Disaster on First real boil of 2017 :-(

[sappytapper]

First real boil on my barrel evaporator, new to me this year.

Had both pans at a solid rolling boil, with about 6 gallons of "nature's RO" concentrate from 15 gallons of frozen and partially thawed sap in the back pan, and fresh sap in the front, with the AUF fan turned off, running on the natural draft of 4' of stack and the barrel stove door cracked open about 3 or 4 inches. Went inside to start dinner and was away from it for maybe fifteen minutes, tops... Came outside to a burned and scorched black/brown mess in the back pan... nooooooooo!!!!!

With only 6 taps out so far, felt so heartbreaking to have to dump about 6 gallons of concentrate's worth, but I guess that's part of learning the new evaporator and a valuable lesson.

Filled the scorched pan up with clean water and let it boil for awhile to try to loosen the crud. On to the next batch.

[Woodsrover]

That's too bad. Guess we've all done it. 15 minutes is a loooooong time to leave your pans unattended.
Get scrubbing, learn a little and move one.

[eustis22]

Never get out of the shack.

[sappytapper]

Yeah.... It was one of those, "i know better" moments.

Live and learn.

[BAP]

Now you are a real sugar maker. Burning a pan stinks, but happens to the best of us. If I have to leave evaporator to run to the house or do something, I shut off the blower and close off the air intake to prevent it from boiling to hard unattended. Like others have said, clean your pan and start over. Soon you will be making syrup and have forgotten the bad. Good luck.

[sappytapper]

I guess, on the plus side, "Bessie" boils like a champ! ;-)