Epoxy Can??

[PARKER MAPLE]

Im Looking For A Way To Sell Bulk Syrup This Season And See That Bascoms Has The 5 Gal Epoxy Cans For Like 12.50ea. My Questions Is Do You Just Put The Hot Product Inside There After Complete Or Is It Better To Have It Cooled Off First, Being Thats Its Epoxy It Might Not Take The Heat Well??? They Also Offer A 5 Gal Blue Plastic Can ,would This Work Better For Me, Im Looking For The Easiest Route To Go. Thanks For Your Help
Maple Rookie

[PerryW]

Yes, you can pack the 5-gal epoxy line steel drums hot; in fact Bascoms will sell you these drums full of their syrup that have been hot packed.

I used these drums for quite a few years but switched to the Blue Plastic drums about 10 years ago for the following reasons:

1) After a a couple years, the epoxy coating starts coming off, exposing the steel underneath. The flakes of epoxy will be floating around in your syrup

2) You have to buy new bungs each year.

3) The area around the metal caps gets rusty and the syrup turns black around this bung area and has a terrible taste. You can carefully remove this syrup with a paper towel, but it is a p.i.t.a.

4) The blue plastic drums work great year after year and you can pack them hot (185-200 deg F)

Of course, if you are only going to use them for one year, they will probably work fine.

[red maples]

thanks for asking this one. unlike some other guys I have no way to get one of those big drums into my Tahoo. unless I roll it up on planks then slip and have it roll back onto me no thanks.

I bought a few epoxy cans but I think I will go the blue plastic route from here on out for the reasons that perry mentioned.

[3rdgen.maple]

I use the blue pastic containers and hotpack them. Never had a problem.

[Russell Lampron]

The epoxy cans are really meant for a 1 time use. I have reused some that I have bought syrup in in the past but won't do it again. Even with new seals and caps you can't always get a good seal.

I only use the blue plastic ones now and wash them good after and before each use. The syrup stores better in them and they can be reused many times.

[PARKER MAPLE]

Ok So I Will Be Buying I Guess The Blue Plastic Cans, Whats The Proceedure For Packing These? And Also Say I Dont Fill One Of The Cans Completly, Can I Just Add More To The Top, Or Should That Whole Can Be Reheated And Then Repacked?
Thanks Maple Rookie

[vtsnowedin]

So you fill your drum or plastic jug or epoxy can with grade A medium and take it down to Bascom's. Do they swap you out an empty container or empty yours into a vat?

[PARKER MAPLE]

I Believe They Empty Yours, And Return It To You, At Least Thats What They Did For A Customer A Fews Weekends Ago.. But There Was Also Awhole Mountain Of S.s Drums With Names On Them Out Front, Probably You Have To Specify What You Want..

[farmall h]

What's Up With The Capitals For Each Word in a sentence??
How do you get your keyboard to do that?

[KenWP]

Me Thinks He's Trying To Get A Point Across. That or he's deaf like me and yells a lot.

[farmall h]

Me Thinks He's Trying To Get A Point Across. That or he's deaf like me and yells a lot.
Me thinks you may be right. Just funn'n.

[3rdgen.maple]

They Swap Out Your Blue Plastic Drums With An Equivalant Used One. The Ones That Have Producers Names On Them They Probably Dont Stock Those To Replace Them. Sorry For Yelling The TV Is Too Loud:D
man that took way to long to do that

[PARKER MAPLE]

HA HA HA GUYS... i must of had the cap lock on, didnt mean to be yelling and yes i am a little deff if you dont believe it just ask my wife. thanks for the replys and next time i wont YELL. L.O.L
maple rookie

[maple flats]

I use a few white plastic 6 gal jugs, a couple of blue 5 gal and several SS soda kegs. Never stored any long enough to find problems, all worked good. You must hot pack all at onmce. If you don't have enough just store it uncanned until you have the 5 or 6 gal, heat it to 180+ and put it in all at once or the container won't have any mold spores killed or any bacteria etc.

[DrTimPerkins]

The epoxy cans are really meant for a 1 time use.

The food industry term for epoxy-lined drums or cans is "one-way" drums. Unfortunately they frequently get used more than just one time. Not meant to be. The epoxy lining breaks off the drum surface when you do.

[farmall h]

I don't know about you folks but I get drums from Maple Grove in advance. Last year I bulked 3 (55 gal. drums). I hate that big drum. Takes too long to fill. In the past I would get the 30 gal. drum from Maple Grove. Fill it and send it when the price is good. They are not as heavy to roll up into the Nissan pickup. Had to use the bucket tractor on the 55's.:o

Oh, did I mention the containers are loaners at no charge...as long as you bring them back full.

[Homestead Maple]

For the people that use the 5 gal. plastic cans, do you lose a grade in color if you keep your syrup in them for 3 months or more? I had a problem with that years a go so I went with stainless. May be plastic has an oxygen barrier now . Just wondering.

[tuckermtn]

I'm with homestead- I've switched all bulk storage to either 5 gal cornelious soda kegs or 15.5 beer kegs. might put some in blue plastic for a few days, but I can never seem to get them clean and am concerned about imparting flavor and loosing grade- not sure if there have been any scientific studies on the loss of grade, but my samples- before and after being in the plastic pail- never seem to line up...

[JohnsSugarShack]

tuckermtn, do you have to modify the tops of the 5 gal cornelious soda kegs in order to use them for syrup? I've looked at pictures on the web but can't really tell. And are these kegs all stainless or are some of them alum? These are perfect for what I'm looking for instead of the 5 gal plastic jugs. If possible could you post or send me a picture of what the top looks like when you open them? I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

[KenWP]

One thing when you fill a larger container with hot syrup how you cooling it fast. Even the small containers have to be spaced to stop them from cooking each other and the cans you drop in cold water.
I fianlly seen what new beer kegs look like. The one I have is real old I am told and has a wooden plug and two valves instead of one like the new kegs. I am trying to find one some place now. I have no idea where you would buy those soda containers. Never see then used around here.

[PerryW]

I have never noticed any problems in the grade dropping in the blue plastic drums, but I never really done a scientific study. But I have opened plenty of drums marked fancy (after 6 months or more) and they are still fancy.

But stainless would certainly be the way to go if you can afford it.

[JohnsSugarShack]

tuckermtn, I answered my own questions on the soda kegs found in on the web. Thanks for the heads up on the kegs. Here's the web site that I found.
www.wikihow.com/Assemble-a-Cornelius-Keg