Pre-wetting filters?

[jamesd14]

Last year was my first year for making the best thing on earth, I used an 8 quart orlon filter bag with several paper pre filters, I had it in a 28 quart coffee ern, the syrup never real wanted to filter through, I did not pre-wet any of the filters, I was kind of worried that if I pre-wet the filter it would somehow add water to my finished product and mess up my brix, is this possible or how do you get the water out? This year I want to get a flat filter pan from wf mason were I got my evaporator and hopefully it will work a little better then the cone did. Last year I used a homemade cinder block evaporator and only had 10 taps but ended up finishing 4 gallons of syrup, this year expanding to about 50 taps.

[SeanD]

Don't worry about the minute amount of water added from wet filters. If you were to squeeze every drop out of this filters, it wouldn't amount to more than a couple of ounces. Don't forget the hot syrup is continuing to lose water even after you pull it off the heat and it's filtering. I've never had my final syrup end up lighter than when I pulled it off. It's actually always heavier!

Keep your filters hot and damp and enjoy the much faster process over dry filters.

Sean

[MISugarDaddy]

I had the same concern about wetting filters as you expressed, so I never wet them. According to what I have read, if you choose to wet them, don't wring them out as it can cause a breakdown in the fibers causing minute amounts of niter into your finished syrup. Be sure to have the syrup HOT when you pour it through the filter or else it will not pass through the filter well. Until last year, we filtered all our syrup through a flat filter and had pretty good results. Last year we finally decided we were doing enough syrup to justify a filter press and we were shocked at how much syrup we were loosing in the filtering process. Good luck with your new found hobby...soon it will become an obsession!!!
Gary

[OldManMaple]

Find yourself a "food grade" :lol: wash tub ringer. They work well for squeezing both cone and flat filters without twisting the fibers. Even though we have a press now I still wet the filters as it helps them stick to the frames when setting up.

[n8hutch]

I keep my flat filters in a large pot of boiling water on the back of my arch, grab one snap it like you would snap a towel, them put it on my filter tank, same process for up to 3 filter papers. I do this probably a minute or 2 before I plan on pouring syrup through the filters, usually can put the lid on & filter 3-4 gallons before I have to change them.

[jamesd14]

A lot of gear advice, thank you all. This has already become on obsession. I love it.

[bagpiper]

I pour the hot syrup through a heavy cone shaped felt filter without any paper filter inserts. As of December (now), my remaining quarts of syrup are still very clear with no niter and no residue of any kind on the bottom of the jars. When I am done filtering, I dunk and then rinse the filter in very hot water until it is clean and then let it drip dry. Is it advisable to use paper filter inserts for some reason?

[RC Maple]

I do like to pre-wet filters when filtering syrup through them. I don't wring out the water though, I fold the prefilters a couple of times, roll them up and press the water out of them without twisting and wringing. I run sap through the prefilters as well when adding it to the evaporator. After a while the prefilters get plugged up just running sap through them. I rinse them upside down with hot water and press the water out of them. I use the filters when adding sap, drawing off syrup, and when finishing syrup. Except for adding raw sap it always seems easier to have the filters damp.

[jamesd14]

Definitely going to follow this advice, will pre-wet the filters.

[ericjeeper]

I use prefilters. I rinse them in a proper bleach rinse. Then I store them in the freezer. You would be surprised how many times I can reuse the same filter.

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[Daveg]

I use an urn, also, but just 3 paper filters. I let my syrup get to draw off density, give the inner-most filter a quick dunk in the flue pan, mount it in the urn with the other two, and start drawing off. 2 or three teaspoons of 8% hot sap doesn't affect the final density.

[jamesd14]

Thanks guys, this is much appreciated.

[Shaun]

I pour the hot syrup through a heavy cone shaped felt filter without any paper filter inserts. As of December (now), my remaining quarts of syrup are still very clear with no niter and no residue of any kind on the bottom of the jars. When I am done filtering, I dunk and then rinse the filter in very hot water until it is clean and then let it drip dry. Is it advisable to use paper filter inserts for some reason?

When filtering larger amounts some use 4 or 5 prefilters and when they start to plug you peel one off at a time to keep the syrup flowing through. If you do even 5 or 10 gallons you will watch your syrup stop going through the filter all together.