Crystals forming in syrup

[aunt stellas gardens]

It seems as though our refrigerated syrup is developing cyrstals. They seem to be sugar crystals. We have our extra stash in the freezer and bring it to the fridge as we need it. Could this be the reason for the crystals? Is this normal?
I'm so glad you folks are here to answer my rookie questions.

[maplekid]

your syrup was cooked a little too long i have crystals in my jars to. but its a thin layer on the bottom

[Haynes Forest Products]

Its just over density. I have seen even the most experianced producers get it. I did about 5 gallons of extra dark 2 points over for friends and it did the same thing but in a grand scale. It was stored in the cool basement. I think the cold actualy slows the formation of crystals down. I had a 1/2 gallon jug that had 1 1/2" of rock candy in the bottom. I poured the syrup out and reheated the jug empty and that didnt work to lousen it so I busted the jar and the entire peice seperated from the glass. I washed it good and when I was sure that I didnt have any glass stuck to it I dried it and fed it to the neighbor kids:lol:
I cant taste any differance in the crystalized syrup or clear. I think that once the crystals stop forming its at the right density.

[aunt stellas gardens]

So this means I could have gotten more sleep that night and I was starting to boil it down to maple candy. Correct?
The lesson here is that as soon as the hydrometor reads at the correct level bottle it fast. I still have alot of experimenting to go with the brix degree reading.
Otherwise these cystals are edible and sometimes normal.
Thanks again, Nancy

[Haynes Forest Products]

Edible there fantastic come on its the best candy ever. I draw off as close to done as possible keep in mind that as you draw off its a average that you end up with and then I refine the syrup in the finish pans. If I draw off and put in a pan and it sits it will still evaporate off liquid until its cool. Always recheck before you bottle because just reheating will raise the brix

[KenWP]

I purposely did one small batch over since it was my last batch and small and put in glass just to see what happened to it. So far just the stuff in the fridge we used formed a few crystals and the microwave fixs that up.

[vermaple]

Its just over density.
I think that once the crystals stop forming its at the right density.

Actually at times when crystals begin to form they will keep forming until the syrup is low density. I have never seen syrup ferment with crystals in it though.

[jordy95]

Is this an example of the over cooking mentioned above? Thanks all

[Hurry Hill Farm]

Your syrup, for sure, is too dense. But, I have a theory about self-defrosting refrigerators: they take moisture out of the air in the frig and freezer. (Just look at celery and carrots after a week in the frig!! Or meat left in a freezer longer than a month.) I think that moisture is also drawn out of syrup and cream when stored in a self-defrosting frig and freezer for a long period of time. Regular, old fashioned frigs leave moisture in the frozen and refrigerated maple products.

I do tell folks who experience crytals (they are pure sugar, you know) in their syrup container to put in some boiling water, shake the container until the crystals are loose, dump them out in a strainer, pat dry with paper towel, air dry and store in an interesting glass container. Moral of this lesson: people pay a lot of money for sugar crystals at Niagara Falls!! Yours are free!!