Question on when to draw off...

[johnallin]

A question... On my half pint I've been drawing off when the hydrometer reads right at 66.6 and can normally get 4 draws into the hydrometer cup I'm using. I just had some syrup from my first run tested and it's reading 63.6% not the 66.6 I was reading.

Yep it was 11:00 pm, raining and dark when I boiled this batch, but I was pretty carefull to hit the red line with each draw.

I've read where some draw off heavy and then thin as required. Has anyone else had this happen? Second batch I bottled tested correctly at the cold test of 60°.

By the way, have collected 190 gallons of sap so far and put up 2½ gallons of syrup - uh make that 2 gallons with the remainder to be re-boiled.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

[Grade "A"]

what was the temp when you tested it, temp will make a difference. Most of the time syrup will get heavier as it sits because some water will still steam off while cooling.

[danno]

Temp of syrup makes all the differance when checking density. Take a look on your hydrometer for the second red line for testing cooled syrup. Somewhere on the Trader from last year is a chart for checking density at all different temps. One of the companies had these nice plastic cards with the chart on them as well.

[johnallin]

Matt and Danno,

Thanks for the reply.

I guess I'm not absolutely sure of the temp but I think I'm doing it right, please correct me if you see anything....

I have a Leader thermometer with a dial set at zero for boiling water, installed into the side of the pan by the draw off valve. I begin to draw and test when it hovers around 7º over boiling. Sometimes I need to take up to 9º before I get a good reading on the hydrometer. I do not draw unles I see the hot test red line.

The hydrometer is cert at 211º - is the syrup cooling that fast

[buxtonboiler]

I was wondering about almost the same thing. I test at 219, correct temp for temp only boiling. Am I wrong to test here with my hydrometer, or do I wait for it to cool to 211?

[Jerome]

I use a Quebec hydrotherm https://www.atkinsonmaple.com/index.html?TestingInstruments.html easy to use line up the thermometer and where it floats and you are good to go