repackaging from 5 gallon pails

[gearpump]

What is the best way to repackage syrup from 5 gallon pails? My research shows that you have to heat up the syrup and then refilter it. How am I going to do that when I have 1 canning tank? I could use my 16x32 finishing pan but there would be a lot waste in the end. This also makes me wonder how some producers who finish on there rigs and only have a water jacketed canner do this.

Marty

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I store a lot of my syrup temporarily in 5 gallons buckets and I reheat it and filter it and then finish it in my finisher. I have a 16x24 ss finisher and it has a filter rack in it, so that makes it easier. I like the five gallon buckets because you can let the syrup set for a few days and all the sugar sand will settle to the bottom and then you can pour off the syrup and throw away about 1/2" of sugar sand in the bottom. Sure makes filtering easy! :D :D :D

I am not sure what you mean by a lot of waste :?: :?:

[gearpump]

By waste I mean some syrup thats left behind on the pan bottom and sides. By transfering the syrup from the 5 gallon jug to the finisher for heating, then through the filter press and finally into the canner, I would bet a gallon of syrup will be lost.

Marty

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Marty,

When you get done with everything, I bet you don't lose a pint total. I have been doing it that way for years and you can bet I don't like to waste syrup. When I get done, I probably haven't lost 8 ounces other than what is in the filters. :D :D

[doocat]

When you repack you have to reheat and filter again, correct? Now what temperature does the syrup have to be at when it hits the bottles and how do you keep that temperature through the filtering process? It seems that you would drop quite a bit in temperature whiel filtering and bottling.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

It needs to be at least 180 degrees when you bottle it. Most people filter it and then reheat it up to 180 degrees. What I mean by reheating it, like you said, it may drop below 180 when you filter it to 165 or 170. You then need a little heat to get it back up to 180. I have a large filter tank and I used to bottle straight out of it. What I would do is to set it on a burner as it was filtering. This would ensure it stayed the proper temperature. Another thing this helps is the steam coming off of the syrup in the bottom of the filter tank helps keep the syrup in the filter and the filter hotter and makes it filter even better. You can't get the syrup too hot that you are trying to filter. The hotter it is, the better it will filter.

I now have a 15 gallon filtering and canning tank and it is the same principal as it has its own burner under the pan. For gravity fitlering, it works the best since I have 16" x 24" of filter for the syrup to go thru instead of the small cone filter surface area that I used for years.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[brookledge]

If the syrup was properly filtered when produced it should not need to be re-filtered. As Brandon said it needs to be atleast 180 when it hits the container. Also it is recomended not to get it over 200. If you have syrup border line of a grade it will drop if you boil it. Also when you boil it might release more nitter which will then need to be filtered.

[Johnny Cuervo]

I have about 16 Gals, most of which is med color the flavor is very good on most and fair on some. I usually bottle 8 oz bottles. Any problem mixing, or should I keep them separate?

Thanks
John

[brookledge]

John,
I'm assuming yor asking about mixing different grades. That is what is called blending. It is ok as long as you properly label the finished product. You have to be careful and do your blending slowly if you are trying to get a certain grade. If you wanted to get med A from DkA and LtA it won't be a 50-50 blend. It will take some experimenting to do it.
Also make sure that both syrups taste good because if one has an off flavor in it it will still be there in the blended mix.
But if your 16 gallons is all grade A just put into your 8 oz. containers and label it Light, Medium, or Dark
Keith

[Sweber]

Maple Hill,
I am very interested in something you brought up about the niter. I draw my syrup off the evap when it hits the right temp the filter it into a 16x16" finishers. Now my draw-offs are small about 6-9 cups. I use a prefilter then a thicker filter (felt). It takes quite a while for me to get enough to bottle usually the next morning. How can I avoid building up more niter when I bring it to 211 for the hydrometer test. I am getting a truckload of niter when I reheat it. Sometimes I need to boil it a little to bring it to 66 brix. Can't bottle it in glass too much niter. I end up having to refilter it.Besides being a major pain in the *** i lose more syrup filtering and transferrring back and forth. ANy suggestions would be appreciated.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Interesting, I reheat and bottle nearly all the syrup I do the entire year and don't have hardly any problem with more nitre developing.

Guess that is one of the benefits I get from being so far south or the high sap to syrup ratio! 8O

[saphead]

If you bring up your syrup to 211 degrees you will get major amounts of niter to precipitate out! If you draw off the evaporater @ the proper density then can later, just heat to 180 and bottle it. If your concerned about rechecking density, hydrometers are actually calibrated @ room temp. Hydromter density and temp charts are readily available,I forgot what manual it's in off hand, probably download off the web.

[mapleman3]

you can test the density at any temp with a hydrometer as long as you have the calibration chart or know the temp elevation difference for the temp you will test at. get a chart for whatever your hdro is calibrated at... some ar 60 deg F some are 68 deg F. I do this with my syrup in my canner I don't bring it to boiling point so it will stay clear, i test in the hydrometer cup and check the temp at the same time. thats why I want to get the mapleguys accucup, pour your syrup in get the temp and density at same time with out fiddling with a thermometer and hydrometer side by side not touching 8O I usually get the temp stable pull the therm out put in the hydro and check asap.

[sweetwoodmaple]

This is my first year having a refractometer (40-85% range). Picked it up on Ebay for $10. It came with a calibration block for 70.5%, so I can readjust the scale for accuracy.

Works great and is much less messy not having to dip or fill a hydrometer cup. You just have to make sure the syrup is mixed well before taking a sample.

I have checked against my hydrometer and it matches up very well.

Brian

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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