The taste of niter

[OCHTO]

When I'm filtering after getting my syrup to the right density I take a sample in a small glass cup and let it cool while I pour my syrup through the filter. I like syrup at room temp and my wife and I taste it. This year we both came to same conclusion that the syrup had an off flavor. I described it as dirty and she described it as a bad after taste. After filtering I did the same thing and we both thought the syrup tasted fine. Could we have been tasting niter? If so what are peoples descriptions of niters taste?

[Ghs57]

Interesting. I continually sample my syrup right off the draw off, so unfiltered, and it seems to taste fine. I actually have people request unfiltered syrup because they think it has less flavor after filtering. I do notice the change in flavor as the season progresses and the syrup becomes darker. I guess this doesn't answer your question, but I'm interested in what others have to say.

[berkshires]

Yes I have noticed a bitter flavor from raw syrup with a lot of niter in it. The syrup tastes fine right away, but after a few seconds in the mouth, it gets this astringent flavor. Not quite metallic, nor like a hoppy beer or astringent wine, but in that general area.

Gabe

[OCHTO]

That's interesting cuz my wife said she got a taste on the side of her tongue "kind of like metallic ".

[canaanmaple]

That's interesting cuz my wife said she got a taste on the side of her tongue "kind of like metallic ".

that sounds about right, gritty, bitter and metallic

[OCHTO]

Good to know I'm not excessively fussy. Customers appreciate it too. Thanks!

[TapTapTap]

Good to know I'm not excessively fussy. Customers appreciate it too. Thanks!

I'm confused by your "customers appreciate it too" statement. Nonetheless, I agree that niter has a bitter metallic flavor. If you taste a pure chunk you'll want to wash out your mouth - it's that bad.

I never appreciated niter when we ran a 2x4 evaporator on 60 or so taps. I think it was partly due to the small quantity of sap, not so many boils, and that we didn't RO. Now, we process/boil about 10 times the sap in a single boil as we did all season and we concentrate to about 12% or more. After the first few boils, I can show anyone what niter looks like at the bottom of my draw-off tank. And I can peal up plates of it from the bottom of the syrup pan after the evaporator has cooled.

I would not sell any of my syrup unfiltered even upon the customer's request. With the volume of niter in our unfiltered syrup, we would be selling an unhealthy product.

Ken

[maple flats]

In most if not all states (and Provinces?) it's illegal to sell unfiltered syrup except as bulk.

[OCHTO]

My customers appreciate the fact that I am fussy. I have a no questions asked replace or refund rule and I never had a complaint. I wanted to know if I was tasting niter before I filtered. I was. I've had people want syrup before it was filtered after tasting while I was boiling it and I wouldn't give them any.