Am I doing this right?

[sugarin4fun]

I have boiled 7 times this year, batches ranging from 2 to 11 qts. The first 5 I finished the syrup like it says to do in the book Backyard Sugarin, (if you don't have any equipment) when it rises up in the pan and starts to apron on the spoon I called it done and canned it. There is next to nothing on the bottom of my mason jars. Then I went out and bought a good thermometer, hydrometer and cup, which appear to be accurate the hydrometer red lines when the thermometer is +7. I have to boil quit a long time past the syrup rising up in the pan to get to +7. But know I have between 1/4 and 1/2 inch of sugar crystals on the bottom of my jars. Is this normal? And is all the syrup I made in the previos 5 batches going to spoil because it maybe under cooked?
Thanks Greg

[tapper]

If you are getting crystals you are definitly over cooked. As far as the undercooked stuff open it up and cook it more. Other than slight color change if any you wont hurt it. I'm not clear on what you have for a hydrometer but as soon as your syrup temp approaches 219 start checking with the hydrometer. The hydrometer should float at the upper red line with syrup temp at 211. Your finished temp varies day to day and sometimes during the day according to barometric pressure and you should vary accordingly.

[The Sappy Steamer]

Greg,
Are you filtering that syrup properly? Just wondering if it could be sugar sand and not sugar crystals? Just a thought. Good luck and have fun.
Dan

[HanginAround]

Make sure you're looking at the right line on the hydrometer. 66 Brix is for room temperature syrup, so if you test it hot at 66, then it will be way too dense after it cools. Most have an upper red line at 59 Brix for testing hot syrup.

If you're only going to +7, you shouldn't have issues with crystals, so not sure what's going on. Make sure your thermometer is well submerged, could be throwing off the reading.

Your thin syrup might be okay, but I would rather be safe than worry about it.

[802maple]

Over the years a "note to self page" will become a novel

[SteveD]

....and a good one.
-Steve