whats best for filtering small batches of syrup

[markct]

well so far i have made relatively small amounts of syrup like well under a gallon at a time. i have been filtering it thru a piece of filter paper tied over the top of a stainless pot, so about 6 inch diameter and kinda pushed down in like a bit of a cone shape, it worked ok but it appeared very slow, like the last little bit took forever to go thru without kinda rolling it around against the sides where the paper musta been less plugged. i was looking at the bascoms catalog and see all these different options, wool filters, as well as cone filters, and prefilters, whats best, or should i say what are the different applications of each, like say the wool filters? i mean it didnt work too bad the way i did it but it appeared that if i tried to do a whole gallon it would plug before finishing, or take forever maybe, i dunno im new to this and just wondering if theres an easier way! thanks you guys have been great help so far

[MaplePancakeMan]

Markct, Well for the last few years i used both wool and synthetic cone filters from Bascoms. they can usually filter 3 gallons at a time with out a problem but like your filter the last bit takes a while. I used cone prefilters and they helped, i set 3 in to the regular cone and removed them as they got clogged, i could usually get 5 gallons through. The trick is to wet the cone first then shake it dry ... don't wring it that will rip the fibers and cause stuff to leak through.

I liked the synthetic better because the wool sometimes left fibers in the syrup, but the wool did a better job and was easier to use.

[SeanD]

I do small batches too. Last year I poured the finished syrup into 3L glass wine jugs and let it sit for about a week. All the garbage settled to the bottom and I carefully siphoned off crystal clear syrup. I just brought it back up to 180+ for bottling. It was a heck of a lot easier and cleaner than the cheese cloth I had used the year before and I ended up with a product without a speck of anything in it.

[The Sappy Steamer]

Markct,
We used to struggle with the same thing. Then we started running the syrup through at least four cone style prefilters, stacked one inside the other. As they plug up, remove them so you're running through a fresh one. Then, we run them through a synthetic cone filter to finish. We have alot of red maples, so we get alot of sugar sand. If we filter with more prefilters, it really makes running it through the synthetic filter alot easier. We also collect up several smaller batches so we don't lose half of every batch filtering.You just lose what the filters absorb once, not from every batch.
Dan

[325abn]

I use cone filter with the paper pre filters. This year I want to make a flat filter pan.

Mapleguys, the sponser of this site sell all kinds of filters at a great price check em out.

[Brent]

I've gone through the same agony. The advice above is good. We learned to let it sit for a few days and let most of the junk settle out.

The real key we found is to keep it hot. Cold / room temp syrup will sit in a filter for days and barely go through.

We do some honey as well. At room temp I think it would take months for it to go through a filter. Warm it to 115 degrees and it will flow wonderfully.

With syrup I try to filter it up near canning temp. I even used a ladle to scoop some out a re-heat it to keep it flowing.

Good luck.