for the folks who do not use a hydrometer

[michael marrs]

I have used a hydrometer, and find it very useful and easy to use. but, as of tonight, I have broke my 3rd one. It is not so much the $ to replace them, as much as the inconvenience. Tonight, when I realized my Hyd. had water in it, I called a place, they said they had a bunch, and when i got there, she handed me a thermometer , and said she remembered me calling. I told her what I wanted, and she said , " oh yeah, we are out of them". So, I guess you can finish with a thermometer 219 -220. IS IT AS EASY AS USING A CANDY THERMOMETER, AND WATCHING THE TEMPS? MY PROBLEM IS, WE HAVE 2 DIFFERENT THERMOMETERS HERE, AND THEY ARE WAY OFF FROM EACH OTHER.(****ED CAPS). I do have a digital temp gauge that seems accurate. Incidently, none of these Hyd. were broke other then them sinking in the tube too fast

[Hunt4sap]

Saptap app

Location specific and it updates every few minutes as to the temp syrup needs to be with elevation and barometric pressure
I've used it 2 years now and it's always been accurate and coincided with my hydrometer

[Scm]

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[Cedar Eater]

I would not use just a thermometer. I would also perform the sheeting test. The risks of overdense syrup are lower than the risks of underdense syrup.

[prairietapper]

I have used a hydrometer, and find it very useful and easy to use. but, as of tonight, I have broke my 3rd one. It is not so much the $ to replace them, as much as the inconvenience. Tonight, when I realized my Hyd. had water in it, I called a place, they said they had a bunch, and when i got there, she handed me a thermometer , and said she remembered me calling. I told her what I wanted, and she said , " oh yeah, we are out of them". So, I guess you can finish with a thermometer 219 -220. IS IT AS EASY AS USING A CANDY THERMOMETER, AND WATCHING THE TEMPS? MY PROBLEM IS, WE HAVE 2 DIFFERENT THERMOMETERS HERE, AND THEY ARE WAY OFF FROM EACH OTHER.(****ED CAPS). I do have a digital temp gauge that seems accurate. Incidently, none of these Hyd. were broke other then them sinking in the tube too fast
As dad used to say ( R.I.P RAY) "DO not drop the hydrometer in the cup! you will break it eventually"

[ROCKRIVERMAPLES]

Boil water when finishing,put your thermometer in and check your reading.Add 7 deg. to that.It will be close.

[Fort Wisers]

https://www.saptapapps.com/boiltemp/

Wow, this is a handy little website!

[Scm]

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[HannahL]

I've used a digital thermometer for years without any sugar ending up on the bottom of the jars and no spoiling. I would do the water boil test and then add 7.5 degrees, an extra 1/2 just for good measure! HOWEVER, this year I decided to go out and purchase a syrup hydrometer and on my first batch used the digital thermometer as I normally would and then tested with the hydrometer to see where I stood. To my surprise I was way too thin, by the time i got my first batch to the red line (hot test) on the hydrometer I was at 221.5 degrees on the thermometer, remember I boiled water at 212 the same afternoon. I am watching the bottom of the jars to see if sugar precipitates out out of the syrup.

I don't think i was doing anything wrong with either method as I quickly googled how to use the hydrometer, but I must confess, it is a bit frustrating when things don't work the way they are supposed to.

[Mitchhorne8]

I'm happy to see this thread. I used saptapapps all year last year cause the Hydrometer test was taking too long and getting real close to burning, I was around 221 and was getting too nervous. I found out about saptapapps and used that all year without a problem. This year, my 2nd with my 1st real evaporator I'm more daring and went with a Hydrometer and draw WAY hotter than saptapapps suggests, Every day! So? Is this website B. S? example yesterday saptapapps had 219.78. Hydrometer ended up at 221.3

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[DrTimPerkins]

I don't think i was doing anything wrong with either method as I quickly googled how to use the hydrometer, but I must confess, it is a bit frustrating when things don't work the way they are supposed to.

You could very well have not been doing anything wrong, however using temperature elevation as an indicator of syrup density is prone to some error. First there is the issue of getting a good temperature reading (good, properly working and accurate thermometer, stable syrup temperature, and thermometer and syrup coming to equilibrium). Secondly, the boiling point of a sugar solution changes very fast at the near syrup point (see figure below), which means that very small errors in temperature end up causing very large changes in density determination. Lastly, you were adding 1/2 deg F for good measure, which at that point could easily make your syrup 1-2 points heavy.

Bottom line is that temperature elevation alone will get you in the ballpark if your equipment and technique is good, but it isn't terribly precise.

18033

[wurmdert]

I'm happy to see this thread. I used saptapapps all year last year cause the Hydrometer test was taking too long and getting real close to burning, I was around 221 and was getting too nervous. I found out about saptapapps and used that all year without a problem. This year, my 2nd with my 1st real evaporator I'm more daring and went with a Hydrometer and draw WAY hotter than saptapapps suggests, Every day! So? Is this website B. S? example yesterday saptapapps had 219.78. Hydrometer ended up at 221.3

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

One disclaimer about the saptap app that I have discussed with the creator is that the weather uses your address of your internet server which for me is 200 miles away. He is going to remedy this after the season is over so that you can manually add your weather location.

[michael marrs]

Thanks to all who chimed in. I think I may have taken my batch just a little too far, as it seems a little thicker then normal. and hyper sweet., ( not a lot to complain about, I know), I have some sterile sap on hand, so I may do as one suggested, boil some water, take the temp., and add 7 deg. Then add some of the sap to the syrup, and start again. I will look into saptapapp, though

[Pibster]

I am usually around 9.5 degrees higher. I lost faith in the 7 degrees method many years ago.

[michael marrs]

I am usually around 9.5 degrees higher. I lost faith in the 7 degrees method many years ago.
This will work out pretty good for me then, My digital temp gauge, must be about 2 deg. off. I boiled water for about 10 minutes, and it never came off 210, so 219 should be almost perfect

[penfrydd]

What is your elevation above sea level? I'm at 1500 ft. Water boils here at right around 210, depending upon the atmospheric pressure that day. Add 7.1 degrees and I'm close enough. I'm not selling this stuff, so I'm just not that concerned. It's not like it's going to go bad. Just google what water boils at at your elevation. You may be surprised.