really dark syrup.....why?

[unclejohn]

our final batch of syrup this year (it made 6 gallons of syrup- for a total of 23 gallons this year over 4 weeks of collecting) is very dark and flavorful but had so much impurities or it was so thick that we had to change filter liner often when bottling. did we do something wrong? or is it just a change in sap chemistry? some sap may have sat in our jugs for a few days prior to boiling-one day was 65 degrees after a 45 degree night but all sap appeared clear when we put it in the pans. thanks in advance. john in missouri

[Haynes Forest Products]

Many things add to the darkness. lower sugar content= longer cook time longer cook time=darker syrup. End of season sap routinely makes darker darker syrup. Older sap =darker syrup. I bottle the dark flavorful syrup for my customer because they like it better so don't be dejected. You cant filter dark syrup to light syrup.

[to100]

A few years ago at leader open house they had a 5 gallon blue plastic container that had real dark syrup.
They heated it up and put it through a filter press/ bottler in to glass bottles and it was golden.
They where promoteing equipment for large producers.

[Haynes Forest Products]

So they had a jug of unfiltered syrup that cleared up after filtering. That doesn't prove much. My syrup is ugly muddy until its filtered. I have so much sand that its impossible to try and grade it until it's put thru the press.

[mellondome]

Any syrup in a non clear container will look dark... especially large containers. Then when you put it in a narrow glass container it will look amazingly lighter because you arent looking through as much. If they had taken that same unfiltered syrup and not put it through the press, but straight to the same bottle, it would have appeared almost just as light. ( slightly darker due to suspended solids).

Just a play on visual perception to sell an overpriced and proprietary sized filter.