Draw Off Bucket

[GSCampChris]

What are the specifications for a draw-off bucket? The official "draw-off pales" seem so expensive. Our first year we drew off into plastic icing buckets and it sent straight into a drip filter. This year we are adding a filter press. What should I look for in terms of what kind of container to draw off into from the evap?

Chris

[acafro]

I bought a 2 gallon food grade stainless steel pail that I use. Cost under $20.

Then I dump it into a 10 gallon stainless brew kettle.

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[wiam]

A cheap stainless stock pot would work.

[mudr]

I plan to use a steam pan from my old multi-pan evaporator to draw off into from my new 2x6.

[n8hutch]

I Use some Old Delaval milk pails, they are pretty slick they have 2 Handles and you can put a Cone Pre Filter in the top and get quite a bit of the junk out.

I think This system is pretty good if your Making 10-15 gallons a day. If you were doing say 20+ gallons per day I would probably buy a small draw off tank.

[maple flats]

For about 10 years I drew off into 16-20 qt SS pots. Then I had Thor make a 28 gal draw off tank. I now draw into that and when ready, I open the valve. My filter press Air powered diaphragm pump pulls the syrup thru the pump and I then send it to my finisher. When I get 35-60 gal ready in there, I bring it to proper density and then filter it using the same pump and either send it to my canner or to a SS drum. Much easier.
If you are not big enough to do similar, you can draw off into any SS container. I used SS stock pots, but others use milker buckets (SS) often found rather inexpensive at auctions, generally a little more costly on E bay or Craig's List. Some of my early SS pots came from Big Lots, later I found much sturdier pots at Walmart with glass lids. Their SS seems OK.

[motowbrowne]

I use the stainless milk cans. They hold about 5 gallons, and have a nice handle. No reliable cheap source for them, though. Anything stainless, not tippy, with a handle, and ideally a lid will do the job. Bonus points if it pours well without making a mess of things.