Odd White stuff in syrup

[Neighborhood Tapper]

I had some kind of issue in the last couple batches of the season. This stuff doesn't seem to be crystallized and is much denser than the remainder of the syrup. Can anyone tell me what it is?

[MapleMark753]

What are you using to filter your syrup? Looks like quite a bit of niter/sugar sand that may not have been filtered out. Also, what is the density of the syrup? Hot packed at sterile temp, and at proper density, no mold should form. Not saying it IS mold just that its a possibility. More likely niter/maple schmutz/sugar sand or filter aid that made it into your final syrup.

[Neighborhood Tapper]

cheese cloth in on stage, coffee filter in another. I bravely tasted it in another batch and it tasted like syrup, isn't gritty or crystallized. Just odd.

[RileySugarbush]

Almost certainly niter.

[MapleMark753]

I'd get a felt filter and some prefilters and go that way.
Even if its for yourself and you're not selling it, its nice to have clear syrup. A lot of niter can change the flavor too.

[highlandcattle]

Pay for the prefilters and orlon. Cheesecloth does nothing and coffee filters fall apart.

[DrTimPerkins]

Cheesecloth does nothing and coffee filters fall apart.

Obviously the cheesecloth was successful in preventing any cheese from getting into the syrup. Probably kept any small children or goats out too. :lol:

[Trapper2]

N Tapper,
Yes most certainly Niter/ sugarsand. But before I recommend you going out and buying Orlon filter and prefilters I would like to know how much you make at a time. If its only a quart or 2 a lot of it will be soaked up in the filter and drastically reduce your yield.
When I was beginning and only did a couple of quarts at a time I filtered through a doubled up, new wet floursack dishcloth. By no means did it trap all the sand but it did a better job than using cheese cloth.

[DrTimPerkins]

Sedimentation (allowing the niter to settle out) works well for small amounts of syrup.

[gmcooper]

Obviously the cheesecloth was successful in preventing any cheese from getting into the syrup. Probably kept any small children or goats out too. :lol:
This has to be the best response to using Cheesecloth I have seen. Probably the most accurate!

[Neighborhood Tapper]

I didn't know cheesecloth was a frowned upon or useless filtering method. Works for everything else that needs filtering.

I just do a pint or two at time at the moment so I'll probably just let it settle out and transfer to a new jar.

[DrTimPerkins]

Sorry, didn't mean to offend in any way.

Cheesecloth will get out the big stuff. Niter can be very very fine material, so you're not likely to get terrific results filtering maple syrup. Even filters made for maple syrup can be difficult to use and will let some of the niter fines get through. For the amount of syrup you're working with, settling is probably the best option. Just be sure to store the syrup in the fridge or freezer afterward since it isn't hot-packed. If you do want to hot pack, heat it to 180-190 deg F (no higher than that) and pack in a clean container with a good lid.