My experience with propane and a big pot

[Camofrog]

I'm using a King Kooker propane stove and a ten-gallon aluminum pot, and what seems to work best for me is to not try and boil more than maybe three gallons at a time, maybe even two, and just keep refilling a coffee can with a small hole drilled through the bottom hanging up near the rim that provides a slow stream into the boil below.

The propane isn't hot enough to maintain much more than a couple of gallons at a good boil, except maybe on a very calm day.

Not trying to boil too much at once is also an advantage in being able to get back up to speed way more quickly.

Obviously this would be much faster with a big flat pan and two stoves, and that's probably my next move, because that seems like a good compromise among efficiency, convenience, and cost for a hobby boiler.

I'm getting about a gallon of syrup out of each $13 tank of propane. I'll take it.

[Run Forest Run!]

I'm getting about a gallon of syrup out of each $13 tank of propane. I'll take it.

Really? That's a great return. Over my past four seasons, I find that with good sugar content in my sap I average 1/2 gallon of syrup with every 20 Lb. tank of propane.

[TerryEspo]

My first year boiling I used propane and turkey pot.
After a couple boils I found it best to assist in freezing the sap to get rid of some ice. Poor mans RO. It really did help.
I would leave half full 5 gallon pails with sap outside to get a layer of ice on top and toss the ice. The remaining sap was sweeter right from the start after tossing the ice.
Saved propane and much boiling time.

Hope that helps.

Terry

[WESTMAPLES]

hey just alittle idea might speed up your boil and heat transfer is a 24 qt stainless steel pot they sell at wal mart and job lot. nice and thin i bought 3 of them 4 years ago to finish in and bottle now they are mostly used for drawing off and transferring syrup to finisher great deal for the money spent

[Planethill]

Not trying to boil too much at once is also an advantage in being able to get back up to speed way more quickly.

Hey there. My first year using the same method. I have a 15 gallon pot I use for boiling homebrew and a Bayou Banjo burner.

I have found it's better to only boil an inch and a half of sap rather than several gallons at once. Goes much faster...but you also have to watch more closely.

http://i60.tinypic.com/nf07f5.jpg

[Cedar Eater]

I like the idea of that trickler. How small was that hole?

[67HEAVEN]

...and just keep refilling a coffee can with a small hole drilled through the bottom hanging up near the rim that provides a slow stream into the boil below.


I have found it's better to only boil an inch and a half of sap rather than several gallons at once. Goes much faster...but you also have to watch more closely.

Thanks for the tips. I tried boiling less sap at a time after reading this and I think it is faster.

Cheers.

[Camofrog]

I like the idea of that trickler. How small was that hole?

The hole is 1/16th inch, the smallest bit I have. It seems just about right.

[Camofrog]

I have found it's better to only boil an inch and a half of sap rather than several gallons at once. Goes much faster...but you also have to watch more closely.

My stove can keep about three gallons at a healthy rolling boil even with the coffee can trickler going nonstop, so that's where I like to keep it. If I'm going to shut it down before it's done I'll let it boil down more just to make reheating it faster.

I'm using my brew buckets for sap too!

[Camofrog]

Really? That's a great return. Over my past four seasons, I find that with good sugar content in my sap I average 1/2 gallon of syrup with every 20 Lb. tank of propane.

I guess it's more like 6 pints per tank. I am finishing indoors.