cloudy syurp in bottom of jars

[dunbbar]

I'am getting a settling of something right after I fill my jars with syurp, I' am filtering about three times before filling. I see this happing as the syrup is cooling.

[brookledge]

what are you using for filter? sounds like not proper filter or worn out. I used to use cone filter with one pre-filter and never had cloudy syrup. one other thing you can't squeeze or ring it out or that could make it cloudy. filters can get thin spots in them also.

[Salmoneye]

Gravity filtering will never get all of the sand...Some years sand seems to be 'larger' diameter and filter better than other years...

The other thing that is smaller than 'sand' and does not filter as well (especially with gravity) are 'dead bodies'...It is quite literally a sludge-like substance that is left when the bacteria are killed when boiling this late in the season...

The 'bodies' are way smaller than 'sand'...

At least that has been my experience...

[mapleman3]

as I tell my customers.. "don't worry Mrs Johnson.. that is just dead bodies at the bottom of the jar" :lol: :lol: :lol: 8O :wink:

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

After all that info, I guess I will have to invest in a filter press next year. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[MaineMapleDave]

Boy, I've had very very very good luck filtering without a filter press for years now. We bottle exclusively in glass, and I just checked a jar of 3-year old syrup, and there is not one speck of anything in the bottom of the bottle.

Here's my sequence:
Syrup(really, just super-concentrated sap) at draw off: I draw off the hot concentrate from the evaporator into disposable prefilter cones inside a felt cone inside a filtering tank. It takes a while to percolate through and I'll use 2 or 3 cones--they crud up pretty fast.

I then finish the syrup to proper density in a small propane rig.

Then: draw off the hot syrup through the now-rinsed prefilter and felt filter cones back into the filter tank as above. DO NOT stir the syrup or squeeze the filters--that'll force crud through the filters. Give it time to trickle through on it's own. Clean the finishing rig.

Then, from the filter tank through a couple of flat prefilters on a flat felt filter back into the finishing rig. I put the filter tank above the finishing rig and let it trickle through overnight, then the next day heat to 200 and bottle.

I think the important things are: lots of well-washed (boiled) prefilters and filters. Make sure the filters are well-wrung out, but still wet when you filter. Do not stir or squeeze. Allow the syrup the time it takes to filter through on it's own. Make sure the syrup is the proper density before the final 2 filterings.

Good luck.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Dave,

I don't bottle in glass but I have filtered for years through wool & synthetice filters and my syrup always seems clear. It might show different if I bottle it in glass, but the bottom of the jugs are sparkling clean when I empty a bottle of syrup. I did have on time this year where I got some settlement in the bottom of my finisher, but that is the only time in years I have ever seen any and I am not sure what caused that.

As far as filtering, I think I am going to bight the bug and get a filter press for next year. The biggest thing I don't like about the wool/synthetic and pre filters is you probably leave around 2 or 3 percent or more of the syrup inside the filters and over time, that can add up to a lot of syrup.

I use the large flat synthetic filters now and they really soak up the syrup. I usually wring mine out some into something that I can refilter the next time I filter, but they still keep a lot of syrup inside. :?