ebliese
03-01-2023, 01:14 PM
We had an odd occurrence after filtering yesterday. For filtering, we use a flat filter (four pre-filters and an orlon filter) with a steam bottler. We draw off at density or slightly high into the filters where it drains into the steam bottler. We then bring it into the house, adjust the density, bring it up to between 180 and 190*F. We warm the bottles in the over at the keep warm setting which is 170*F. Doing this with three kids makes it a little challenging but we manage. :)
Yesterday we bottled about half the syrup, had to take a break to feed the kids supper, and then resumed. The first half of the batch came out nice and clear in the bottles. The second half appeared cloudy in the bottles-not so cloudy you can't see through it, but noticeable. We let all the bottles sit overnight and it looks the same. We opened one of the cloudy bottles and checked the density. It appears we are a little higher than what we adjusted to yesterday. It makes us wonder if somehow the syrup got too hot and evaporated some, thus causing some sugar sand to appear in the bottles. The temp in the bottler was always between 180-190 when bottling. We are trying to figure out what to do next. Do we take this cloudy syrup in bottles, reheat to boiling, and then filter again?
This is not our first bottling of the year. The first one has clear syrup in the bottles. This is our third season of using a steam bottler and we have always had excellent results.
Yesterday we bottled about half the syrup, had to take a break to feed the kids supper, and then resumed. The first half of the batch came out nice and clear in the bottles. The second half appeared cloudy in the bottles-not so cloudy you can't see through it, but noticeable. We let all the bottles sit overnight and it looks the same. We opened one of the cloudy bottles and checked the density. It appears we are a little higher than what we adjusted to yesterday. It makes us wonder if somehow the syrup got too hot and evaporated some, thus causing some sugar sand to appear in the bottles. The temp in the bottler was always between 180-190 when bottling. We are trying to figure out what to do next. Do we take this cloudy syrup in bottles, reheat to boiling, and then filter again?
This is not our first bottling of the year. The first one has clear syrup in the bottles. This is our third season of using a steam bottler and we have always had excellent results.