Mold!

[scw]

All right boys. I need your help. There has been a push for syrup the past couple weeks and I have lots of mold. I was packing in plastic and glass this year. Most of the plastic is molded over and some of the glass. What gives? I drew off, filtered, reheated to 200, and packed them all. The glass I did not heat up beforehand, but I am getting mold in both glass and plastic. What is going on? I was running both the glass and plastic through the dishwasher before packing along with the caps. Any suggestions?

Just poured out about 4 gallons to heat repack now, in mid-July.

I am going all glass next year so I can at least see the mold.

SCW

[andyp]

SCW
Are you sure your containers are dry? I was told that one drop of water in a bottle can cause mold.

Andyp,

[maplekid]

are you filling them till they almost fill or are you leaving a inch or so between the lid and the syrup. if your filling them to an inch or so from the cap that gives more room for bacteria to grow. you can reuse the syrup just scopp off the mold and rebottle it. my thoughts

[Breezy Lane Sugarworks]

Because you're getting it in both I'm wondering if the dishwasher has something to do with it? was it a soap/water wash or just a water wash? Also what andyp said about them being dry could be something.

[Pete33Vt]

Also check what you have for seals. If you washed you caps in the dishwasher also it could have messed up the seals. I washed all my jugs in the dishwasher but not the caps and I have had no trouble. Also like Ryan and Andy said they could have been a little wet. Reheat and repack with dry clean jugs and new caps. You should have it.

[chipa]

Are you sure the density is OK?

[Parker]

Are you packing the strup at the right temp? Make sure it is over 180 deg when it goes into the container,,make sure you have a good seal on your cap,,lay the freshly packed (hot) container on its side (this assures you have a good seal and the hot syrup kills anything living in the top-cap area of container) My 2 cents

[thenewguy]

Does anyone reuse syrup containers?? I always have people calling me if I want there bottles back....?? I always say no don't bother because I couldn't be bothered cleaning them... Should I and just buying new caps??:

[maplekid]

if i buy syrup from a store i reuse the bottles and just rinse the in hot water i dont know if it breaks the seal and it wont seal or not. just pull the tag off were it says the sugarhouse it came from.

[GregMVT]

We reuse some jugs, quarts or bigger but mark them so that I know not to sell them. We go through a lot of syrup, family will get some of them too. Also we use new caps on these.

Greg

[TapME]

Parker, how long are you going to cut your wood for the evaporator? lou

[brookledge]

As others have said the two things that cause syrup to mold are
1 Not the correct density
2 Not hot packed at the right temp

Syrup will cool fast so you need to make sure that it is over 180-185 as it enters the container. Believe me it will cool quicker than you think especially when you don't get it hotter than 190.
As I can syrup it is very easy to maintain the temp when there is alot in the pan but when I'm down to the last gallon or so I have to pay close attention to the thermometer.
The density is another issue if your hydrometer is off and you are a little low it will ferment even if hot packed poperly. I have seen barrels that have pushed out and won't even stand up from fermented syrup.
Keith

[danno]

I re-use bottles, but always use new caps.

[scw]

Welp, Could be a combination of the two. I tend to draw off a little thin on purpose, but tried not to this year. The thermometer reads 219, and she is up to the hot temp line, but my hydrometer could be a little off too. Then I pull off, filter, and then bring 'er back up to 200 before she goes back into the filter tank for bottling. Then I bottle off that. Usually only a gallon or two at a time.

I have been packing glass becasue of the mold problems, but they are usually quite dry.

I have some glass from Bascoms sitting on my porch now and will rebottle 4 gallons tonight. At least ambient air temps are warmer in July than in Feb. I will let you know the outcome in a few months.

Thanks for the help.

SCW

[802maple]

Syrup is actually 7 degrees above the boiling point of water for that day so it could be light or heavy in density if you just assume that is at 219. As the barometric pressure changes so does your thermometer, also elevation effects a thermometer. If you have your hydrometer occassionally tested it will be the most accurate instrument to use

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I always bottle my syrup at 1 degrees brix thicker than syrup so I don't have to worry about the syrup being too thin. Also, customers like it a little thicker too!

[scw]

It was a little thin. 1 degree brix off. Hydrometer is right on as I tested it against a buddy's.

Thanks for the help. Will see what happens.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

It might have been mentioned prior, but with that small amount of syrup, the bottle will cool the syrup extremely fast below the 180 degrees, so it would be a good idea to have the bottles very hot also as the glass will stand up to the heat.