New guy here looking to make syrup for the first time.

[superchunk]

Technically this will be my second time if you take into account that pint of sap I boiled down into a few tablespoons last year. It tasted delicious so this year I bought a dozen spiles and plan to go a little bigger. I'll be happy if I can get 5-10 gallons of sap this year and end up with a quart or two of syrup. I really don't have the proper equipment. My plan was to find some food grade 5 gallon buckets that I could store sap in my spare fridge until I had time to try and evaporate it. But surprisingly I'm having trouble finding food grade buckets. The local bakeries and donut shops don't seem too receptive as far as giving away icing buckets. I have a large pot (stainless turkey fryer) that I planned to use to evaporate the sap. I thought about building a rocket type of stove from blocks to help keep my costs down. I have lots of wood to use for fuel. I need to do more research in the process of evaporating sap as far as boiling temperatures and rates are concerned. But I'm looking forward to making a little syrup this winter and assume that next year I'll be wanting to go bigger and badder.

[psparr]

Sorry for your addiction. Your wallet will get thinner.

Walmart has a good price on buckets.

There's more than a years worth of reading on this site, so you'll have plenty to do the rest of the year.
Good luck!

[superchunk]

Thanks!

I didn't realize Wal Mart sold food grade buckets. I was going to get some from Lowe's because they had a #2 on the bottom. But I then read that the blue Lowe's buckets aren't technically food grade.

[psparr]

Yes. They should be in the paint aisles. They have a sticker on them that's even states food grade.

[eustis22]

the #2 is only the grade of HDPE....verify food grade by the sticker at lowes/home depot (Not the orange buckets, not food grade).

you can also try a local donut shop that may have some jelly buckets for free/reasonable cost.

now abandon all sanity....:)

[wiam]

I have seen food grade buckets at lowes/Home Depot. They are white and say food grade on them.

[maplemas]

Tractor supply also has food grade buckets

[superchunk]

I checked my Lowe's and they only had the blue non food grade buckets. But I hadn't thought of Tractor supply. That's a good idea. I'll check there.

On my way home I stopped at a local bakery. I explained to them why I wanted buckets and they gave me 2 square four gallon buckets from icing. Very nice. I'd still like to have some larger 5 gallon buckets.

I was depressed when I got home to see my first tree tap fail. I had tapped a maple in my yard and ran poly tubing down into the top of a 1 gallon recycled water jug the previous night. I packed a bit of snow around it to hold it in place but after the snow melted today the jug must have fallen over and the wind blew it across the yard ��. So I lost all my sap. I walked over to the tree and there was a steady drip coming from out of the tubing so I think I may have had a full jig if it hadn't fallen over. Needless to say I took a couple of bungy straps and strapped the water jug to the base of the tree through the handle. We'll see what I get tomorrow.

[psparr]

Failure is the best teacher.

[John-NJ]

If you want some sap bags, I have a bunch that I will send you for the price of shipping. I also have homemade hangers that I made out of PVC water pipe. I don't use these anymore as I am using 100% tubing. For boiling you want the most surface area you can get. I started with a graniteware turkey pan.

Remember don't save the sap too long. Bacteria will grow, even at low temps in the fridge. You will kill it by boiling, but it reduces the quality of the product.

Good luck, and plan for expansion!!

Regards

[BAP]

Another place to check for pails is anyplace that makes ice cream or yogurt. The fruit flavoring comes in pails.

[superchunk]

This morning when I was heading to work at 5:30am I noticed the sap jug was an inch from being full! Score. So I emptied it and replaced it on the tree. When I got home from work at 3:30pm the jug was full and was spilling out the top. So I emptied it again. So at least 2 gallons of sap in less than 24 hours. I transfered the sap to the fridge. Temps aren't forcasted to get above 32 until Sunday so it will be interesting to see if I get anything else. I'm going to have to throw together a make shift evaporator. Pretty cool stuff

[Big_Eddy]

Another day or two and you'll have enough sap to make a cup of syrup :)

[Chris Stewart]

This is my setup this year. Since Saturday I've gotten nearly 18 gallons of sap. I use countertop 1800w induction burners to boil. The second one just got delivered today. Only cost me about 36 cents an hour to run them. I have a wider stock pot coming to replace the dutch oven.

1529015291

[superchunk]

I'm going to have to use a larger catch bucket. I like the two lines into one bucket.

Just as an experiment I boiled down a little sap last night. Of course it did not work out as planned but I wanted to give the kids and wife a taste of why I'm collecting the sap. First off I let them taste the cold raw sap. Just a hint of sweet but both of them said it was pretty much like water. I have a refractory for my fruit trees and the sap was 2%. Anyway, I put about 64 ounces of sap into a pan on the stove and started boiling. As expected a lot of steam was given off and was trashing the kitchen. My wife threatened that I was going to clean it up. lol I thought I should be able to get a shot glass full. While boiling I searched for my candle thermometer and could not find it. So was going by eyeball. Started getting close to the end and I was expecting it to look more brown that it was. In short I boiled it down too much and ended up making sticky maple candy. I spooned the mixture onto wax paper and let it cool. The candy disks were very tasty but I warned my wife and daughter not to try biting them or else they would lose their fillings. But if you sucked on it like hard tack candy it was very good. So additional lessons learned last night.

This morning the jug was overflowing again so obviously I need a larger catch jug.

[John-NJ]

I see you have the rare Acer Beltus; the Belted Maple:lol:

Good luck, and happy cooking

[ash10383]

Thanks!

I didn't realize Wal Mart sold food grade buckets. I was going to get some from Lowe's because they had a #2 on the bottom. But I then read that the blue Lowe's buckets aren't technically food grade.

Walmart Bakery sells their used icing buckets for $1.00 each! you have to check back often as their supply builds up but they are nice buckets!

[Cedar Eater]

In short I boiled it down too much and ended up making sticky maple candy.

You can add tap water and get the candy back to nearup or syrup. Or you can dissolve the candy in Canadian whiskey and risk your liver instead of your teeth. :lol:

[Snappyssweets]

Welcome to the wonderful fun pass time Addiction of maple.

For buckets check with any local bakery or deli. They often throw them out. Locally I can get them for free if I show up and ask before they throw things to the trash. A little hot water and soap to clean them up and good to go.

A few trees and a few gallons of sap because really you would be happy with a few quarts at the end of the season. :lol:

None of us here have ever seen or said this before. meanwhile three years later your tapping 70 trees and 100 spiles with a new arch and debating a sugar shack.

Welcome to the asylum superchunk.

[pamelance]

Have you checked Craigslist for buckets? I too have read about bakeries, grocery stores, etc etc giving them away. Where I am, someone beats me to it, cleans the buckets and sells on Craigslist for very reasonable price (~$2/each). For me, buying 30+ buckets, I'd rather hand over money for clean stuff that I only have to sanitize.

Homebrew suppliers may be able to push you in the right direction- they use a LOT of the same stuff we do (buckets, tubing, sanitizer,etc). And so far all the Homebrew people I've met are just as enthusiastic for you making syrup as you are!

It's my third year- and I went from 4 taps on 2 trees in year one to 74 taps this year :rolleyes: so, yeah, welcome to your new obsession!!

[Sugarmaker]

Have fun! Your doing good. Remember that sap collected from one tap hole for the entire season and made into syrup should yield about 1 qt of syrup. ( gravity type or bucket system)
At one time I had zero taps. It can cut in to your playing time!:)
Regards,
Chris

[RyanMay]

You are doing great already. Just enjoy what you do, everything would go well.