Whos using a gas finisher/bottler?

[dannyac500]

So we have been tossing the idea around about going to a gas finisher/bottler. How are you guys filtering when using one? I have heard several people say to draw off the evaporator into the finisher (flat filter installed in rack) and then use the gas to finish and then you can bottle. What about nitre thats released during the finishing? The way i see it, im basically negating any of the filtering i had just done. Thoughts?

[maple flats]

In general terms a finisher is simply a single pan much like a flat evaporator pan (mine has 1 divider) with a heat source under it (most if not all use propane) and it is a separate unit from the bottler. In my case I have a draw off tank at the evaporator that is plumbed up to my filter press. I then use the air diaphragm filter pump to move that syrup (or super syrup or almost syrup) to my finisher. My draw off tank holds about 22 gal but since I only draw about 6-7 gph if I wait for the draw tank to get full the temp. has cooled to about 100-125 or so. I do not pack 22 gal, unless it is just going into retail containers. Then when I have 30-60 gal in my finisher I light the burner and density check it to see if it is below, at or above density, most often it is very slightly above density. I heat it to 205-21F, adjust the density, typically by drawing some almost syrup and adding it to my finisher, stir well and retest. Once it is at both proper density (I go to 66.9%) and at 205-210, I then draw about 3 gal into my mixing tank, add Filter Aid, mix well and then filter it. The initial filtered flow is sent back to the mixing tank until it sparkles. I then either send it to a SS barrel or the bottler or first one then the other. Sometimes I send it to a barrel and put the overflow hose into the bottler.
Now, some producers might actually finish in a bottler, but if they do two things would then need to be done. First, drain the bottler and clean the bottler. They will have sugar sand in the bottler tank. Then they would need to filter the hot syrup back into the bottler. Then if the bottler is either a water jacketed or steam bottler they would just heat it to temperature and then bottle it. If the bottler is propane (or maybe even oil fired) they would need to heat it slower or they will again form more sugar sand. This latter method might be calling it a finisher and it could certainly function as one but it is not truly a finisher.
The second method may require filtering 2 or even 3 times before it gets properly heated, density and filtered but it can be done. For those who don't pack into glass might be skipping a second or third filtering but in reality their syrup is likely not real clear.

[sugarstone]

We have been drawing-off unfiltered syrup into a 40gal propane finisher since we bought the property and equipment 9yrs ago.
For last few years we've pumped through a 7" press, 20ft to the water jacketed bottler. We typically make 15gal of syrup/boil with a busy night being 30+gal and two hungry young kids... Gravity filtering pre-bottling was not working for us with the volume of syrup per session (360 USgal/year). Needed to be more efficient. We typically boil in evenings. Here's a step-by-step of what we've been doing last few years with room for improvement (similar to maple flats):

-manually draw-off slightly above density directly into pan (pan is perpendicular to 5x14 oil fired evap). Propane line is under cement pad floor with tank outside). Don't have auto-draw.
-after 1st or 2nd draw (or about 6gal) mix in 3 good scoops of filter aid (there's a rule of thumb with that..can't remember)
-using filter press pump, charge the filter press papers with 190F'ish syrup (may have to reheat with propane if a cold night in shack). We usually prop up the finisher pan to drain/pump completely into press. Outflow from press goes back into finisher.
-check this first bit of syrup for clarity. If not clear, not enough DE, ripped filter, or not hot enough...from experience. Density later...
-relax and watch your levels...and/or your kids...eat rest of your supper, etc
-continue the session drawing-off into finisher. Once we got hang of it, valve open at point where evap dribbles syrup steady slightly at or over density.
-once done for whatever reason (tired, out of sap, pan full of syrup, etc) we reheat to 190F'ish, filter, and check density. If fresh press papers, usually don't need to add anymore DE. If over density we add water off steam hood. Used to use unfinished syrup off evaporator but was suggested not to do this as it usually messes up flow (ex. your next 1st draw-off is abnormally large and depending on your evaporator the levels can get uncomfortably low)
-take the outlet hose of press and attach to a 20ft 3/4" SS pipe that runs to bottler located in heated room. Turn press pump on and pump syrup over to bottler. Usually pre-heated to speed things up.
-alternately we hot filter/pump into SS barrel
-density is adjusted right before we hot pack at 190F

We clean the sugar buildup inside the finisher pan with hot water and put this back into the evaporator (sugar water). Had an SS lid made for pan which is nice to have.
When we expand we'll finish off evaporator. Currently this works for us so far.