Pan cleaning sap

[sapman]

Boiled yesterday, and after finishing went to clean steamaway and front pan with condensate, as I do after every boil. Everything was clean, like an acid soak. I realize this is because of very low pH sap. But would it be a result of sap setting in 60 degree weather (bacteria, sour), or bud? Sap set maybe 28 hours, as I've collected every day. Syrup had very strong flavor, with molasses aftertaste.

Love to hear Dr Tim's thoughts as well.

[Ghs57]

interesting. I'm about to flood my pan with sour sap and let it sit for the next few months. I've had good luck with this process.

Do you mean that you use permeate to clean up?

[sapman]

I use condensate from steamaway after every boil.

[DRoseum]

I use permeate mixed with white vinegar. Bring it up to boil and let soak and then rinse it out well. Video below:
https://youtu.be/GrDxTZQcJok
And site that describes process:
https://www.sugartree.run/2019/03/end-of-season-equipment-cleaning.html

[DrTimPerkins]

But would it be a result of sap setting in 60 degree weather (bacteria, sour), or bud? Sap set maybe 28 hours, as I've collected every day. Syrup had very strong flavor, with molasses aftertaste.

Could be. May have been on the edge of going sour (producing a dark, strong taste) and then went sour in the pans afterward, hastened by the warm weather.

[30AcreWoods]

Wow, that is a really interesting result. I use the distilled white vinegar with permeate water method. Fill the pan to the top, bring to a rolling boil, let it sit overnight and all I have to do is rinse it the next day. I like not having to use nasty chemicals.

[Sugarmaker]

Tim W,
I think your just keeping your rig way too clean!:)
I just cleaned my rig at the end of the season. Using water and white vinegar, plus small fires for a couple days. Cleaned up good. I cant imagine doing the cleaning after each day of boiling. I could see the benefit. but that would be a lot of work too.
Regards,
Chris

[Ghs57]

I use condensate from steamaway after every boil.

I do collect the condensate from my preheater, but never thought of doing that with in. It's hot water where I generally have none, and I use it to rinse filters etc., and wash hands.

[sapman]

Tim W,
I think your just keeping your rig way too clean!:)
I just cleaned my rig at the end of the season. Using water and white vinegar, plus small fires for a couple days. Cleaned up good. I cant imagine doing the cleaning after each day of boiling. I could see the benefit. but that would be a lot of work too.
Regards,
Chris

Hi Chris,
I used to try to get away without cleaning every night, but it just builds up too fast. Think it was a bad year for it here, but mid teen concentrate leaves a lot of buildup. Seems to batch draw all the time with the niter, too. Oh, and it burns pretty easily if I leave it. I usually figure about two hours for cleanup after each boil.

[Sugarmaker]

Tim,
I am still boiling raw sap so I may not get the same build up!
Regards,
Chris

[motowbrowne]

Tim,
I am still boiling raw sap so I may not get the same build up!
Regards,
Chris

That's one thing about cooking raw sap and in my case having a much larger evaporator than needed. I've cooked 180 gallons so far, 140 from my 280 taps, so I'm basically at 100% of a crop. Looks like we have another week to go still. I thought about cleaning my syrup pan, but when I drained it yesterday I decided to skip it. Darned thing has almost no niter in the pan. I haven't even reversed the flow. :)

[Sugarmaker]

Motowbrowne,
That is a very good crop! My pans were very dark and glazed over with scale. The couple days of vinegar/ water soak allowed me to brush and rinse most of it down the drain.
Regards,
Chris