milk to clean syrup

[moose]

When I made syrup when I was in high school in the 60's the farmers around home put milk in the hot syrup to clean it.
My kids did the same when they tapped a few trees.
This year I have 50 trees tapped.
The question is : Is there a problem with putting in milk or eggs to draw out all the scum from the syrup?

[maplehound]

I have heard of doing this from several old timers. I believe though that they acctually used the cream. It would then curdel somehow and they would scoop it out. I have no idea what it would do to the flavor though. If you are just making it for yourself, give it a try but if you are going to sell it I wouldn't recomend it.

[moose]

Thanks for the reply.
I guess I didn't make it to clear but I've used milk to clean the syrup. It brings a hellashus looking scum to the top that you have to scim off then strain the small stuff out. It is the only way I've ever done it but it was only on a small scale.
From reading this website the apparently no one else does it this way.
I guess I am trying to be sure that theres not a good reason to avoid doing it this way.
Moose

[brookledge]

I've done that back in the 70's It doesn't remove all of things if I remember correctly just helps. And when I did it it was basically before Iwas selling any. I was making about 5-10 gal per yr for my self.
Today I think I would never consider it if I was selling it because by adding milk to help solidify the impurities I would think that some of the milk will change the composer of the syrup and then it is not pure. Plus with people being alergic to dairy products it would not be good if someone had a reaction from your syrup
Keith

[DS Maple]

I'm not sure if this is exactly what you are talking about, but we always use heavy cream as a defoamer. It works instantly, does not have an impact on the flavor at all and according to the NH department of agriculture the syrup can still be called "pure." The way we look at it, it is much easier to tell someone that the defoamer is heavy cream as apposed to some chemical they have never heard of.

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

in the early 50 s my mother used cream or whole milk to clean the syrup, but it never remover the sugar sand . best advice is buy a good filter and leave the milk in the refrigerator.

RICH

[brookledge]

Scott
He is not refering to it as a defoamer as much as he is refering to oldtimers using milk to filter the crud out. Like I said I did it back inn the 70s before I had a cone filter and it would solidify a bunch of crap which then could easily be skimmed out
Keith

[DS Maple]

Thanks; like I said, I was not sure if I was thinking of it for the same use.

[moose]

Thanks for all the replies.
I just stumbled on your site a few days ago and appreciate your help.
Most all the syrup I ever made was for our own use and putting the milk in the boiling syrup just seemed such an easy way to clean it that I was surprised that it wasn't mentioned on any of the posts that I read.
Thanks,
Moose

[Jim Brown]

Guys; Until I got into this business at the very high price(filter press)(canners-steamaway-etc) I used to filter just for our own use the way my Grandfather taught me

Make a mixture of eggs and milk
just like you were making scrambled eggs.
bring finished syrup to a boil on the stove and dump in mixture
it will sink to the bottom of the pan and as the mixture cooks,25 seconds or so it will float to the top and will collect the dirt
You may have to do it more than once to get it all cleaned.
IT WORKED FOR US FOR A LONG TIME

MYTWO CENTS
Jim

[moose]

I should say that you might have to add the milk to the boiling sap twice, scim it and run it thru a piece of cloth each time but it sure collects the dirt, all the dirt. There will be no sediment.
moose

[hurryhill]

Moose,

A long time ago, I used to "cleanse" small quantities of syrup with a mixture of eggs and milk with success. BUT I always stirred the mixture into cold syrup or room temp syrup with a wisk until it was consistent throughout and THEN heated it to boiling, skimmed it with a slotted spoon and then carefully filtered it through several layers of linen cloth (old calendar towels boiled in hot water to remove the soap). If you put the mixture in hot syrup, it will "cook" too soon and never reach the bottom of the syrup. You must mix it thoroughly when the syrup is cold. My mother always cleansed syrup this way and my dad always claimed that our syrup was so clear that "you can read the newpaper through it!!" This sytem works for those who are patient.

Jan Woods
Hurry Hill Farm & Maple Museum
Edinboro PA
4'x16' Leader Special
800 taps on buckets and no electricity

[Trapper2]

Been doing this since the 1960s. 1/2 cup whole milk per gallon of maple syrup. you no longer can sell as Pure Maple Syrup, but it is fine for the small guy that only produces for himself/herself.

[Trapper2]

Moose,

A long time ago, I used to "cleanse" small quantities of syrup with a mixture of eggs and milk with success. BUT I always stirred the mixture into cold syrup or room temp syrup with a wisk until it was consistent throughout and THEN heated it to boiling, skimmed it with a slotted spoon and then carefully filtered it through several layers of linen cloth (old calendar towels boiled in hot water to remove the soap). If you put the mixture in hot syrup, it will "cook" too soon and never reach the bottom of the syrup. You must mix it thoroughly when the syrup is cold. My mother always cleansed syrup this way and my dad always claimed that our syrup was so clear that "you can read the newpaper through it!!" This sytem works for those who are patient.

Jan Woods
Hurry Hill Farm & Maple Museum
Edinboro PA
4'x16' Leader Special
800 taps on buckets and no electricity

I didn't have a newspaper handy, but.....

18219

[Cedar Eater]

I used cold half'n'half in a test last year and it worked really well, so well it clogged up the prefilters with unusually dark crud, that I would never have guessed was in the syrup. But as others have said, you can't call it 100% pure if you've used a non-FDA approved filter aid.

[Trapper2]

I used cold half'n'half in a test last year and it worked really well, so well it clogged up the prefilters with unusually dark crud, that I would never have guessed was in the syrup. But as others have said, you can't call it 100% pure if you've used a non-FDA approved filter aid.
If you ever try it again Cedar, skim the crud off of the top first with a stainless colander or skimmer. That removes 95%.

[TwoSaps2]

I'm a small hobbyist producer. 3-5 gallons per year. I filter my syrup twice while hot, then pour into glass milk bottles. Let it sit for about 5 days. Pour the clear syrup off, reheat, but not to boiling, to avoid the sugar sand. jar it. Last batch was about 1.5 gallons. ended with 23 half pints of perfectly clear (I could read through the jar). 2 half pints of mud that I keep for cooking. I'll be doing this from now on. Filtering alone doesn't give me the clarity I want.