Filter Basics

[Rick_Seebeck]

I will be boiling on my new homemade evaporator this weekend. The sap is not really running as of yet but I have collected about 10 gallons from my 20 taps. I have purchased some rayon cellulose pre filter material. My plan is to prefilter my sap, boil it down close to sryup, transfer to a turkey fryer or my kitchen stove depending on how much sap I collect the rest of this week, then use pre filter material to filter into an appropriate sized canning jar.

Questions: Do I need to use a final filter or can I use the prefilter material? I have a hydrometer, at what point should I transfer the sweet to the finishing pan?

Anything else I should consider with my backyard set up?

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

are you on a flat pan and makeing a batch then pouring it off or do you have a drawoff valve

RICH

[Rick_Seebeck]

I am making it in two steam table pans, batch style. I will lift the pans and pour the batch.

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

you want to get it as close to 66 brix as you can this will make for less boiling with propane. if you go past syrup a little bit you can add sap to thin it out again. when its close to syrup it will leave a sheet or apron on your ladle, this is when i draw off

RICH

[Rick_Seebeck]

This is a big deal for my kids and I. We are very excited. We hope to make a cup or two of sryup to eat on pancakes Sunday morning. I appreciate all of your help.

[danno]

ditto what Rich said. Get it VERY close to syrup before moving it to your finishing pan. It will take forever on the kitchen stove if you take it off too early. Also, turkey fryer over the kitchen stove. I've done both. Turkey fryer is throwing a bunch more btu's and will be much quicker then stove.