Cloudy Sap

[Maple Ridge]

This is my 3rd year sapping. I have 34 taps in this year and have 100 + trees that are tapable (10" and up). I am using a stainless steel finishing pan on a propane two burner, a turkey cooker with stainless steel pot, and another two burner to preheat the sap to a boil befor adding it to the finishing pan and turkey cooker. I need an evaporator :rolleyes:.
My hopes are to build a sap house this year.
I am one that can only boil Friday to Sunday.
I have read different articals on cloudy sap and if you should boil it or not. I would hate to spoil my finish product after taking so long to make it. What are the thoughts about this?

[RileySugarbush]

A little cloudiness is fine. It will probably make darker syrup, but may be very tasty grade B. As it gets further along, the yield may drop as some of the sugar seems to get consumed by bacteria. The syrup will be fine but your filters full of gunk. Just keep the sap cool and out of the sun and it can last a week. Freeze a couple of gallons and toss them in to chill the sap.

If it smells bad at all, I'd throw it out.

[Fred Henderson]

Taste the sap, if it taste OK then it will most likely make dark syrup.

[PerryW]

Try to keep the sap cool during the week. If you've got snow, shovel it up around your tank or barrel.

Sounds like you can keep the cloudy sap isolated with your setup so it wouldn't ruin the non-cloudy sap.

Or just take a gallon of the cloudy sap, put it in 4 pots on the kitchen stove and boil like crazy. Combine the pots into one pot just before they run dry and keep boiling. You can produce a couple ounces of syrup real quick (less than 1 hour) to taste-test some.

[Maple Ridge]

Thank you for the replies I keep it under my porch and out of the sun. Does this happen more towards the end of the season? I know the days are longer and warmer, but I was just wondering if the trees are ready to start budding, if the sap may be more prone to bacteria.
Next year I plan on having a better set up so I can process it sooner and quicker.
Maple Ridge Dave.

[MapleME]

Dave, I think cloudy sap is sometimes normal. Doesnt mean things are bad our turning on you. I get some collections where some sap is cloudy, some is crystal clear. I just toss it all in together and its never been an issue. Cloudy sap is different than spoiled sap, which you will know when you taste it and as it gets buddy towards the end of the season. I think we have a few weeks left, dont give up yet.