Filtering vs. Settling syrup

[PA mapler]

Hi everyone, I just wondered if anyone has tried to clear up syrup by letting it settle over time. I've been fighting off-flavor for years from filters, and still haven't figured out exactly what I'm doing wrong. I haven't tried EVERYTHING yet, but darn near!! I give most of my syrup away, and everyone seems to love it, but I can taste a big difference in syrup taste pre and post filtering.

I make wine, and it got me to thinking about doing the same "racking" with the syrup.

Thanks!

Beth

[Cedar Eater]

It can take a long time for syrup to clarify by settling. Weeks or even months might be required. And then you have the problem of decanting. If you could drain the settled stuff out through the bottom, that would be great. That would require a vessel with a conical bottom with a drain valve and you would need to be able to see through the cone. Otherwise, when you try to pour the clear stuff off, niter seems to find a way to mix in with it unless you can keep it very still as you pour.

[BreezyHill]

One time last season our filter press went down. While we waited for a part to come in we had to keep boiling and we filled every stainless milker I had. Over the course of two days there was a huge difference in the longer sitting syrup than when we press as soon as we draw off.

So it will work to a point.
BUT
There is always a but...the cost of propane to heat the syrup up from 30 degrees to 190 to filter it and then to the canner to keg for cold storage was a hard pill to swallow.

There is a deference in taste and it is the large sugar crystal that is removed by the DE and the filter paper I find.

My oldest loves the taste of fresh or unfiltered syrup over filtered. He will save the syrup that drains from the press when we change papers and wash it. And every year I send him half gallons at college that are not pressed.

This summer he and I will be tig welding a stainless filter press and dual batch tank on wheels. This way we can press it hot and have a suspended tank that will either roll over the burner we use currently or have it on the system so we can fill kegs immediately and use as little propane as we can in 2018. He will be finally done with 9 semesters 12-2018.

[PA mapler]

Thanks for the replies! It definitely wouldn't work large scale, and I wonder too if settling would ever get the syrup as clear as filtering.

I'm going to try a batch next year, though, for the fun of it...they make wine fermenters and carboys that have a spigot placed off the bottom a bit so that you don't disturb the pool of spooge. I've been eye-balling them for a few years now anyhow.

So there actually IS a real difference in taste between filtered and unfiltered syrup? I don't think I ever heard of that. Maybe that's what I'm tasting, and not the filters??

Thanks!

[buck3m]

Hi everyone, I just wondered if anyone has tried to clear up syrup by letting it settle over time...

Hi Beth,

We used primarily that method for years.

The Maple Syrup Producer's Manual says this:

"Settling/Sedimentation

This process is the simplest method for removing suspended solids from syrup. It involves simply placing finished syrup of the correct density in a large container, waiting for the suspended particles to settle out of the syrup, and then decanting the clarified syrup without disturbing the sediment. Though relatively simple in concept, this has process has several disadvantages and is not commonly used. One disadvantage is that the sedimentation process requires considerable time, a few days to a week or more. Further, even after settling, some fine particles may remain which can detract from the syrups perceived quality. Also, considerable care must is required to not disturb the sediment when decanting the clarified syrup."

Nowadays for the pros it's not worth considering, but I think it can make sense for hobbyists. First, as a small timer using Orlon filters I can tell you I've had niter sneak through many times. Second, sedimentation prevents loss of syrup in filters. Third, it does away with the hassle of properly washing filters. Fourth, it should cure your off-flavor problems.

Something along this line is what we would do: settle the syrup for two weeks in a food grade plastic bucket, then hold a sample up to good light. If it looks clear, gently pick up the bucket and slowly and carefully pour into a second bucket until just before the stream of niter starts running out. The clear syrup is good to go. What's left goes in a half gallon jar or two. The process is repeated.

Give it a try!

[DaveB]

I do a little mixture of both. We take our batches off the evaporator into 5 gallon containers that sit for the entire season and then a couple of weeks after that until we are ready to pack syrup in different sized containers for sale. Depending on circumstances, after I've heated up about 15-20 gallons, I'll either run it through the filter press directly to filter it or just use the filter rack in the canning unit with a regular filter and some prefilters. I always leave the very last half gallon or so in the five gallon container because that's where everything settles out.

I've never had a problem filtering that way and the syrup is as clear as if I ran it through the filter press but because it is mostly settled out, it filters very easily and I'm not swapping out papers, mixing DE and everything else that goes with filtering through the filter press.

[Sugarmaker]

Beth,
You should be able to get just as good of flavor after filtering as before. Maybe tell us again how your filtering process is not working? Not good you have been having problems for years? I had it one season, turned out it was the cone filter. Changed that and solved the problem.
Regards,
Chris

[1arch]

My initial years consisted of drawing off the evaporator into 2 quart mason jars and was able to confirm density in each jar with a hydrometer. Put the lid on and let sit for days/weeks/months or as long I wanted for better clarity. Easy to see through the glass how clear the the syrup becomes.
I simply would decant until the dregs get close and stop. Keep pouring the dregs together and decant as time and gravity permit. I tried the orion filters and the losses and labor were discouraging to me. Gravity and time work great.

[PA mapler]

Chris, I tried every rinsing method out there, washing machine, party bucket, sink, tub... more rinsing helps, but something is still going on. I THINK it might be where I store my filters...on a high shelf in the laundry room. Those dryer sheets let off an awful amount of odor!

I might try all new paper and felt next year, but I'm excited to try the settling method after reading the comments! I make between 20 and 60 gallons depending on the season, so it shouldn't be any more hassle than my messy, sticky filtering method is now. I have lots of food-grade 5 gallon plastic carboys, and my wine siphon might work on the syrup so I don't have to pour by hand.

I give away most of my syrup to friends and family, so as long as I have them put the syrup right into the fridg, I shouldn't have to even heat it to bottle it. Anything I sell or store I'll have to reheat & bottle correctly though.

[mellondome]

Laundry area will ruin a filter. Any odor will get picked up and transferred to the syrup.
You would be better served double freezer bagging it and storing it in the freezer till the next season.... but start with a new filter.

[PA mapler]

Mell, that's a really good idea... I was trying to think where I could store the filters where's there's no chance of any odor, and couldn't think of anywhere.

Is that where you store your filters?

[Cedar Eater]

This is the smallest cone bottom tank that I have seen. I think it would fit inside a refrigerator that had the shelves removed.

https://www.ntotank.com/7gallon-acerotomold-white-inductor-cone-bottom-tank-x1138427

I think syrup that is settled in here for two weeks could have most of the niter drawn off the bottom, especially if you choke the drain down to a 1/2" valve.

[Cedar Eater]

Even better, square rinse tanks with cone bottoms in smaller sizes. The smallest one is threaded for 3/4" pipe. It would be easy to make a rack for a few of these and store it outdoors in the shade. By the time you add valves, they wouldn't be cheap, though.

16259

https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=25184&catid=513

[billyinvt]

I'm thinking back to my beer making days. I used to siphon from a primary fermentation vessel with a contraption that kept the end of the tube an inch or two above the bottom to avoid transferring sediment to the secondary vessel. A move like this might prevent jostling and be preferable to pouring out a full five gallon bucket. Those things are heavy!

[Cedar Eater]

I'm thinking back to my beer making days. I used to siphon from a primary fermentation vessel with a contraption that kept the end of the tube an inch or two above the bottom to avoid transferring sediment to the secondary vessel. A move like this might prevent jostling and be preferable to pouring out a full five gallon bucket. Those things are heavy!

I thought about siphoning, but cold syrup would probably siphon really slowly and I think you would have to watch very carefully to get the last inch. That's why I like the idea of taking the niter off the bottom through a cone. You can easily stop and let it settle more. I decided to buy one of those 2.5 gallon rinse tanks.

[Rangdale]

Have used the settle method quite a bit. I'll let it sit in the quart jars for a month or so and then decant off what comes easily without disturbing the sediment (usually 3/4 or the quart jar). Then we will take all the 1/4 quart jars, combine them in a pot, heat it up and then filter that. We don't make a ton (9 gallons this year) so it works for us.

[buck3m]

That's why I like the idea of taking the niter off the bottom through a cone. You can easily stop and let it settle more. I decided to buy one of those 2.5 gallon rinse tanks.

Not going to work. You'll have sediment sticking to the sides.

[Cedar Eater]

Not going to work. You'll have sediment sticking to the sides.

If it stays stuck to the sides, then it works. If it doesn't stay stuck to the sides, then it will settle during the pause after the initial niter draw-off which will be very slow so as not to pull clear syrup right through the center. As long as I get most of the niter out before I filter it, I'll be better off.

[buck3m]

If it stays stuck to the sides, then it works. If it doesn't stay stuck to the sides, then it will settle during the pause after the initial niter draw-off which will be very slow so as not to pull clear syrup right through the center. As long as I get most of the niter out before I filter it, I'll be better off.

Good luck with that.

[RileySugarbush]

I learned a trick from Larry Pakiz. We put our draws in buckets to settle, then when filtering a bottling pull it off using a shurflo pump into a stainless pot for heating. Based on Larry's input, I made a suction tube that has a cap on the bottom to only pull off about 1.5 inches off the bottom of the pail. Only pretty clean stuff that way. Since we had very little nitre this year, that would have wasted a lot of syrup, but by carefully tilting the pail we get all the clean stuff out. We still go through a press, but this step saves a lot of filter capacity.

[ash10383]

We let ours settle out. Took a stainless stock pot and drilled a hole about 1/2 inch from the bottom. Put a brass valve in the hole. Let 3 gallon of syrup sit one or two days. (that's how big the pot is) usually the niter is below the level of the valve. Draw off slow otherwise you suck some niter up. If the niter is to high gently tip the pan away from the valve. If it's warm syrup when you put it in the pan settles fairly fast. Only issue is you need to reheat to bottle or we just freeze what syrup we do.

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[Sugar Bear]

I find that the narrower and taller the jar, the better it is for settling syrup.

This is because the niter that settles in the bottom of such a shaped container is MUCH less likely to be disturbed when poring off the syrup. It settles into a smaller area on top of itself more so that a broad bottomed container.

The 1/2 gallon mason jars are the best I have found for this purpose and that it what I put syrup in to settle it.

When I pore it off after settling it for at least 1 week ( I try to do at least 1 month ) I find I get about 90% of the settled syrup out before pouring any Niter out. I put the syrup with disturbed niter in another jar and resettle it. Most of the niter stays stuck to the bottom of the mason jar.

With a light behind the glass mason jar you have excellent visibility of what the settled niter is doing as you are poring and as it is settling.

My visual experience tells me that most niter settles out in 2 or 3 days and nearly all of it within a month.

You can buy 1/2 gallon mason jars for about $10 for 6 but if you drop one, the world is going to know about it and so to is the emergency room if you drop one with 200 plus degree syrup in it.

I have 18 jars and they work for me.

Whatever you do in life be careful.

Sugar Bear.

[Darrel Wright]

For settling I use tall-aspect 2-5 gallon stainless pots, or occasionally 1/2 gallon jars. Put it in hot, then put them all in a well insulated chamber. I made a box of 2" polyiso I can fit 3 stainless pots in. If you're using jars a good cooler should work. Syrup coasts down to 80 degrees over the course of 4 days, and by that time it is generally sparkling clear. It just settles much much faster warm. I'll then siphon right off the bottom with I think 1/2" tubing, discarding the first cup or so which will have sand. But the 1/2 tubing siphons slowly enough that it only sucks sand from around a 2" circle on the bottom, and leaves the rest. Takes like an hour to siphon the pot off, but I'm off doing something else in that time.

[Openwater]

Pour or try to siphon? I usually vacuum filter my syrup thru a homemade shop-vac filter with 3 pre-filters and an orlon filter with DE. The final batch of syrup yesterday would not filter, not even thru just 1 prefilter with the shop-vac suction. Made a sticky mess removing filters, re-heating, washing filters, adding more DE, etc. Never had this problem before; syrup might be a little ropy, but I left it a little light since I know I'll be reheating to bottle. Finally decided to give up and just pour it into glass gallon jugs. Now I've got about 1.5 gallons of syrup with a bunch of DE in it and need some advice regarding what to do next. Try to pour it off or somehow siphon off the top?
23093

[Jim Foster]

I gave up on the filtering simply because I lost too much syrup in the process. Simply because I make small batches. On the final cook I run it through a pre filter and straight into quart canning jars and sealed. Let them set a month, carefully pop the flat off and slowly pour into a large pan untill I see the niter start towards the opening and stop pouring. Heat the syrup up to 185 degrees and pour into sealable bottles. I take all of the niter filled syrup and pour into a couple of quart jars, seal, let set and pour off again. Syrup looks fantastic with no residue.

Jim

[SeanD]

Pour or try to siphon? I usually vacuum filter my syrup thru a homemade shop-vac filter with 3 pre-filters and an orlon filter with DE. The final batch of syrup yesterday would not filter, not even thru just 1 prefilter with the shop-vac suction. Made a sticky mess removing filters, re-heating, washing filters, adding more DE, etc. Never had this problem before; syrup might be a little ropy, but I left it a little light since I know I'll be reheating to bottle. Finally decided to give up and just pour it into glass gallon jugs. Now I've got about 1.5 gallons of syrup with a bunch of DE in it and need some advice regarding what to do next. Try to pour it off or somehow siphon off the top?
23093

I have the same thing. The very last of the last boils plugged the press and I have a quart of really dark syrup with niter and DE. It's been sitting in a mason jar for two weeks today. My plan is to let it settle a bit more then carefully pour it into smaller glass jars so more light can get through and I can see what kind of progress it's making. Eventually, this will be house syrup that I use for cooking. Maple syrup is insane on roasted vegetables.

I'd avoid siphoning. A careful pour is just as effective. That sediment tends to harden over time and a lot stays put or it at least moves very slowly when you tip the bottle. Just be sure not to glug it and try to do it on one motion. That is, don't stop part way and see how it's going. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Some syrup at the bottom will be lost.

[Mean_Oscar]

Read this thread quickly so might have missed: Has anyone tried setting with quart or half gallon jars tilted 45 degrees? Vibrating to speed up settling?

Current Black Birch Experimenter
Have made black walnut, white walnut, sycamore, boxelder and, oh yes, maple.

[220 maple]

For the last 10 years or maybe longer, I set the auto draw off up to be a brix or two weak, I fill barrels of syrup, then when ai have time I finish syrup, after a month or more the syrup I pump off the barrels is pretty darn clear. Main goal is not to pump off the bottom of the barrels. Usually throw away the last half inch, it is nothing but dirty syrup!
Mark220maple

[Mean_Oscar]

Black birch makes a flaky precipitate. Thursday (4-25-2024), I let some simmered 4% settle at room temp in a half gallon jar tilted 45 degrees. Next morning, the junk was stuck to the side walls. Most of my 12 V vacuum pumps vibrate a lot. That is something to try next.

25 years sorghum
20 years maple and other tree syrups
RO, freezer, electric skillet and vacuum pumps