finishing with a thermometer

[mikeb]

I'm making small batches... I finish about 5-6 quarts for 1 day's boil on my small barrel evaporator. I finish inside, using a digital thermometer to bring the temp to 7.5 degrees above the current boiling temp of water. I trust that the long stem digital thermometer I'm using is accurate. But I have a couple of questions.

First, I never get sheeting on the hot syrup at boiling +7.5. On one batch, I tried boiling until I did get sheeting. It was boiling +15 before it sheeted... when it cooled, it was obviously wrong... had the consistency of honey, with large sugar crystals in it. I added sap and reboiled to +7.5. Does the syrup always sheet or just sometimes?

Second, I put some finished syrup in the freezer to see what would happen. It did not freeze solid. Rather, it developed ice crystals throughout... it was very white-ish... with the consistency of something like apple sauce. Is this correct? Or does it indicate that the syrup was under-boiled?

Thanks. Mike

[MaineMapleDave]

It's worth getting a hydrometer and cup to be able to tell when it's officially syrup. I've found that it'll boil at the right temperature for a few minutes and sort-of sheet off a scoop before it's actually right.

Our first year, we relied on the temperature and what we THOUGHT was correct sheeting (or aproning). The next year we checked the previous year's batch with a hydrometer and it was WAAAAY under-density.

[Jim Powell]

Mike,

Each thermometer has a +/- range, and some at 225°F could be as much as +/- 2°. My experience (work) is that they will be consistantly off, so the only real way to know is to have some other way (hydrometer) to check to see when it is real and what temp it does boil at. I agree you should have a hydrometer, then the +/- of the thermometer isn't as much of an issue, if you are consistent when you measure the density of syrup.

[davey]

has there ever been anything other than a thrmometer to use for bringing the syrup to the higher temps needed for creams and sugars?

[maple flats]

If you have a calibrated barometer you can check a thermometer. When the barometer says 29.92" water will boil at 212. If you do not have a barometer but you are close to a weather recording station and at the same elevation just use their #'s. This all said I believe you can just test the boiling temp of water at the time you are finishing the syrup, what ever it reads add 7.1-7.5 to it for syrup the 7.1 will give you 66% syrup and 7.5 will get 67% syrup. Even if a thermometer is off it should still be very close in the 7+? degrees you need over the water boil temp.

[802maple]

It is better to get a hydrometer, here in Vermont it is what is used by the inspectors. Even refractrometers are calibrated to a state tested hydrometer for accuracy.

[partsrus1974]

Anyone here use a hydrotherm?I like them better then hydrometers.Any input?

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Parts- Take a look at this link= http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=2498&page=2&highlight=hydrotherm

[Haynes Forest Products]

If you want to get the best results you boil water and put your dial thermometer in it and reset it with the set screw on the back and then do that every time the weather changes WHAT A PAIN IN THE *** I just go with the Hydrometer and its good to go every time. Plus if you drop them the new one is nice and clear easy to read.

[gmcooper]

As everyone said use a hydrometer.
For the other part of the question syrup does not always sheet or apron the same everyday. We can do demonstrations here and some days it will apron very nicely well under syrup stage and other days it will barely apron all even above 67%.

The digital themometers are very sensitive to temps such as tip resting on the bottom of the pan directly over the heat source. Raise the probe a 1/4" above the pan and the temp will drop several degrees.
Mark

[mikeb]

Well... I had resisted using a hydrometer because I thought they would be expensive and difficult to use. Guess what? It turns out they are not expensive and they are easy to use! Who knew? Anyway, I finished all the syrup this spring in small (1-2 gallon) batches on the stove with a hydrometer and it worked great. Thanks everyone for your advice. We ended up with 7 gallons from our 12 taps. It was a great year.

[Sugarmaker]

Mike,
Another happy maple ending! Nice job!
Chris

[peacemaker]

the other thing about the apron test is every spatula ribbons different how thin it is if it has holes or slots if u use your dipper ... ilike all three temp apron and hydrometer

[Russell Lampron]

Lets not forget the accu-cup. That gives you exactly what temp the syrup is at when you are taking your hydrometer reading. It makes it a lot easier to verify the density when you are canning.

[3% Solution]

Hi all,
I've seen syrup start to apron when it's heavy syrup.
I like the hydrometer the best when coming out of the evaporator.
Before I run it through the filters I check it with a thermometer/ hydrometer, kinda like the accucup but different.
Started checking with both last year and we like it.
This works well for us!
Just what we do.

Dave