Cloudy Syrup

[Mike N RI]

When we put our syrup in the grading jar and match it up to see the grade it looks cloudy compared to the samples & hard to grade.

We pour off into a 1-2 pre-filters inside wool or synthetic cone filters hung inside a 10 gal SS pot with spigot and thermometer. We change the pre-filter every gal and the wool every 4 gal or so. When we get 5-6 gals we pop it on the 'turkey fryer' rig to bring it up to 180-190F, never more than 188F. The 9" thermometer sits about 4" above the bottom of the pan so we give a light stir to ensure even temperature.

WHY is the syrup cloudy??? NOT changing filter enough? REHEATING on direct flame? STIRRING the syrup?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

[MaplePancakeMan]

How old are the wool and synthetic filters, there is a chance there is a slight rip or fiber damage causing some niter to get through.

[Mike N RI]

Two filters are new this year and we have the same issue...

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

It also has a lot of air bubbles and will clear up after a few days usually.

[NH Maplemaker]

Mike N RI, Are you ringing out the wool filter? That will make syrup cloudy!!

[Mark-NH]

Stirring it will cloud it up. I read this somewhere and I think it was on directions for the wool cone filter I had about 12 years ago

[Pete33Vt]

What about your test bottles. I know with mine even if I clean them good, it still looks like cloudy syrup. One way to tell if it your filtering process is to take a sample and let it set for a few. Then pick it up carefully and see if its cleared up. If it is the shake it around. If it clouds up then you have troubles.

[Russell Lampron]

Stirring the syrup will cause the sugar to crystallize thus making the syrup cloudy. Like Pete said let the sample sit for a few days and look for sediment in the bottom. This will tell you if you have a filtering problem. Also try grading using cold syrup this can make a difference too.

Russ

[brookledge]

The worst thing you can do to felt filters is to wring them out. That causes the fibers to tear and will begin to allow solids to make it through. You can hold it up to a light and see if any areas are allowing light to come through, that will tell you if you have a thin spot. Also when the syrup is filtering do not distub it or try to get it through. When the flow stops or slows then let the remaining syrup drain into another container. That way when you are working the last of the syrup if it does get cloudy you don't contaminate all that is clear
Keith

[peacemaker]

how are you washing them ?

[H. Walker]

When you reheat the syrup if it is over 185-190 you could be creating more sediment. I would check the thermometer to see if it's reading low.

[Mike N RI]

I am very careful not to wring the cone filter out. To clean them we pour a little hot sap from the flue pan in the filter, let it hang over the pan for a while. Then bring it in the house and soak in hot water then rinse a with hot water. The only stirring has been very gentle (1-2 passes) to even the temperature. I will try letting the sample sit for a few days.

What about defoamer in the syrup pan? Occasionally we will put a dab of butter in the syrup pan to knock down the high foam. In the flue pan we use the tiny stainless cup of defoamer granules.

Thanks for all the ideas.

[mountainvan]

This may sound silly, but you may be changing your filters too quickly. If there is n't much sediment for the really small particles to cling to they can pass right through the felt. You'll filter a little slower, but get clearer syrup.If you can get a little bit, try mixing some filter aid with the syrup, it works great for me.

[VtSugarhouse]

How many times are you filtering your syrup? Are you using pre-filters also with your flat filter or cone felt filter?
I filter my syrup a minimum of 3 times and if I bulk the syrup in 40 gallon drums it can get filtered up too 5 times before it is packaged for the retail market. You can never filter your syrup too much.
That is what I do and I dont have any problems with cloudy syrup.

[peacemaker]

i think sometimes the best method of cleaning especial with a flat is turn it over a pan in the sink wash it back words thru till it runs clear i dont per say dunk wash them it seems if i keep it clean on one side it is better ...

[stoweski]

I collected 80 gallons of sap and processed some of it this week. I now have a bit over a gallon of what appears to be very light syrup. I'm using a 1/2 pint - which they claim cannot make fancy syrup. However, I drew off at 215 a few times and then used a turkey fryer to finish. When I used the grading system I got fancy, but cloudy syrup. I was a bit surprised at the grade of syrup being my first time boiling.

I filtered the sap, filtered at drawoff with a wool and paper filters, and then tested the syrup with the hydrometer to 66 brix, pulled that off and filtered with wool & paper filters again. Just let the syrup drain naturally then pulled off the filter and placed it over a bowl to drain the remaining syrup.

What I'm wondering is, I have a coffee urn and I was thinking of heating the syrup to 180 and then filtering again. Is this temp as good as getting it up to 215 to filter or would I be better off raising the temp on the turkey fryer back up to a boil before filtering again. I'm hoping this next time I filter I may get the syrup clear but I wasn't sure if I would have the same results by filtering at 180 vs 219.

Keith

[Hurry Hill Farm]

Use more than 1-2 pre filters. Use 5 or 6 prefilters with the felt filter and then take them out as the get "dirty" and when you are down to 3 filters, lift them up and put 2-3 more new ones underneath. This saves you also from cleaning your felt (orlon) filter so often. Always make sure all filters are rinsed in hot water only. Always make sure your filters are damp when you assemble them for filtering. I "wash" my felts and prefilters in hot water only until perfectly clear turning them inside out several times, then store them in the freezer. I take them out and they thaw as I am boiling and they are ready to go.

The key to clear syrup is filtering - use lots of filters. Syrup will also clarify if you let it set a week, but you need to pour off the clear syrup without disturbing the bottom of the container.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I collected 80 gallons of sap and processed some of it this week. I now have a bit over a gallon of what appears to be very light syrup. I'm using a 1/2 pint - which they claim cannot make fancy syrup. However, I drew off at 215 a few times and then used a turkey fryer to finish. When I used the grading system I got fancy, but cloudy syrup. I was a bit surprised at the grade of syrup being my first time boiling.

I filtered the sap, filtered at drawoff with a wool and paper filters, and then tested the syrup with the hydrometer to 66 brix, pulled that off and filtered with wool & paper filters again. Just let the syrup drain naturally then pulled off the filter and placed it over a bowl to drain the remaining syrup.

What I'm wondering is, I have a coffee urn and I was thinking of heating the syrup to 180 and then filtering again. Is this temp as good as getting it up to 215 to filter or would I be better off raising the temp on the turkey fryer back up to a boil before filtering again. I'm hoping this next time I filter I may get the syrup clear but I wasn't sure if I would have the same results by filtering at 180 vs 219.

Keith

I have heard members on here say if you don't wash the new syrup filters good, they can make you syrup cloudy when you filter syrup thru them due to something they have on and in them?? Never experienced it, but that may be your problem and others can probably elaborate more on this.

[PerryW]

reheating filtered syrup above 200 degrees will produce a new batch of nitre. Using direct flame would probably make it worse at the uneven heating would produce localized temperatures higher than average.

When reheating syrup, I reheat to 198 degrees and refilter into an insulated filter/canner and quickly fill my plastic jugs. As soon as the temp drops below 185, I stop and dump the remaining syrup into a small drum and refrigerate.

[Sugarmaker]

My 2 cents.
Check to make sure the thermometer in the reheating station is OK. I would expect the cloudiness may be from the reheating.
Try this also. After filtering take a sample and see what the clarity looks like. If good then its in the reheating process.
Some of the newer canning guidelines for plastic jugs is to limit the reheat temp to 175 deg F. This is to keep the plastic from becoming to hot and flavoring the syrup.

Regards,
Chris C.

[stoweski]

Well, I brought my cloudy syrup back up to 180 and used four paper filters, dampened, followed by the wool filter. I filtered into a separate pot, making sure to keep the temp as close to 180 as possible (used two different thermometers that are correct). Filtered a second time after washing all filters between pots and the syrup still came out cloudy. :(

I could understand if the wool filter wasn't washed properly the first time but this thing has been washed 5-6 times since I got it new this year. The paper filters were all washed ahead of time.

I suppose I could live with it as my first time finishing syrup and just bottle it in plastic bottles hoping that the next time I can get clearer syrup but it bugs me that it's cloudy. 2nd time's a charm??!!

[waysidemaple]

I have had the same problem. First gallon was crystal clear fancy and then the second gallon was all cloudy, tasted the same as the first batch. Its sitting in the fridge now and it looks like the cloudyness is settleing to the bottom and the stuff on top is clear. Not sure if this is a good thing or not?

[wildacres]

I notice you're tapping Norway Maples - what is the sap like? Is it
comparable to Red Maple? I wasn't aware you could tap these at all.

Paul L.