help

[slammer3364]

Boiled off about 50 gal. of sap Had some inthe evap to start but cant get the hydrometer to come up,Is it supposed to be finished when you draw off or just close and finish seperate maybe I have no sugar in my trees Thanks

[Mackdaddy]

Gotta believe that you have sugar if your substance is getting thicker and darker. Probably just need to boil longer. I know in my area many times I have to boil to appro 222 degrees before the hydrometer reads correct.

[3% Solution]

slammer3364,
Get some more sap and keep boiling, it ain't sweet enough yet!!
It will float in due time, don't worry.
First boil is always the worst, you think it's never going to make syrup.
Then all of a sudden, it's time to draw that first little bit.
Then you get to draw more each time.
Be patient!!!

Dave

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

thats why they call the first boil (sweetening the pans)

RICH

[Gary R]

Slammer, How many taps and how big of pan? I'm almost done with 70 gal. and not even close to syrup yet. I find it easier to check with a thermometer in the evaporator and finish with the hydrometer on a turkey fryer. If you have less than say 100 taps that might be easier.

By the way, where are you located?

[slammer3364]

I am located in St. Marys Hope to here from you again Did use turkey cooker to finish off, got about a gallon and a half of syrup

[mapleman3]

yep sounds about right... like said the first boil is a long one... if your finishing the whole batch each time, it will be the same amoumt of time for that amount of syrup

with an evaporator, we get new fresh sap in at the beginning of the season, boil boil boil and it seems to take so long, but ya have to think it's raw sap un concentrated... then as it gets concentrated finally to syrup stage, we draw off small amounts as we boil, and fresh sap keeps adding in the back pan .. but the majority of the sap in the evap has already been in there concentrating so we continue to draw off and so on ....

with the batch system its a fresh whole batch of sap every time you boil so your going the full distance each time from sap to syrup...

[Grade "A"]

I boiled 150 gallons and did not draw off any syrup, but I'm ready for the next run.

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

Grade A


You Are Close To Making Syrup. The Next Run Will Be A Pay Off For You

Rich

[Grade "A"]

Grade A


You Are Close To Making Syrup. The Next Run Will Be A Pay Off For You

Rich

It smells good. I always hate the first boil of the season. It is amazing how much sap it takes to get started, but now I have a pan full of sweet!!

[Fred Henderson]

It takes over 200 gallons just to sweeten the pan.

[Breton heart]

Slammer, I live in York Co ,and three weeks ago the sap was running a little over 2 on the sap hydrometer, this is for red ,silver and norway maples, I have only done small batches as not enough sap to have fired up the half pint syrup pan .The lightest syrup i have ever made. Two days ago I started with the big pan and sap is running now one and half on sap h. I boiled for hours and still cold not get the syrup hyd. to even float then I ran out of sap,and started to panic as my warming tank went dry then my level in the syrup pan was near a quarter inch , I had to quickly throw in some water and I drew off what looked close to syrup, and finished it on the stove.I got a little over two pints and filtered with a pre filter inside the felt filter, but its cloudy looking but amber colored.