dark syrup

[beach]

this is my second season at attempting to harvest sap and make syrup. very small producer and make 1.5 gals. per year. started with two turkey fryers and this year have a 2 burner camp stove. thanks to maple talk info found stainless steel pans that almost fit my camp stove. my problem in the past has been very dark syrup. tastes fine but dark. thru reading and picking a few brains of local guys i may be my own enemy. i would put a couple gals in a large pot get it boiling and walk away when it was half evaporated i would add more warm sap and continue the process then switch to a smaller pan to finish. i have never gotten that golden syrup. my question is am i boiling the sap to long and hard before finishing. by the way all my trees are sugar maples. thanks in advance beach

[Ed R]

Batch made syrup is typically darker than syrup made in a standard evaporator. One thing you can try is to boil down sap and set the almost syrup aside and start fresh again instead of adding to the original pot. Then add these micro batches together and finish. Boil as hard as you can but for as short of time possible if you want light syrup.

[Ed R]

Also, try not to store SAP for more than a day if possible

[Sugarmaker]

It may be very difficult for you to make light syrup?
A single container that you add sap to is a reboiling process and will most likly result in what you have dark syrup.
Do you really want to make light syrup?
If you do then you need to look at several things.
Tap only hard maples producing good sugar content sap.
Keep all the equipment clean.
Keep you sap relatively cool.
Boil the syrup the same day you collect it.
build or buy a larger flatter pan where the sap can be added at one corner and syrup can exit at the opposite corner.
Even then mother nature and the weather may not allow you to make light syrup.
Light syrup can be a good goal, and it is possible, you just need to get the right set up (evaporator) with the best sap. Till then enjoy the dark syrup, lots of folks pay big money for dark syrup!

BTW it took me about 30 years to make my first light syrup. You have come to the right place to learn how!
Regards,
Chris

[beach]

thanks so much

[beach]

thank you i guess i may try differently this yr instead of boiling all at once after two weeks