Coffee pot canner

[Rich Baxter]

I am considering purchasing a new stainless steel coffe pot (percolator style) for use as a canner. I have been told these work very well, however I am wondering what size I need to hold a standard cone filter inside. Most of the ones I've looked at only express size in cups (coffee that I assume to be 8 ozs. each). Do any of you use this and can you advise me of what size you use. Thanks. Rich Baxter

[325abn]

I am interested in hearing what folks have to say about this also, as I too am considering buying one. I think they heat to 180 wich is perfect.

One thing though, wont your syrup already be filtered prior to going into the canner / coffee pot?

[maplehound]

I bought a 100 cup pot. It would be big enough to put a cone filter in however I only use mine for bottling. Also when I bottle I heat my syrup on the stove or in a pan that I use to keep my syrup hot when I bottle. Then I filter it through my press into the coffe pot.
I bought my coffe pot through a resturant supplier. Just be sure it is new or you will have coffe flavored syrup.

[802maple]

As long as your syrup is already filtered and that you don't warm it up over 193 degrees you shouldn't need a filter. Niter starts to form again at 193 degrees, so keep it between 180 & 190 and you should be alright.

[New Hope Mapleman]

We used the coffee pot for a couple of years and then I decided to buy an Iced Tea Dispenser. I can tell you the 5-10 gallon capacity is a great way to go. The spout lasted several years and we were packing 4-8 hundred gallons. Only problem is keeping the syrup warm, but you can do it if you get your heater up high enough. The cone filters also fit the one I have.

[Dave Y]

I have two 100 cup pots and I could never get them t o heat the syrup hot enough. I had to heat onn the stove and the pou into the pot to bottle. Thats why I bought a grimm canner.

[Bob Shields]

I have used a 100 cup coffee pot for at least 5 years.
Cup size on mine is 5oz. It holds about 3 gallon. I take the grounds basket out to can. I tryed it with the tube abd basket in but felt that only small amount of syrup was exposed to the heating element. If I don't keep the heating element cleaned I can find a piece of cooked syrup once in a while.
The heating element gets very hot.

Good luck,
Bob

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

post edited.

[maplehound]

If you use a coffee pot to bottle out of, I will pass on a secret that a couple other sugar makers told me. Rob one of your wifes panty hose. LOL. Yes that is what is said her panty hose. preferably new ones. Then tie it around the spigot so the syrup passes through one or two layers of it. You are sure to get a single stream of syrup instead of 2 or 3 small streams that just cause troubles. Many producers do it but not all will confess to it.

[Breezy Lane Sugarworks]

802/Maple Hill-

In the VT Maple Quality Control Manual, it says to pack syrup 180+degrees and NO higher than 200 degrees. Packing in plastic I try to stay around the 185 mark, and in glass I try to stay closer to 190ish because the glass will initially absorb some heat. And yes, I have heard of the 193ish temp. of niter forming too.

[802maple]

The first time I heard of it was from a Vermont maple inspector, named Blake Roy since deceased.

When I pack in glass sometimes, I have gone over that number and I would see a slight cloud in syrup that didn't have it before. This cloud wouldn't be hardly noticable but in a few days there would be a sediment in the bottom. I payed attention after that and didn't notice any more cloud. It isn't anything that you would notice in a plastic or metal container but put it in glass and a few days it will be noticed.

[super sappy]

Last year at the Bellows Falls maple seminars one of the instructors (Vermont inspector) told us to refilter after 193Degrees. FYI -Super Sappy

[Jim Brown]

My dealer told me when I started to bottle,not to go over 190 because if you did you COULD re-activate the niter. Try and stay below 190 somewhere . We bottle at 175 and have not had a problem for 2 years.Firsts year we went to 190 and bingo the bottles were cloudy. after two days. I have learned to listen to the old guys in this business.My dealer is a 4th gen sugar maker running a wood fired 4x12 with a steamaway.
Hope this helps someone
Jim

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

post edited?

[danno]

I'm small, so I filtered and bottled in coffee pot, but don't plan to this year with the additional taps. I would not recommend it unless you are filtering less than a couple of gallons. It is SLOW and thus hard to keep your syrup hot enough to bottle. As the filter area is so small, I can only get about a half gallon or less out of a prefilter before it clogs.

With the increase in taps this year, I'm upgraging to a flat filter (anyone have a flat pan/rack for sale). I will either bottle out of the new pan or poor off into the coffee pot to bottle. Bottlling out of the cofffee pot works fine, filtering does not, at least in my opinion.

One trick if you are going to filter in the coffee pot - with the weight of the syrup on the filters, the filters want to slide into the coffee pot. I've used clothes pins and large rubber bands around the outside of the coffee pot to secure the filters. I like the large rubber bands better, but makes it a pain to change prefilters. If I was going to continue to do this, I would bolt hooks to the outside of the pot to hold loops of wool filter.

I'd say fine for 100 taps or less.

[murferd]

We have used a coffee pot for years,started with a small one & now have one that will hold about 3 imp gals.We finish on a propane stove,filter from it to plastic pails & then dump into the coffee canner.We finish around 9 to 12 gallons per batch,so we have hot syrup setting in a couple of pails for a few minutes.It doesn't cool off too much though,because we usually have the heat light go off on the coffee maker.We just have to be careful when we get down to the bottom of pot & turn the element off so we don't burn the last of the syrup(experience talking).

[VA maple guy]

maplehound, i like your idea of swiping some panty hose. I bought a 100
cup coffee maker last year to bottle with and have hade the stream
problem.
do you tie it tight under the spout or do you leave a little bit sagging below
it.
Gerry

[maplehound]

I tie it tight to the spout and then rap the extra up around the site tube to get it out of the way. You will have to move it around once and a while to keep it from cloging up. It will give you one tight stream.

[steve J]

I use a 100 cup coffee pot for bottling and it heats to 184 and work great.

[325abn]

Is it ok to use a used coffee maker?

[Russell Lampron]

If you use a used coffe pot you have to clean it good so that it won't flavor your syrup.

Russ

[maplehound]

I don't care how good you clean a coffee pot it will still have a coffee smell to it and will transfer some taste to the syrup. I have had people ask to borrow mine for coffee making, my answer is an absolute NO WAY.

[steve J]

I agree you can never get the smell of the coffee out of it. So I forget how much I paid but I bought a new one and it is only used to bottle syrup.

[Pete33Vt]

If you do use a used one contact Dunkin Doughnuts. Mabe they could sell your coffee flavor syrup. To go along with there maple flavored sandwhiches.

[Rich Baxter]

Thanks for all your input. I will be looking for one in the near future.
Rich Baxter