Is there an actual formula for determining amount of sap to a specific syrup density?

[markgm]

This is more of an academic question regarding how much sap is required to make gallon of syrup at a specific density. I have read a lot of discussion on this topic, but I have never found a conclusive answer. Does anyone know if there is a formula that I can use to determine how much syrup I would get if I boiled X gallons of sap at Y brix to a sugar content of Z. For example, if I boil 100 gallons of 1.5% sap I will get Z gallons of syrup at 68 brix.

[ir3333]

Sure..it's just math.Syrup is 66 % sugar
if your sap was 33% sugar it would take 2 gallons
if your sap is 1% sugar it would take 66 gallons

[Buddy 58]

--------I-learned-a-long-time-ago------the-magic-number-was-87------divide----the-sugar-content-#----into-87-----that-will-put-you-in-the-ballpark---of-what-it-takes--with-what-you-have-in-sap-amount

[DrTimPerkins]

The Jones Rule of 86 (CH Jones, a UVM Professor/Dean), devised in 1946, will give you a ballpark idea of the amount of sap at a certain Brix value required to make a gallon of syrup. Works well at the lower range of values for regular sap (2-4 Brix) taken to 66 Brix syrup.

It falls apart as you get higher in concentration. For example, if you apply the Jones Rule to syrup, you get the nonsensical formula.

86/66 = 1.3 gal of syrup at 66 Brix to make 1 gal of syrup at 66 Brix. Obviously not correct.

The Modified Jones Rule will get you a lot closer, and can be used across the range of sap to concentrate to calculate the value for syrup at 66, 66.5, and 66.9 Brix, depending upon your requirements. You can find it at:

https://mapleresearch.org/pub/m1013jonesruleof86/

[markgm]

The Jones Rule of 86 (CH Jones, a UVM Professor/Dean), devised in 1946, will give you a ballpark idea of the amount of sap at a certain Brix value required to make a gallon of syrup. Works well at the lower range of values for regular sap (2-4 Brix) taken to 66 Brix syrup.

It falls apart as you get higher in concentration. For example, if you apply the Jones Rule to syrup, you get the nonsensical formula.

86/66 = 1.3 gal of syrup at 66 Brix to make 1 gal of syrup at 66 Brix. Obviously not correct.

The Modified Jones Rule will get you a lot closer, and can be used across the range of sap to concentrate to calculate the value for syrup at 66, 66.5, and 66.9 Brix, depending upon your requirements. You can find it at:

https://mapleresearch.org/pub/m1013jonesruleof86/
Thanks for the info. I had seen the charts; part of the reason I was looking for a formula was to figure out how much sap to concentrate to get to 68%. I figured it would be handy to be able to plug in any value instead of using a rule of thumb.

[markgm]

Sure..it's just math.Syrup is 66 % sugar
if your sap was 33% sugar it would take 2 gallons
if your sap is 1% sugar it would take 66 gallons
I wish it were that easy! It takes 43.23 gallons of 2% sap to make 1 gallon of 66% syrup.

[buckeye gold]

I operate on a much simpler formula. I gather my sap, boil it down to syrup filter it and take what I get. I don't measure until I am bottling. At various stages you going to lose syrup, especially filtering. Sure it's interesting to know what to expect and how your sap produced, but in the end you can not change what the trees give you and you only have what you get from the trees.

[DrTimPerkins]

At various stages you going to lose syrup, especially filtering.

The term for this phenomenon, across many industries, is "shrinkage." Happens in almost any conversion or transfer from one container or process to another.

[ir3333]

I wish it were that easy! It takes 43.23 gallons of 2% sap to make 1 gallon of 66% syrup.

i agree..the RO guys have it pretty good.We had a long season last year and my last boil i put 60 gallons through and got about 3 litres of syrup.
even though the trees ran good for another ten days i stopped.By the end of the the season the sugar content can be quite low.

[buckeye gold]

At my age shrinkage means more than that Dr. Tim. The cause of that phenomenon is getting old, but it still sounds good when I tell my buddies I was out in the woods with my wife tapping :lol:

[DrTimPerkins]

i agree..the RO guys have it pretty good.

You ought to see how good it is when you're boiling 35 Brix concentrate (Lapierre HyperBrix). Takes only about 2.5 gal concentrate to make a gallon of syrup. It just pours out of the evaporator in a steady solid stream. :lol:

[DrTimPerkins]

...still sounds good when I tell my buddies I was out in the woods with my wife tapping :lol:

An old timer once asked me if maple syrup was an aphrodisiac. :o

I said I didn't know, but if he could find us a grant I'd be happy to study it, but in the meantime, it wasn't a bad rumor to spread. :cool:

[maple flats]

I use the formula 88/sap sugar %. It comes very close. I boil my syrup to finish a 68.9% +/- .1. Using that formula works good for the heavier syrup, if you pack at 66%, I think the original rule of 86 will be pretty close. I find that my customers like the 68.9% better.

[markgm]

Thanks for the replies, I'm somewhat stunned there's not a known formula for this. I am thinking I need to go back to my high school chemistry to figure this out!