Sugar Sand...?

[sr73087]

I filtered a batch a few weeks back that looked really good immediately after filtering however, I noticed sediment at the bottle of the jar now after everything settled. I believe its sugar sand but am not 100% sure. I usually use the filters at the link below. This is just what I originally started with and have not run out yet. What is a cost effective upgrade to eliminate the sugar sand?


http://www.tapmytrees.com/products/maple-syrup-filter

[DuncanFTGC/SS]

If those are the tissue paper like filters, they will not remove the really fine sediment. If they are wool or felt, then they should get it all out. I was not able to tell from your link. I actually use a combination of the wool filter on the bottom, and thinner filters on top to keep the wool from plugging up as long as possible.

[Cedar Eater]

You have stumbled into the Great Filtering Problem of small batch processing. There is only one filtering method that consistently works to produce clear syrup. It requires a large orlon (five or eight quart) felt or wool filter with up to 5 pre-filters nested inside it. As each pre-filter plugs, you remove it so the next one can catch its share. If your batch is small enough, the orlon filter will retain most of it. You can't wring the orlon filter out without ruining it.

The alternate method for small batch processing is to let the niter settle out over time and decant the clear syrup, rewarm it, and bottle it. There are many threads here about both methods.

But if you are only a small batch processor and you aren't selling your product, you have another option. It is relatively easy to filter the majority of sediment out of nearup, finish it, then bottle it. You can tell the people who get whatever you give away that it costs a lot of money to make perfectly good syrup look as pretty as the commercial producers make it, but that it is really only a cosmetic difference and yours will taste better. You can still use the settle it out method with this approach.

[Boomer]

I agree with what Cedar Eater says. I'm just small timer (make about 2 gallons of syrup) but a little anal about how my syrup looks. I find the best is to filter it right off the cooker, then let it settle in the fridge for a couple weeks, heat it back up to 180-185 degrees, filter it one more time and then can it. That's my operation in a nut shell. If you want more detailed info how I do it I'd be happy to share.

[bahboil]

I do about 30 gallons a year and I filter mine through doubled flannel off evaporator. Then when done for day I bring syrup up to 200 and filter through regular syrup filter material. This seams to work good for me

[adk1]

I filter off evap using only cone prefilters. Then as syrup is still pretty hot I dump into my filter canner with one heavy filter and three flat prefilters

[Pauly V]

I filter off evaporator into 30 qt Stainless Bucket through 2 cotton T shirts. If its a multiple draw, I remove 1 t shirt thats dirty. Let sit over night. Boil to 195 inside. then pour into a 110 cup urn, with 2 more t shirts. Comes out beautiful.

[sr73087]

So I bought a synthetic filter and used 4 prefilters. Worked very very well. Not sugar sand to speak of.

I kind of squeezed the last little bit of syrup from the filter. Is that ok? Supposedly you arent supposed to wring the synthetic filters...

[Bucket Head]

Try to avoid "roughing up" the filters. That's not good for them. As others have suggested, put the dirty filters in a zip-lock or something and then submerge them in the pan at the next boil to get that sugar out. Nothing ruined or wasted, just a little delay in cleaning them out completely.