When is it syrup?

[MustardSeedMum]

Have a pot finishing on my stove indoors and trying to figure out when I should call it done. My boiling temps for water according to my thermometer was 205. So syrup should be done at 212. But my hydrotherm says its light. What's confusing me more is that I'm getting those teeny tiny bubbles that usually appear when it's time to finish. And it's also sheeting.

Will I have a problem taking it off now? Or should I go with my hydrotherm?
What's the consequences of being a little light? Will the syrup mold after bottling?

[Run Forest Run!]

MSM, I don't know if this will help you but here's what I do. I always trust my hydrotherm, but find it much easier to correct for density if I boil the sap heavy the night before and then in the morning when the syrup is room temperature I adjust the density using distilled water. Once I've got the density correct I bring the syrup back up to temp. Dealing with cool syrup is so much easier for me.

[Ausable]

I always trust my syrup hydrometer over a thermometer, So I would say - Go with Your Hydrotherm. You are very close to syrup. Naw-- If a little thin - it will taste like maple syrup and soak into the pancakes rather than ride on top. It would keep in a sealed jar - even on the thin side. Hey! Best of luck.

[MustardSeedMum]

Karen,
Do you filter after adjusting with distilled water? Doesn't niter form when it's heated up again?
I'm having a total brain fart. I can't think straight. I think the smoke and long hours are getting to me brain.

[Run Forest Run!]

In previous years I would adjust with the water, heat, filter and bottle. This year I've been very pleased with adjusting for density, warming the syrup to make sure the water is thoroughly combined, pouring into bottles, waiting for the niter to settle, pouring the clear stuff off the top and slowly reheating the clear syrup to the bottling temp - making sure to not have it boil. Those bottles are now shelf stable. The remnants left from the decanting are all put into another jar and when the clear syrup rises to the top of that bottle then I pour it off. Once I've got nothing more than sludge, I thin it down with water, run it through my jelly bag and then pour that sugary water into my next batch of sap.

If I were you, I'd overboil tonight and then correct for density after you've had a good night's sleep. Hope that helps.

[MustardSeedMum]

Mike, Karen,
Thanks for weighing in. Disappeared from the forum because after typing my 2nd note, I checked density and lo and behold my hydrotherm showed a little thick. Had some extra near up so I had to thin it out a little and then the mad process of getting everything filtered and bottled. 11litres! I've got to see how much sap I boiled to get that. Off the top of my head I think it was about 400l. So much better than my first batch. :)

Going to clean up and study your process, Karen. Every time I get near the end of a batch, I must sprout like a hundred white hairs!

[Run Forest Run!]

Eleven litres?!!!!! Yikes that's a humongous batch! Nice work Lady Dijon.