Boiled to 219 but this maple syrup is thin!

[Texas t.]

I finished some maple syrup the other day and boiled to 219 degrees. Looks good. Tastes good. But it has something like the consistency of water. If anybody could offer some insight on this that would be appreciated. Just making about a gallon at a time here. Thanks in advance!

[Sugarmaker]

Recommend getting a hydrometer and cup, and then a thermometer in tenths of a degree. My guess is that your thermometer may be off a few degrees low. Test it in boiling water.
Regards,
Chris

[Ghs57]

You could also try SapTapApps.com for the corrected syrup boiling temperature for your location/current barometric pressure. I go to the web site to check my target temp every time I boil. I also have two thermometers, one dial through the wall of the evaporator, and the other a digital clamped to the evaporator wall. They almost always agree, but the digital responds much faster to temperature changes. I use a syrup hydrometer and digital thermometer for finishing, although I now have a brand new steam bottler with a built in thermometer.

I had a customer return syrup last year because he said it was too thin. It met all the criteria when bottled, and I don't know what he was comparing it to, but I took it back and used it myself. Seemed fine to me.

[Sugarmaker]

Ghs57 has a point. I assume you have made syrup before and you have a good idea of the consistency of correct syrup as you taste it?
Regards,
Chris

[Haynes Forest Products]

Only compare it to real pure maple syrup. Only using a thermometer is like using your Tachometer to judge speed without knowing what gear your in.

[Cedar Eater]

Whenever you don't use a hydrometer, you should use the sheeting method to make sure you've reached syrup density. Dip a flat spatula or scoop in the syrup and hold it level 10" above the syrup for 10 seconds. Then tip it vertical and let the syrup drain off. If it will cool to a nice thickness, within a few seconds the drips will turn into wide sheets. That will look like this.

[Texas t.]

Yes, Chris I have made maple syrup before. This is only my third year. But after having other bought syrup before and when I made my own I can tell that this is quite runny. It is pretty much the consistency of water, but slightly thicker. I know maple syrup is kinda runny when it’s properly made, but this stuff seems overly runny.

[Texas t.]

Thankyou cedar eater. This is extremely good information to me. I’ve heard of “sheeting” before but I was never really informed of how to do it. Thanks!

[Cedar Eater]

Thankyou cedar eater. This is extremely good information to me. I’ve heard of “sheeting” before but I was never really informed of how to do it. Thanks!

You're welcome. With that method you don't even need a thermometer, but it's easy to go past the syrup density and get some crystal formation. Still, it sure makes nice syrup.

[Page Meadow Maple]

You could also try SapTapApps.com for the corrected syrup boiling temperature for your location/current barometric pressure. I go to the web site to check my target temp every time I boil.

I love the SapTapApp for logging my sap collection and seeing what is happening with other sugar makers in the area. I don’t find it helpful for boiling temperature. The app seems to be taking data from Bangor, Maine—an hour south and well below my altitude. It says I should have syrup at 119.34. According to my hydrometer, the temp required here to reach the hot syrup line is 121.

[Fort Wisers]

Hey Texas t, any chance you're boiling this inside on a glass top induction stove?

[Sugarmaker]

Yes, Chris I have made maple syrup before. This is only my third year. But after having other bought syrup before and when I made my own I can tell that this is quite runny. It is pretty much the consistency of water, but slightly thicker. I know maple syrup is kinda runny when it’s properly made, but this stuff seems overly runny.

When you say bought syrup I assume you mean someone elses real maple syrup?
Your syrup should not be like water unless its hot.
If your cold syrup seems to watery on your pancakes then it probably is. I would recommend you double check your syrup with a cold test (60F) on a hydrometer. Or at any temp with a Murphy cup and hydrometer. And then check your thermometers in boiling water for accuracy. Sounds like your almost there!
Keep boiling and having fun.
Regards,
Chris

[Buddy 58]

It all has to do with altitude . 99 % of the time my syrup always comes off at 221* , 2 miles away from me a larger producer who is roughly 200 feet higher , his comes off at 218* . Depending on barometer reading almost always with in a degree .

[maple flats]

That's an issue at my sugarhouse too, In saptapapps.com the weather only comes from 15 miles away for me, but we are often 2-8 degrees different in temp. It would be better if we could enter the current tamp in manually for our location. Aside from that I like the simplicity of the app. I may refer to that but I'll stick with my Murphy Cup and my hydrometer, or my refractometer.

[Texas t.]

Fort wisers, no this is being boiled outside on an oil tank evaporator with a flat pan, and then finished on a turkey boiler.

[RileySugarbush]

We ae always drawing off at an indicated temperature of between 221 and 224, using a digital kitchen thermometer. We only use the thermometer as an alarm, and it is repeatable but not accurate for hitting the right density. Once we determine the correct temp using a hydrometer, the simple alarm front the cheap device keeps us aware of when to draw, which we do at slightly above syrup.

We thin down to correct density when we bottle using a Murphy Cup and hydrometer

[woodsplumber]

I use a smoky lake hydrometer cup. Best money I ever invested. I boil to 7 over, then check with the hydrometer to verify. For some reason, I always need to boil to 9-11 degrees over to get the correct density. I guess we can't assume thermometers are accurate enough.

[adk1]

It will change daily or even multiple times during the day depending on barometric pressure

[Mark B]

I love the SapTapApp for logging my sap collection and seeing what is happening with other sugar makers in the area. I don’t find it helpful for boiling temperature. The app seems to be taking data from Bangor, Maine—an hour south and well below my altitude. It says I should have syrup at 119.34. According to my hydrometer, the temp required here to reach the hot syrup line is 121.

I think you meant 221f. A little ways from you, in Clinton, Maine, and I also have to go to 221f, before both my hydrometer and refractometer agree on density.

[West Sumner Sugar]

I love the SapTapApp for logging my sap collection and seeing what is happening with other sugar makers in the area. I don’t find it helpful for boiling temperature. The app seems to be taking data from Bangor, Maine—an hour south and well below my altitude. It says I should have syrup at 119.34. According to my hydrometer, the temp required here to reach the hot syrup line is 121.

We adjust out auto draw temp each time judging by what the hydrometer says. Some days are 219, some are almost 220 or more. Bottom line is the hydrometer doesn't lie. We always use it to set our base line. Even when we press the finished syrup, we heat the pot to 211, verify the hydrometer floats perfectly to the hot test line, then press. If its high or low, we adjust before sending it to the bottler. We seem to have a very consistent product using this method.

[Page Meadow Maple]

I think you meant 221f. A little ways from you, in Clinton, Maine, and I also have to go to 221f, before both my hydrometer and refractometer agree on density.

Yes, big typo there—221 is correct. Yesterday, it was 220.5. I will stick with my hydrometer! Should it be exactly at the red hot test line? I’m new at this. Last year I let it go a little over, but occassionally found sugar crystals in the bottom of a few jars after syrup sat in the bottle for a couple of weeks.

Yesterday’s syrup—just into the amber rich color range.


18316

[RileySugarbush]

The hot test line is usually marked for 211 degrees, which allows for the temp to drop a few from the 219 for so, as you measure. You can use a chart that lists the correct density for any temperature to compensate.

The best bet to get it really right is the Murphy Cup. It has a dial thermometer that is calibrated for the correct reading on the hydrometer. So if you are slow and the syrup cools off a bit, the dial reading changes to tell you what you are looking for on the hydrometer.

We use one from Smokey Lake and it is great.

[Daveg]

When you get close to the proper density, just a small amount of continued boiling can quickly make a BIG difference. Syrup at 219.0°F can be a lot less dense than syrup at 219.9°F. For comparison's sake, sap at 212°F is hardly distinguishable, density-wise, from sap at 216°F.

[Mark79]

Whenever you don't use a hydrometer, you should use the sheeting method to make sure you've reached syrup density. Dip a flat spatula or scoop in the syrup and hold it level 10" above the syrup for 10 seconds. Then tip it vertical and let the syrup drain off. If it will cool to a nice thickness, within a few seconds the drips will turn into wide sheets. That will look like this.

After reading all your post I think I may have a few gallons syrup in jars that were a little this or watery. Would it be worth pouring them out into a large pan and re-boiling to thicken it up a bit? I personally think it taste great but know many people I gift it to like thick syrup. A little worried reboiling might make it to sweet?

[Daveg]

Yeah, it's worth it. Thick Liquid Gold. It won't take much boiling to bring 2-3 gallons up to 66% (66.9% Vermont).

[berkshires]

After reading all your post I think I may have a few gallons syrup in jars that were a little this or watery. Would it be worth pouring them out into a large pan and re-boiling to thicken it up a bit? I personally think it taste great but know many people I gift it to like thick syrup. A little worried reboiling might make it to sweet?

In my opinion, if it's not at least 66%, it's not maple syrup. You or I can make anything we want for our own consumption, but I know if I make something for other people, I want it to be what I say it is. And if it's nearup in a bottle, that wouldn't make me feel good.