Backyarders with Divided Pans

[Swingpure]

Just wondering for those with smaller operations using a divided pan, do you draw off a tad early and finish it later, or do draw off finished syrup?

If you are drawing off finished syrup do you filter it right away as it draws off?

I guess it really depends on the evaporator, but if you were to boil 60 gallons of sap, which should produce 1.5 gallons of syrup, would you draw off like 4 times a boil, or more like 10?

Thanks

(It almost sounds easier to get it close and finish it later and then filter everything at once on the vacuum filter)

[NhShaun]

I used to filter as i drew off finished syrup(Usually a little over brix) with cone filters into a stainless container. It was a pain because sometimes the draws were an hour or 2 apart and the filters would cool too much to filter the next draw. Now that i have a filter press i just draw the finished syrup into the container and reheat/adjust brix once its nearly full and run it through my press all at once. I found it is easier if cooked a little over , to test the brix at 60Degrees and add a little distilled water if needed. Compared to bringing the whole pot to a boil from room temperature just to cook it down just 1 or two brix to the right density.

[Drew Pond Maple]

I found it is easier if cooked a little over , to test the brix at 60Degrees and add a little distilled water if needed. Compared to bringing the whole pot to a boil from room temperature just to cook it down just 1 or two brix to the right density.
I found this method to be significantly easier also. I just used permeate to adjust. Saved many hours of finishing

[Swingpure]

Thank you both of you for your responses. Interesting in making it over Brix.

I have a vacuum filter and would I not have to reheat it to 200+ degrees to go through my filters?

Thanks

[Bgreisch]

This is our second year on a divided pan. Last year we pulled off tad early and had to boil it more to finish. This year my dad did most of the boiling and as the season went on he started testing the draws with the hydrometer and tried drawing when it was at right density but it seemed to be a tad over when I tested it to bottle, it was a lot easier to add distilled water than to have to heat up 5 gals to a boil. We filter off evaporator but only with a prefilter and a sap filter just to try and catch the big stuff our main filtering is when we bottle. We will dip the filter in the sap pre warmer to reclaim some of the syrup that would be lost in the filter. On a 2x4 divided pan you will need to have more than 100 gallons boiled into the pan before you will have it sweetend to the point of regular draws.

Bryan

[berkshires]

I've only been using a divided pan for a couple of years, but what I do is draw off right around finished syrup, and filter later. Sometimes I go a little over, sometimes a little under. It's not worth worrying about it since I plan to heat it up either way.

I will say that drawing it off heavy can be problematic, since the heavier it is the more likey to foam up and burn.
Most draws it might not be a problem, but I've had huge draws sometimes, where the temperature starts to spike. If I started those draws already heavy if be in big trouble. I'm sure this is due to still learning my pan, but just a word to the wise, since you are also new to a divided pan.

GO

[Swingpure]

On a 2x4 divided pan you will need to have more than 100 gallons boiled into the pan before you will have it sweetend to the point of regular draws.

Bryan

This is something I will have to learn. It will be different from my five restaurant pans, where I got some syrup every boil.

[Swingpure]

I've only been using a divided pan for a couple of years, but what I do is draw off right around finished syrup, and filter later. Sometimes I go a little over, sometimes a little under. It's not worth worrying about it since I plan to heat it up either way.

I will say that drawing it off heavy can be problematic, since the heavier it is the more likey to foam up and burn.
Most draws it might not be a problem, but I've had huge draws sometimes, where the temperature starts to spike. If I started those draws already heavy if be in big trouble. I'm sure this is due to still learning my pan, but just a word to the wise, since you are also new to a divided pan.

GO

Thanks, appreciate that.

I am already excited about next season.