Finished syrup at 218 degrees

[Sugar Bear]

I am wondering how long you can let syrup boil at 218 degrees.

I usually take my syrup off the heat within a few seconds after it hits 218 degrees, but my syrup seems thinner then most commercial products. Its fairly viscous when it is cold but is rather runny when still hot or re-heated.

I don't mind the thin consistency, but If I boil longer after it hits 218 will it be more viscous? And how much more is too much?

Thanks

[psparr]

At 218 your probably not at syrup yet. Should be 219 at least depending on barometric pressure. If your under proper density your syrup will spoil. If it's heavy some will crystallize.

[Snappyssweets]

I tend to go over myself.
It may just be my thermometer too though. I take mine to what my thermometer says is about 223.
result is a darker syrup and such. I have not had issues with crystallization of sugar but that could also be due to my filtering not sure.

[berkshires]

I am wondering how long you can let syrup boil at 218 degrees.

I usually take my syrup off the heat within a few seconds after it hits 218 degrees, but my syrup seems thinner then most commercial products. Its fairly viscous when it is cold but is rather runny when still hot or re-heated.

I don't mind the thin consistency, but If I boil longer after it hits 218 will it be more viscous? And how much more is too much?

Thanks

You don't say where exactly you're located, but I doubt anywhere in CT has a high enough altitude (boiling point of water changes based on altitude) to make syrup at 218. So yeah, your "syrup" seems too thin because it's not actually syrup yet.

GO

[maple flats]

Get a murphy cup or float or an accucup (invented by the owner of this forum) and a good hydrometer. That is how you will know what density it is at. Drawing by temperature can get you close, but the boiling point of water on any given day can and does change based on your elevation and your barometric pressure at that time.

[bowtie]

One of the first thing everyone should buy to start making syrup is a hydrotherm and cup, spend the $30-40 and you will never have a problem.pretty much foolproof.

[thbarrons]

I agree with others 218 sounds low unless your well over 1000ft elevation or your local atmospheric pressure is well below average at the time of boil. I use a thermometer myself and wrote an app to assist with the calculation. Maybe this can help you I posted it in this thread here...

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?29580-boiling-temp-app&p=318819#post318819

[BAP]

Syrup is 7 degrees above the boiling point of water on any given day. Boil some water when you are making syrup and add 7 degrees and that is when your syrup is done that particular day.

[barnbc76]

My first year I made my syrup too light, I should have boiled it down by another gal or so, instead I had 2.5 gal it was still great, as long as you refrigerated it will be good.

[craig101]

I'm with Snappyssweets, I have to go to about 223 before my hydrometer says syrup. I always pull off the sweet sap at about 219 from my outside boiler and finish inside.

[Ravenseye]

Not to just say "me too", I agree with the posts above. Even when I just added 7 degrees my first year, I had thin syrup. I rarely finish less than 222 or so.

[Galena]

Did you check the temp of boiling water first? It's pretty much accepted fact that syrup starts to boil at 7.1 degrees over the temp of boiling water (I am using Fahrenheit) and in my experience, syrup finishes at around 5 degrees over that.

And yes, depending on multiple factors like elevation, humidity and atmospheric (or is baromteric?) pressure, water can and will boil at a lower temp than 212F. I had water boil at 208F recently, so syrup would have boiled at 215F and finished around 220F.

So, had I tried to finish syrup that day and just assumed that water would boil at 212F, syrup would boil at 219F and thus finish at my usual 224-225F....I'd probably have had crystallization and then would have had to tinker it back down to Brix.

[Urban Sugarmaker]

Get a murphy cup or float or an accucup (invented by the owner of this forum) and a good hydrometer. That is how you will know what density it is at. Drawing by temperature can get you close, but the boiling point of water on any given day can and does change based on your elevation and your barometric pressure at that time.

I agree with this. Also, how do you know your thermometer is not miscalibrated? I used an auto draw with an RTD probe and I am quite certain I need to adjust it. It might be 4 tenths of a degree off. With dial thermometer you can use the set screw to adjust it.

My syrup draw off temp is different every boil.