of an old stainless fire extinguisher that had been filled with water, cleaned it real well, drilled two holes about 6 inches down from the bottom for a handle and hang my cone filter in that. The handle can hang right on the pan valve when in use. Initially I had the handle closer to the top (what used to be the bottom when it was an extinguisher) but found I didn't have enough room to add or replace prefilters. It actually works pretty good, is easy to clean and store and was basically free.

[RUSTYBUCKET]

A usual run for us yields 4-5 gallons of syrup. We filter just as Pete stated above. 3-4 prefilters in a felt cone using spring clamps to hang the felt cone in a ss milk can.

[JohnM]

I use a 5qt wool cone with several prefilter cones clothes pinned to a 30 cup coffeemaker. I pull out the prefilters as they clog.

I have also heard of using flat filters on a cake rack inside a cake pan with a hole in the bottom.

I like your first sugarshack! Mine is steel fenceposts and tarps.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

One thing that will help a lot when filtering with flat filters or cone filters is to have heat under the filtering container and as you get a little bit of syrup in it, keep it hot enough to make steam and the steam will keep the filter and the syrup in the filter hotter and make it filter a lot better.

[VA maple guy]

Hholt, one thing you may also want to do if you choose a wool cone
filter is to add a pre filter to the outside or after your filter. Wool filters may shed a small amount of fibers into your syrup which you can see if you
bottle in glass. One more thing, don't wring out your wool filter after you wash it, that will damage it. Just squeeze out most of the water and let it dry.
Gerry

[hholt]

John I like your rig there! very nice!!

Do most of the 30 cup stainless coffee pots get you to a bottling temperature? There are usually several for sale on ebay, and this seems like a very practical and inexpensive solution. For those of you that are using or have used coffee makers, what kind of temps do you reach?

[maplehound]

i just use my coffee pot ot keep the syrup hot. I first heat it on the stove to the bottling temp. and then pour or pump it in to hte pot.

[Dave Y]

I have 2 - 100 cup pots and I can only get to 160 deg. I always heated to 190 and the put in the pot and left the power on and bottled. Never had any problems. I do like my grimm canner better though

[John Burton]

felt with prefilters is a good way to go . untill you get to that b syrup at the end of the syrup at the end of the year ... i invested in a short bank press a year ago, ah what a relief my piece of mind back... what used to be an endless task is now done in minutes