Syrup Bottling Opinion

[Fireguy55]

Hello All,

I've lurked around this website and to my shame have yet to contribute, though I have learned quite a bit from all of you! I am looking to upgrade from stock pots, measuring cups and funnels for filtering and bottling my syrup. I started looking into the coffee urn option and am unsure due to a lot of people mentioning the risk of burning syrup with the heating coils. I stumbled on this unit and was wondering what the seasoned makers think of it:
https://www.morebeer.com/products/digiboil-electric-kettle-35l925g-110v.html
I like that the heaters are not directly contacting the syrup so burning is less of a concern, although it is not as good as a steam boiler - and cleanup will be easier as well! I know that there are better filtering/bottling options out there, but where I will probably only ever max out at around 125 taps or so, I see this as a good option.

What do you guys think?

[GramaCindy]

Hi Fireguy55, I use the coffee urn option for my operation. I found a stainless one that's 30 cups. When I start finishing my syrup, I start the pot with water. It takes 30 minutes to be done. 185*. When my syrup is done, I filter it through my press, (or whatever method you use for filtering) then I empty the hot water out of the pot and fill with syrup. I unplug the coffee urn at that time and bottle from there. That way, the maker can't burn the syrup.

[wmick]

I've used the coffee urn for a couple years now, and have no complaints at all... No sign of burning. Little bit of a trick to get it to flip from the brewing element to the warming element to get started.... (Bring water to boil and quickly dump it and replace with syrup when the light comes on).... Bottling works great... I set up a cloth filter in the top of the urn... Pre-heat my syrup on the electric stove in pots, and replenish the urn through the filter... Been working good for me.

This unit you are looking at is pretty much the same, fundamentally ... but having the thermostatic control is a huge plus.... bigger volume and same cost as a coffee urn... I think I will order one.

[georgelineman]

Well I am just a hobby guy 80 taps and I HATE I MEAN HATE to spend money. But after trying the coffee urn and what not, I broke down three seasons ago and bought a somky lake finisher/bottler . It may be the best single thing I have paid for in sugaring.

[berkshires]

Hello All,

I've lurked around this website and to my shame have yet to contribute, though I have learned quite a bit from all of you! I am looking to upgrade from stock pots, measuring cups and funnels for filtering and bottling my syrup. I started looking into the coffee urn option and am unsure due to a lot of people mentioning the risk of burning syrup with the heating coils. I stumbled on this unit and was wondering what the seasoned makers think of it:
https://www.morebeer.com/products/digiboil-electric-kettle-35l925g-110v.html
I like that the heaters are not directly contacting the syrup so burning is less of a concern, although it is not as good as a steam boiler - and cleanup will be easier as well! I know that there are better filtering/bottling options out there, but where I will probably only ever max out at around 125 taps or so, I see this as a good option.

What do you guys think?

I use the same method as wmick and others here, where I dump the hot water out of the urn just before starting to filter syrup directly into the urn.

If I've got a big batch, I might turn off the coffee urn at some point to keep it from starting to make niter.

The big difference between what you're suggesting and what I do is I bought my urn for $10 at a Goodwill. LOL I can't imagine spending hundreds of dollars for something that's basically a pot with a spigot at the bottom.

Gabe

[georgelineman]

Yup, I know Gabe you are right. I felt the same way. But its nice to filter with it and when bottling this keeps the temp right at 190 with no guess work. It was a lot to spend but for me it was well worth it. Believe me at my age I have spent money on a lot worse! :)
George

[Fireguy55]

Thanks all for the replies! And Berkshires I get that it's essentially a glorified coffee urn lol, and that's what I've been fighting with. I want to upgrade from cups and funnels but don't know if it's worth going all the way to a bonafide finished/bottler.

I was looking at the urn route but the risk of burning is scaring me. I thought this may be a good middle route, since I finish on a turkey fryer anyway, I'm looking for something to filter into and maintain the temperature, I just need to hash out if it's worth the investment over the urn.

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[ecolbeck]

I use a coffee urn for bottling. I took it apart and disabled the main element so only the keep warm element operates. I hot filter straight into it and then bottle immediately.

[berkshires]

Yup, I know Gabe you are right. I felt the same way. But its nice to filter with it and when bottling this keeps the temp right at 190 with no guess work. It was a lot to spend but for me it was well worth it. Believe me at my age I have spent money on a lot worse! :)
George

Hey George, actually I think you're on the right track. I was talking about the OP - I feel like if you're going to spend big $$, why not go ahead and do it right and buy a water jacket like you did, rather than a $200 version of the same thing I and others are doing for cheap. Just not understanding what he's getting for all that extra $$.

GO

[Fireguy55]

Not having done either the coffee urn method or the true water jacket unit I wasn't sure how much of a problem scorching really was or if the unit i linked was worth the extra money over a $10 urn. I think I will go with the coffee urn for this year and see what coming years will bring (but will probably get a true bottler next year, lol). Thanks all for the help!

[highlandcattle]

Even when we had 500 taps we used a coffee urn to bottle. Never any problems. Now 3 taps and still using an urn.

[berkshires]

Not having done either the coffee urn method or the true water jacket unit I wasn't sure how much of a problem scorching really was or if the unit i linked was worth the extra money over a $10 urn. I think I will go with the coffee urn for this year and see what coming years will bring (but will probably get a true bottler next year, lol). Thanks all for the help!

Yeah it works well. I'd suggest filtering right into it. You can use the optimizer filter rack. Here's a link if you haven't heard of it: http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?29404-How-to-use-ALL-of-a-cone-filter

By the way, I've never heard of syrup scorching in an urn if you let it come up to heat with water first (and then dump the water). I have had batches, though, where I think a little tiny bit of new niter formed. That's why I sometimes turn off the urn.

Cheers,

GO

[GramaCindy]

Perfectly put Berkshires

[wobbletop]

Switching from funnels/etc to a coffee urn turned bottling from an exercise in frustration to an easy one man operation. I wouldn't go back.

I warm up the urn with hot water then pour in the syrup to hopefully keep the urn in warm mode. I make take it apart this year to remove the heating element.

[DRoseum]

You could also use a double boiler set of pots to steam heat the syrup which will keep it at a constant temp around 180 F - 190 F. Just add a weldless bulkhead and valve/spout.

I just built one of these and it was super easy and works great. Also added a vacuum filter capability to the top to make filtering faster.

Post is here
http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?35087-Vacuum-Filter-and-Steam-Heat-Bottler

[Trapper2]

207462074720748

I also bottle out of coffee maker. Start with filling pot with water, get it to temperature, by now the filter bag will be moist, drain pot of water, add syrup to filter, I start with 5 prefilters and I remove 1 every 6 quarts or so. Unplug coffee maker when you add the last of your sap to prevent scorching. Has worked well for me. 2074920750

[Jtheisen]

Has anyone used the digiboil? Looking at that and the Lapierre 16x16 bottler with steam tray. If the digiboil don’t work good, I would rather spend the money once.
I have 350 taps on small vacuum pumps. Home built ro 4040. 2x5 laperrie jr

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[Jtheisen]

Has anyone used the digiboil yet. I would like to keep syrup hot in it till I get enough to run through filter press. Then put back in, and bottle. Looking at this or Lapierre steam bottler. This is my first year with evaporator and filter press.


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