New hydrometer owner

[dadtkm]

Bought my first hydrometer the other day and I have read many threads about hydrometers here. I still have a question. I finish on propane , bring the temp to 219*. Do I check it then or let it cool down to 211*? The "hot test" line says 211*. I finished a batch the other day and started checking at 219*. The temp was 221*-222* when the "hot test" line settled at the syrup level in the hydrometer cup. This syrup was super sweet and thick. Many you tubers did it this way. Which would be the correct way.

[Sugarmaker]

dadtkm,
Sounds like your doing it right! Sweet and thick. Are you checking the temp in the cup with the hydrometer in hot syrup? I was never good at that, or never even tried it. just used a hydrometer or thermometer for years. But with the Murphy cup it helps get the correct density at any syrup temp. Also good to calibrate your temp indicators in boiling water occasionally to see where they read too.
Keep boiling!
Regards,
Chris

[dadtkm]

Did not check temp in the cup.

[buckeye gold]

Best is to fill the cup once or twice dump it out and then check with the hydrometer. Do it right from the finisher at 219-220, the cup will rob some heat from the syrup and you'll be close to 211. I like to cold check some of my syrup at room temperature before I bottle. It's stable temp. then and you can be sure your right on. There are charts that show what the hydrometer should read at certain temps.

Here is a link that helps. https://www.leaderevaporator.com/pdf_files/syrup-hydrometer.pdf

[maple flats]

That's the beauty of the Murphy Cup. However, it certainly is not necessary to get an actual hydrometer reading. As said above, fill the test cup 2x, and dump it back into the hot syrup, on the 3rd time, lower the hydrometer into the hot syrup. By then what was at 219-220 will be at 211 most likely. Never drop the hydrometer into the test cup. If dropped even once, it is possible that the paper scale in the tube will get slid a little, rendering the hydrometer inaccurate. Good luck! Enjoy good syrup.

[dadtkm]

Thanks for the replies and the advice. I did double dip the cup and slowly lower the hydrometer (preheated) into the syrup as suggested. I have made syrup for a lot of years but with a thermometer and it was always thinner. Thinking now that maybe I need to buy someone else's for comparison. Thanks again, just needed a little reassurance.

[dadtkm]

Buckeye gold , thanks for the leader evaporator link. This is probably the best information of all that I read.

[mdm1]

Don't mean to hyjack this thread. I have been following this thread as I only use a hydrometer. I fill the cup 2-3 times then put the hydrometer in it. If it floats on the hot line I call it good. I never have checked the temp in the cup as everything seems to cool really quick. The syrup seams alittle thin but if I cook it longer I get some crystals. Do I need to check the temp or is the hydrometer good? We jar it up at 185 deg. We are micro producers and really just do it for fun and give it away.

[DrTimPerkins]

mdm1

Unless you take your hydrometer reading almost immediately from syrup HOT off the evaporator (after preheating the hydrometer cup with hot syrup right off the pan), then your density is incorrect. If it is cooler than right off the evaporator (canning temperatures), and you're using the hot (red) line on your hydrometer, your syrup will be low density.

At any OTHER temperature than HOT (211 deg F), you need to measure the temperature and use a correction chart to adjust the density reading to actual density. That may be why you think your syrup is a bit thin. If you pack at 185 deg F, but use the hydrometer HOT test, it will not be dense enough.

https://www.leaderevaporator.com/pdf_files/syrup-hydrometer.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYAEAlO60qQ&list=PLZP4fDl-nB98B3TQ4YofaQQkRi-tC0ut9&index=4&t=0s

A Murphy Cup or Float does the "correction" calculation for temperature automatically.

[jrgagne99]

... I fill the cup 2-3 times then put the hydrometer in it. If it floats on the hot line I call it good....

As long as you're filling it 2-3 times with boiling "syrup" you are fine. I leave my cup hanging over the edge of the syrup pan so it is constantly directly exposed to steam and always ready to make a measurement. No pre-filling required.

[dadtkm]

Dr. Tim , thanks for the YouTube link. This helps settle my mind. Thinking that I am on the right track. I start checking at 219* with the hydrometer and continue each one degree until it floated at the hot test line. Guessing that all these years I should have boiled my sap just a little while longer.
I will also be keeping the cup hanging in my finishing kettle.
jrgagne99 thanks for your advice about hanging the cup in the kettle. I will be doing that in the future. Again thanks for ALL the help and advice.
Tim

[mdm1]

I finish my syrup on a turkey fryer. I fill the cup 2-3 times before using the hydrometer. From what I have read the syrup will cool in the cup to 211 deg. If I would put a thermometer in the cup before the hydrometer would the sap cool too much before I use the hydrometer. Maybe what I will do is use a smaller pot to finish with so I can put my thermometer in it and test at 219 deg. I only do small batches. I had one batch 2 years ago that crystallized so I am alittle gunshy.

[buckeye gold]

I also finish on propane. I hang my cup over the lip of the evaporator too. I have stuck a probe in my cup while reading and it varies from 208-211. so I do all my syrup a tad on the heavy side and then check it at room temp. when it not changing. I rarely have to adjust. Most of the time it's just a little on the heavy side by like .1-.2 brix