Need Some Help Prefecting My Final Product

[HondoLane]

Ok. Since I started this adventure 2 years ago I am always trying to make a better and easier end product. I went with a 9” CDL vacuum filter press this year and I am finishing on the evaporator (2x4 continuous flow).

I set up to filter with the vacuum right off the evaporator using the orlon filter and 2 pre-filters. I filtered every so often as it came off evaporator.

I went inside to bring up the syrup to 185 on the gas range top and then bottled. Every bottle was filled with precipitate which I assume to be sugar sand. So I emptied my bottles and filtered again with the orlon and 2 pre-filters. This time I have 6 out of 10 clearer and the final 4 are full of floating precipitate.

How can I fix this next time? Is it something I’m missing or doing wrong? Can I achieve the ultra clear syrup with the CDL vacuum filter press?

20714

[Bruce L]

Is your syrup correct density? If it is below density it will allow more nitre to go through the filters. Also should only go to 180 to hot pack,or else you can create more nitre

[whity]

Are you reheating with direct heat? If so are you consistently stirring the syrup? Direct heat will cause hot spots and create niter. Even at 180 degrees

[buckeye gold]

I agree you may be creating nitre during bottling. If your bottling off a range you need to pull the pot off the heat at 185, but it will still gain heat. I keep a thermometer in my syrup all the time while bottling. As you remove syrup it will heat up if you have it on heat. I have a smooth top and i can easily pull my pot on and off heat. I never let it go over 190. I do let it get as low as 180.

The other thing is your filtering. I don't have any experience with the vacuum so can't address that. I have seen others comment that producers need to use more filter aid. I do not like finishing on my small evaporator, the draws are just too small and hard to keep thin syrup out of the draw. I let my syrup build up and draw off at least 1/2 gallon at a time and when I get a couple gallons of near syrup I finish on propane. That gives me more control. I used to have the same problem as you and it drove me nuts. I started filtering once at 218 through two prefilters and one orlon final. Then I put it back on heat and finish to correct density by the hydrometer and filter it at density through a new set of filters, two pre-filters and one orlon final. You can see a stark different in how the finished syrup goes through and the near syrup. This has solved my suspended nitre problem. I also draw off through a cone prefilter. I used to fret about loosing syrup in the extra filtering, but I grew out of that and accepted it's a necessary part of having clear syrup. My guess is your passing nitre at the filtering. You could add one more step and hold your filtered syrup untill you have 2-3 gallons and then reheat and run it one more pass through. Quality comes at a price, it's up to you if you want to pay it. I knew a guy who would never bottle in glass because he couldn't get his syrup clear and he refused to double filter or buy a press. His philosophy was what they can't see they won'y know to complain about. That bothered me, I want to make the best possible product.

Yes Whity is right, this one time to stir the pot. My wife and I bottle together and she manages the pot and fills and I feed bottles and cap. That way we keep control.

[HondoLane]

Now that you guys mentioned some of things you did I see where I need to go. I know there was a point at which I was dropping the level in pan from 2” to 1” the temp shot up to like 225 for a brief minute, then porpoised as a I drew off. I know I was inconsistent with my draw off as it was the first time going that close to syrup.

I didn’t stir either while I heated up to bottling temp. The syrup really cleared up over night but did have settlement on bottom. It did taste delicious this morning though!!

[maple flats]

Most likely your bottling, as others have suggested have caused more niter formation. I suggest you filter just before bottling, heat it to slightly over 190 and filter, then keep it at 180-185 to bottle. I find that filtering at slightly higher temps helps by giving you some wiggle room when bottling.