Sap storage question

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Hey everyone,
This freeze sucks!! I ran 250 gallons through my RO into my head tank on Thursday night. I was not able to boil it because of kid sports commitments last night and today there is no way. My head tank is outside and shaded so this is going to freeze up tight. Other than the pain of waiting for 150 gallons to thaw out do you think im going to have any issues with it? It's at 6% sitting in the tank.

The weather this week looks insane too, WTF! Lol at least it looks like we should have sap for Maple Weekend.

Thanks everyone


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[Wingo87]

My guess is it will freeze. I wrapped blankets around my barrel last night and it kept it from freezing but that's only for one night. I'm boiling today and it's not fun but I'm getting it done, I only have one door open on my shack lol.

[BAP]

Go to Tractor Supply and buy a stock tank heater and put in the tank to keep it from freezing. They are an electric heater that you drop into the tank.

[SeanD]

I had this exact problem last weekend. About 90 minutes into ROing the sap Saturday morning, the lines froze. One-inch lines of moving sap froze solid. I had no choice, but to shut down. That also meant shutting down with sap still in the RO. Very frustrating.

So, the concentrate I had and the rest of the raw sap had to wait. I tried again Monday when the temps during the day got into the 40s (I think it was) and the tanks were frozen solid still. Not the kind where just the outer layer of the tank is a block of ice and the inside is super sweet sap. These were huge blocks!

So, I tried again Tuesday. This time, I could pull liquid out, but the concentrate had already started to turn. Even sitting in solid ice, those little microbe b*st*rds found a way to have a party. I boiled it off and the syrup was good, but Very Dark.

I was able to get the rest of the ice out of the concentrate tank by Wednesday to clean and sanitize it. I couldn't break the ice in the sap tank up and clean that out until Thursday. Even at that, I was reaching it and chopping at it to get the giant corner pieces broken up.

So, I feel your pain. This weather does suck - and it's effects last for days. You'll end up making syrup whenever it gets warm enough to melt your tank and that tank will need a good wash and sanitizing afterward. Looking at the week ahead, it might not be for a while.

I appreciate you venting your frustration. Misery loves company.

[maple flats]

With the concentrate cold it will not spoil. The last year before I got my RO I had to sell 1150 gal. of sap to another producer. I sold it to him over a 4 day period, Friday-Monday. He concentrated it to 8% and sent it to an operating tank where he held it at 30 F until the following Saturday, which was Maple Weekend. With it he made some real nice medium amber, I know because I got half of it back as my share.
While your's may well freeze I would not think heating it is a good idea unless you will process it as soon as it is fluid again. Otherwise, just wait, when it starts to thaw, boil it then.

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Thanks everyone just was at a loss as to how to deal with this


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[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Go to Tractor Supply and buy a stock tank heater and put in the tank to keep it from freezing. They are an electric heater that you drop into the tank.

Thanks Bap, that's what I went with. Just checked the tank. Thin layer of ice on top but it's doing the job. Will boil in the morning.


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[BAP]

Your welcome. Glad it is working. Stay warm boiling tomorrow.