Syrup Viscosity

[swierczt]

What is the correct viscosity for syrup? After having it packed for a while I have had it from thick as honey to thin as water (both ways at room temperature) and everything in between. I can't say I have much for crystals in the bottom of the jugs. I use plastic jugs, so it's hard to tell exactly how much crystal has formed. I soak them in hot water to get any of it our before I give them a good washing and drying to reuse next year. All tested fine with the hydrometer. I don't sell it so I'm not really concerned. It tastes fine and grades med. amber, but I am curious why it is so inconsistant from jug to jug?

[vermaple]

I believe that CT uses the USDA standard of 66 Brix for the correct density. A hydrometer or a refractometer is needed to accurately check density and must be done at specified temperatures to be accurate.

[brookledge]

Are you checking the syrup at the correct temp? The hydrometer has two red lines one at 60 and the other at 211 degrees. There is a chart to give you the correct brix at different temps.
also as syrup warms and cools the viscosity will change. Otherwise not sure what the problem is
Keith

[swierczt]

I think the temp. was between 180-190 after coming out of the filter and just before I bottled it. I can remember looking at the 'hot test' line...I think I'm going to warm some up and try it again. Thanks!

[3% Solution]

swierczt,

No need to heat it up!
Just put the hydrometer in the syrup, check the temperature and read where the hydrometer floats.
Now, before you do that you will need the chart brookledge was talking about.
I think the chart can be found on here somewhere, do a search.
This is the way we can our syrup, works pretty good for us.

Dave

[3rdgen.maple]

I think the temp. was between 180-190 after coming out of the filter and just before I bottled it. I can remember looking at the 'hot test' line...I think I'm going to warm some up and try it again. Thanks!

I think that is the problem. As stated by others if you use the hot test line on a hydrometer it has to be at 211*. Here is what I do. Once the syrup reaches density or as close to it as possible off the evaporator it goes into the finisher which is heated by propane to control the temperature. I finish the syrup at this point checking the density with the hydrometer. I have a thermometer on the finishing pan so I make sure the temps are at the correct reading for the hydrometer. Another point is that I always have a problem breaking hydrometers so I have three of them. I compared readings on all three one day on the same batch at the same time and one was way off compared to the other two. Needless to say I hope the next time I break one it is the one that reads different. I would recommend checking your hydrometer againt another one or better yet against two. But again I think you are taking readings from different batches at different temperatures causing the variation in your density.

[paul]

Swierczt

when you heat your syrup you should have a cover on top of whatever you are useing to heat your syrup. at 180-190 deg. there is steam coming off the syrup, that steam coming off will make your syrup heavy. just my 2 cents

Paul

[3rdgen.maple]

Good point Paul forgot to mention that one. My filter unit has a cover to hold the steam in while maintaining a bottling temperature as well.

[PerryW]

technically, viscosity is a thickness of a liquid whereas density is the weight per unit of volume.

For example oil is more viscous than water, yet water is actually denser than oil; that's why it floats on top of water.

[swierczt]

technically, viscosity is a thickness of a liquid whereas density is the weight per unit of volume.

For example oil is more viscous than water, yet water is actually denser than oil; that's why it floats on top of water.

So if a hydrometer measures density, brix has no relation to syrup viscosity?

[Haynes Forest Products]

It does because brix is the sugar content so the higher the brix the thicker the syrup (viscosity) they go hand in hand less sugar lower brix thinner syrup.

[KenWP]

What I find is my own homemade syrup which has spoiled me for maple syrup for the rest of my life is thicker then the syrup I buy here in the cans. Now I might be makeing my syrup a bit over the proper brix a bit but not all that much. My syrup is darker since it's batch made but it seems to not run all over the pancakes like the store bought stuff.

[PerryW]

So if a hydrometer measures density, brix has no relation to syrup viscosity?

For a given substance, density and viscosity are generally related. In other words, denser syrup is more viscous. But density is easily measured wheras, viscosity is more difficult. Density is measured with a hydrometer, refractometer or simply weighing the syrup and dividing by the volume.

Viscosity is essentially thickness, which is more difficult to measure. Take jello, for instance. Jello has essentially the same density in is liquid form (just before it thickens) as it does when it has set. The viscosity changes drastically, but the density remains virtually constant.

It would be interesting to know if all grades of standardized syrup has exactly the same viscosity or if darker grades are more viscous.

[maplecrest]

ever notice that fancy syrup seems, not to be as "thick" as grade B. yet the density is the same. as you pour it on your pancakes

[Sugarmaker]

I agree with maplecrest, light syrup always seems to be less viscous then the darker syrup. ( on the pancakes) some folks think its been "watered" down. We try to get the density on the mark at 67 brix or a little over the recommended density limit. Once in a while we do have some crystals which means we may be higher than we wanted but still great syrup!:)
One of the things that I should do a better job of is rechecking the density as I can it. Which just takes a little more time and effort.
I did check some light syrup for density that I was canning for a special event and it was a little low on density. So I heated it to 220F and when I canned it it was cloudy again with sugar sand.:( Moral of the story would be to go a little over brix at the beginning and cut the syrup back with a little water at a much lower temp.

Regards,
Chris

[dschultz]

If you add water to your syrup at canning have to bring it to a boil so the water and syrup mix.If you don't bring it to a boil and just can it the water come's to the top in the jar's and you can see the difference.

[3rdgen.maple]

dschultz I have never heard that one before is tis something that happened to you?
Sugarmaker yes sir once that syrup gets up to a certain temp or maybe once it starts to boil ( I think it is 200 gotta look it up) you have to refilter it. It will create more sugar sand. Weird I would think it would filter out the first time but it doesn't.

[dschultz]

Yes 3rdgen it did.

[3rdgen.maple]

Have too remember that one then never diluted before so that is good to know thanks

[PerryW]

If you add water to your syrup at canning have to bring it to a boil so the water and syrup mix.If you don't bring it to a boil and just can it the water come's to the top in the jar's and you can see the difference.

I add water virtually every time I can up a batch of syrup and I never bring it above 200 deg. When you heat syrup over 200 deg, it forms more sugar sand.

I just measure the density while I'm reheating the syrup (usually around 100-120 degrees), check the density against the chart (for whatever temperature), then add the right amount of water to the syrup.

I just make sure and stir the syrup several times during the remainder of the heating process to make sure the syrup and water is well mixed. I open the valve and refilter (through a prefilter only) when the temp hits 198.

I wrap a double-layer of bath-towels (sewn together) for insulation around the filter canner to keep the heat in and start filling jugs.

When the dial thermometer on my canner drops below 185, I stop filling jugs.

[dschultz]

Perry, are you canning in plastic or glass? If your putting it in plastic jugs you won't see the water on top. I do all my canning in glass jars.

[Brent]

Somewhere along the way an engineer got his finger into making maple syrup equipment.

You gotta wonder what good a hydrometer is that is calibrated to 211 deg.
By the time the syrup has been in the in the cup for 15 or so seconds, mine is never at 211. Most of the time its about 195-200.

Furthermore if we are testing at about 185 in the canning process, wouldn't it make more sense to calibrate them for 185. If you draw off at 215-217 and it hits the cold cup, it only take a few minutes to drop to 185. I have an Acu-cup from the Mapleguys and you can water the temp go down in it.

If I was making a new line of hydrometers today I'd red line them at 185.

[KenWP]

I found a SS thermos at a garage sale this summer so Iam going to use that to test syrup now. If you put hot water in it before the syrup it keeps hot. I used to take one hunting years ago in 30 below weather and if you got it hot before putting hot tea in it you had hot tea all day but if you used it cold it would give you luke warm by noon.

[3rdgen.maple]

That is the reason my test cup hangs above the evaporator plus I put hot syrup in it then quickly dump it and add fresh and the last thing is it sits right in the finisher when I take my reading.

[brookledge]

That is why you need a temp compensation chart to give you the temps between the hot line and cold line so you can check it at other temps.
Keith

[brookledge]

Brent
Do a search on the trader "Syrup hydrometer temp compensation chart" and you will get some charts there or go to the second edition of th NA Maple Syrup producers manual and on page 166 it has two charts one for hyrometer calibrated at 60 and one at 68 degrees. Most hydrometers that I have seen are calibrated at 60 and in your case 185 degrees = +6.5brix or 65.5brix
Keith

[Brent]

Thanks. I put a chart on our own web site about a year ago
see the bottom of the page for the link
http://www.duffyslanemaple.ca/Making-syrup/making-syrup.html

It would just be easier if there was a redline on the 185 mark that we can syrup at.

[Russell Lampron]

When you reheat syrup it will begin to release niter at 193 degrees. Constant stirring of the hot syrup will cause sugar crystals to form. Both will make the syrup cloudy. I have never had a problem adding water to my syrup to thin it down without bringing it to a boil again. I use a slotted stainless spatula to stir it and only do it enough to get the same reading when I draw off out of the canner valve and when I dip some syrup off of the top with the hydrometer cup. The Accu-cup is a must have and a hydrometer that is graduated in 2/10 degrees works better than the one that measures in 1/2 degree increments.