Sap runs

[katmike]

I've had a run that's lasted so far 3+ days straight. Night and day the temp hasn't been below freezing since last Friday night. I would have said Saturday was a good day for collection, and was surprised to find a LOT Sunday moning (low 40's that night Sat. night) and it continued through Monday afternoon, and I'll bet there's more after I get off work today. I don't know but the amount I've collected is probably the most from a single run since I've started this hobby 4 years ago.

Question: does the sap quality deteriorate the longer a run lasts? It's not cloudy. I'm sure the trees aren't even close to budding (it's only mid Feb.). I see a "recharge" starting tonight... down below freezing.

[brookledge]

Its early so you should not see any deteriation in the sap even if it runs for days. The biggest poblem is the temp of the sap in your tanks. Sap is a sugar solution that has bacteria in it, the warmer it gets the faster the bacteria multiplies. Your taps are not that old yet so you should not have any problems

[katmike]

Well I finished of my first batch this year - 1 1/2 gallons of some pretty light stuff. In fact some of the lightest I've ever made. This was also the first year I'd used any syrup filters (pre-filter and synthetic from Bascom).

I used the prefilters through the process - from the evap to my finishing, and from there to the coffee maker where I had a prefilter on top and the synthetic I used as the final. Only frustration was how often I had to change the filters as they would plug up pretty quick even tho the syrup was hot (boiling) and just the right density. As I would pour into the clean filter it would run pretty good for about 5 seconds and then drip slower and slower until the pool of syrup in the filter would refuse to budge. I'd take a spoon and scrape the bottom of the filter and pull up a jelly like substance. I assume this is the stuff that was forming the layer of crystals in the bottom of my jars in years past.

I think what may be causing me to have more trouble with crystalization is the process I use. I can't keep the evaporator running continuosly. I have to shut down for the evening and what's in the pan will slowly cool and the next day I'll add fresh sap the the mix and start over. I might add that I do occasionally draw off from the other end so there is some type of circulation thru the evap, but what I draw off may be, say 80% - 90% syrup. What I draw off collects in a large pot and when the whole batch is done over several days, I take the "near" syrup into the house and finish on the stove.

Since the sap in this process may experience several hot/cold cycles, is it reasonable to assume that this would cause more crytalization than a batch that was run thru quickly rather than my method of several days? I really don't see any grade loss with the way I'm doing it, but I think I probabaly would have to live with the excess crytalization problem unless I can clone myself and run a continuos process. Sorry for the long post.

Mike

[JohnM]

Hey Mike,

This is my first year using the prefilters and wool cone and it has taken a little while to get used to pulling out the prefilters when they clog with sugar sand.

I will have to say that after canning 5 gal in mason jars it is the clearest I have finished in three years.

Wisdom I have read on this forum is that each time you take syrup/near syrup back above 200 you are going to get some more sugar sand. So it is probably best to finish a batch you have ready into jars/jugs and move on. :)

[brookledge]

Mike are you using a hydometer to check for density? Sounds like you are on the heavy side because you are getting crystalization. Syrup at the proper density will not crystalize. Another thing is to not disturb or scrape the synthetic filter when using. If you scrape it or squeeze it it will make your syrup cloudy. Another thing you can do is to run it through your filters before you bring it in your house. This will filter out alot of sugar sand while the density is still low. then finish it and run through the filter again it should go easier.
Keith

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Ok, I have to disagree with the info on reheating syrup. I reheat my syrup all the time up to boiling and sometimes boil it for an hour or two to get the proper density before canning it and after I have already filtered it and I usually never develop any more sugar sand. I have found that if you get it at least 4 degrees above the boiling point of water, it is seldom that any more sugar sand develops. I think the North American maple producers guide will agree with me on this one also. :wink:

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

I can't seem to find a page # on that one? I did find a page # for the N.H. Quality control manual Pg. #54 and the Vermont quality control manual Pg. #42 that states=package syrup higher then 180 Degrees but no higher then 200 Degrees as if temperatures are raised for too long of a time niter may precipitate causing cloudy syrup that must be re-filtered again. I remember when i was a kid(just A couple of days ago) i used to heat my syrup up until just before it started to boil again and bottle it from a pot on the stove-Unknow to me at the time someone said how come your syrup is cloudy? I filtered it i said. Well i found out later from a maple producer that i should stay under 200 and you'll be ok.

[katmike]

Keith, yes I am using a hydrometer. In fact I got two just to make sure one wasn't lying to me. I would agree with you that it's sounds like the syrup is one the heavy side, but the hydro reads 59 brix (using the hot test line). So I don't think I am dealing with heavy syrup, just theorizing that there were other forces at work here.

Brandon, I don't know if I am dealing with suger sand or crytals. I get the impression that they are 2 distinct things- 1) Sugar sand being the natural by-product of boiling and 2) sugar crystals from boiling past normal density. Now I've read that actual sugar sand is dark, but my gut feeling is that I am somehow creating more of the crystals, because the stuff is lighter in color.... even tho the hyro reads that I am not too dense. Or maybe I am dense... :wink:

Or maybe Illinois trees just aren't intended to be tapped :)

Mike

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Mike,

You'll know the difference between sugar sand and crystals. Crystals look like crystals and sugar sand looks like fine gritty crap. 8O