**** Sugar Sand

[valleyman]

Hey pros,
I boiled down another batch a couple of days ago on my modified firepit converted to an evaporator. (This is my 1st season hobby maple syruping). I've been filtering it thru cheesecloth, then through some wool felt I bought in a fabric store. I'm still getting alot of debris settling on the bottom in my jars. Short of buying a real filter for this season, does anyone have any suggestions. I probably should buy a filter designed for syruping for next season. Thanks.

Valleyman

[Bucket Head]

The "real" syrup filters are the only things that get all the sand out.

Get some of those and get the pre-filters too.

If your putting syrup in glass containers, the filters are a must.

Steve

[KenWP]

I have to make syrup first to try and filter it. That actually worrys me more then actually makeing it.

[PerryW]

I wouldn't worry.

As long as you are not selling syrup, there is no problem letting the sugar sand settle out and pour the clear stuff off as you use it.

Just keep the syrup in the fridge if it is not hot-packed.

[buck3m]

I wouldn't worry.

As long as you are not selling syrup, there is no problem letting the sugar sand settle out and pour the clear stuff off as you use it.

Just keep the syrup in the fridge if it is not hot-packed.

What he said. Except that's what I'm going to do even though I'm selling it.

[Jerome]

I use to put "some settlement should occur" on my bottles of the few I sold to be preemptive

[KenWP]

I need some good looking syrup to use as gifts. The stuff I use I am not to worried about but I would hate to send my family out west some pure Quebec Maple gunge instead of syrup. D&G had some cute bottles on sale that I bought incase I make some syrup that will make neat gifts. Mine I plan on useing jars.

[BarrelBoiler]

letting things settle out works good especially with small amouts of product.i hate loosing any to my filter towel. even if you pour off the cleansyrup and reheaat it to hot pack it some stuff will settle out. i got a qt. for Christmas once in a plastic jug for a big sugar house when it was down to the last it was as gungey as my homemade good luck

[Knot E. Maple]

I read elsewhere on this site -- just can it in mason jars or otherwise first, then let them settle for a couple weeks or so. Then siphon or ladle it out -- clear as any filtered stuff I've seen if you're careful. You just won't be filling too many bottles that way before you go insane... Good luck!

[KenWP]

I ended up filtering with just the prefilters off the evaporator and then checking it for proper brix on the stove in the house and pouring thru the orlon filter and then bottleing it right away. It came out clear as a bell for me that way. I keep test bottles of every batch in glass to keep track of what it looks like and how clear it's going to stay. My first batch I just filtered it with a homemade filter I made with orlon from Wally World and it has a little bit of sediment on the bottom of each jar.