Avoiding Ropey Syrup

[Urban Sugarmaker]

As I am new to flue pan operation this year and we had a high of 66 today and continuing to be warm until midday tomorrow, do I need to do anything to avoid ropey syrup caused by bacteria that love this weather?

I boiled today and probably will boil tomorrow too. The feed float box is what has me concerned.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I had a friend that I RO ed some sap for and he let iut sit a few days before cooking and then let it sit in his pan in warm weather and it was like STP. it was beautiful stuff but was like crude oil coming out the draw off valve.

[DrTimPerkins]

Before you shut down pull some boiling sweet off your backpan and pour it in the float box to kill anything. Boil a bit longer, then shut down.

[esetter]

Does ropey mean exceptionally thick? Amateur just trying to learn the lingo , thx!!

[SeanD]

Before you shut down pull some boiling sweet off your backpan and pour it in the float box to kill anything. Boil a bit longer, then shut down.

Ropey sweet in the pans is about the worst thing that can happen. All of your hard work in the woods, collecting, and boiling is wasted. You are right to be on top of this early. This is way too warm for February. In the past, I've done maintenance boils on off days and still had ropey sweet develop.

I've now turned my attention to the float box as well. Today, near the end of the boil, I poured multiple scoops (of a sauce pot) into the float box. The box was still cool to the touch because the incoming sap - even at 50+ degrees - was keeping it cool. So, I flooded a little earlier and brought it all to a hard boil again. Then I scooped boiling sweet into the float box again and this time it was piping hot to the touch. That's the way I'm going to shut down from now on.

I'm going to boil again tomorrow, but after that, it looks like a multi-day layoff, here. I'm going to plug the inlet from the inside of the pan, drain the float box (and pour it into the back pan), wash it, and keep it disconnected until the next boil. I'll still bring the pans to a boil to kill anything that might try grow in the bottom of the flues.

[Haynes Forest Products]

There are times when I believe you need to just treat the up coming weather like the end of the year and finish everything up clean the pans and start over.

[wnybassman]

I get down to about 3 gallons in feed tank, manually work the valve to empty it all into the flue pan. Shut the valve between float box and flue pan. Drain the float box (previous owner had a valve welded the the bottom of float box) and put that into flue pan. Throw a bunch of finely split pine in the firebox and bring everything to a good boil. Shut down.

[SeanD]

I've been extra diligent about keeping rope out of my pan this season. I've been bringing the boil back after flooding and scooping the boiling sweet into the float box. The next day, when not boiling new sap, I've been draining the float box and doing a quick boil to kill any unfriendlies.

I was curious how effective the little boil was so, I used my long thermometer probe in different parts of the pan. Just as the front of the pan was starting to percolate, the other parts of the pan that were just steaming were already over 200 deg., but...

I took the temperature of the draw off box which is really just a matter of inches away from the boil at the front of the pan and it only read 65 deg.! Once the boil really got going, it only climbed to 95 deg. I used a spatula to splash some of the boiling sweet into the draw off box and I was able to get it to 210 deg. However the lesson is learned. The boxes and plumbing that hang off the sides of the pans are the danger zones!

[Sly41985]

So what does "ropey" syrup look like? Ive got a few bottles that look like there are clear thing swirling around in them, is this it? Seems like i didnt effect taste or consistencey. Is this ok to sell? Unfortunately this is the first year for me with a 2x6 flue pan. Last year had a flat pan and never had a problem. Basically to get rid of ropey syrup is to wash entire rig. Then in order to keep it from forming in the future make sure all the sap you have in pans has boiled for 10-20 min so it is sterile. Even pouring boiling sap into float box. Just trying to figure this whole thing out lol. Trying to read as much to learn how to shut this thing down properly. Thanks!

[Sugarmaker]

It generally starts life in sap that has spoiled. Too warm of conditions, bacteria growth in any part of the system. It can have a sour taste to the syrup in its mildest form. When pouring ropey or stringy syrup and you stop it tries to go back up. In midrange form it has a congealed mass thickness forming inside the finished cooled syrup. In its worst, the boiling sap can foam up and have the consistency and color of melted marshmallows. Totally uncontrollable foam with a fire under it. No, defoamer wont stop it. Need to shut down and get it out of the pans at this point! (Dont ask me how I know:))
Regards,
Chris

[WVKeith]

I have a question. I am fairly new to syrup making and I experienced my first ropey sap in the evaporator. I quess that I did not get the sap boiled in pan or float box enough. I will definitely work harder to avoid that in the future. My newer sap was going buddy, so I just shutting down and cleaning the evaporator for the season. My previous batch of syrup appeared fine in all respects. I heated to 185-190, ran through filter press, into water jacketed canner held at 185-190 and bottled. As I typically do, I chased the syrup through the filter press with 3 gallons of boiling permeate. I typically pour this diluted syrup into the next boil. A few days later, this diluted syrup was ropey. I am really concerned that the syrup from this batch will go ropey in the bottles. I does not seem like heating to 185-190 killed the “ropey” Bacteria. Any thoughts or experience with this? How long do you think that I should wait to open a bottle and check?

Keith

[Sugarmaker]

I would check a couple of those bottles now. It doesnt go away. You dont want folks pouring out a blob of not tasty syrup on their waffles.
Hopefully you have them contained in the sugarhouse and coded on the bottom?
How many boils did you do this season? Did you make some good syrup earlier?
Regards,
Chris

[WVKeith]

Yes, I have all of my batches coded. This was the last 10 gallon batch of 130 gallons. So you are saying that boiling, or near boiling does not kill the ropey bacteria? I will be checking soon. Some is in glass and that looks fine. Most is in plastic that I cannot see.