Ice in sap buckets

[BCPP]

Just wondering if I should pull the ice in sap buckets out on the theory that it is pure water and has, in effect, concentrated the sugar in the remaining water or wait until it mostly thaws before collecting so I don't throw out any sugar entrapped in the Ice? Has anyone studied this?

[bigschuss]

Just wondering if I should pull the ice in sap buckets out on the theory that it is pure water and has, in effect, concentrated the sugar in the remaining water or wait until it mostly thaws before collecting so I don't throw out any sugar entrapped in the Ice? Has anyone studied this?

Not sure if anybody has ever studied this. But you'll find probably 200 similar threads asking this very question on the forum and the general consensus is to pitch the ice.

[carter]

Find out for yourself... Save the ice separately, let it melt and test it. I believe I read where someone had done this and concluded that it was best to pitch the ice. So it's what I've done ever since.

[Run Forest Run!]

My experience in measuring the sugar content in ice (with a refractometer) is this. . .

The slushier the ice, the least amount of sugar is trapped in it. Remove the slush from your bulk storage pail with a colander and pitch it (the slush, not the colander or the pail ;) ). The harder the ice, the more sugar is trapped in it. Keep that and let it melt down until it gets slushy, then drain off the liquid and pitch the slush.