2x6 ready to draw off...now what

[johnallin]

So we boiled off 110 gallons today and I'm pretty sure that sometime in the near future I'll have syrup.

With the Half Pint I would draw off into my hyrdo cup and measure ea draw and pour into my filter. Nice small draws and easy to do, but what should I expect with the 2x2 syrup pan I now have? I've seen pictures of fancy stainless draw off pails and am confused - what else is new...

Question is ...do you draw off into the cup, checking each draw like I was doing, and if so can you keep up if the syrup is really comng fast? Or do you draw into a big pail and check density along the way, after your done, or do you just watch temp and then test for density?

I have an Accucup but don't know if that's what I should use, but I do know that if I don't get it figured out beforehand I will wish I had.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[Fred Henderson]

You should have been asking these questions long before now. Do you have a cross flow or reverse flow pans? At the point where you are going to draw syrup you check for density with you cup, take a sample from the pan. What you need is a thermometer. You need a start to draw temp and a stop temp. What I do is in the channel that I am drawing from I check density in my cup the thermometer might say 225 so I will draw until it reaches 222. I does not matter if the thermometer is correct., because the hydrometer don't lie. I make it heavey from the evap then thin it with sweet in the canner. Made 17 gallons today.

[PerryW]

I set my filter-canner right under the draw-off, but have enough room to still put my hydrometer cup under the stream of syrup.

I keep the stream flowing but continuously check by repeatedly filling the hydro. cup. I mentally average the readings on the hydrometer so the overall density is syrup or slightly above. Because I fill only 5 gal drums, i can always adjust the density when I package the syrup in consumer jugs.

[johnallin]

You should have been asking these questions long before now. Do you have a cross flow or reverse flow pans?

Thanks Fred...I hope I've got some time though; won't be boiling again until tomorow night. Hope it didn't sound like I was typing from a Blackberry whilst standing by the rig - I don't have one of those...

I have a 2x2 syrup pan (reverse flow) on a Leader 2x6 with a Patriot raised flue pan.

I do have the thermometer mounted in the side of the pan next to the draw off - same as I had on the Half Pint where I would watch it and will begin to check when it read 219°. If it was syrup, I would draw until the temp dropped and/or it no longer registered on the hydrometer.

I just don't know how big the draws are on a typical 2x6. Do you normally draw a quart at once, or a gallon, should I expect to have the time to take draws in the cup, or do I need to get it out of there quicker so as not to burn it.

I know it may sound dumb but it's where I'm at today. This rig is much bigger than my old buddy the half pint.

[johnallin]

Thanks Perry, that sounds like a good plan. I want to be able to check as I go, just like I did with the half pint, but don't know if I'll have that kind of time.

I imagine your 3x10 puts out some serious syrup compared to the 2x6. How much do you normally get in one draw like that, it must be gallons at a time.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I dont draw off gallons at a time on my 3x10 Maybe 1/2 gallon and then wait till it settles down and then draw again. You need to let the rig set the tone and go easy with the heavy draws. Over drawing will start a wave effect that will leave you sitting and waiting longer between draws and inconsistant syrup.

[Clan Delaney]

John,

I may only be drawing off on a 2x3 now, much like you used to, but I'm with Fred - draw off based on temp. I crack the valve to a trickle when the temp hits 219, if it rises to 220, I'll open it a little more. 221 and I turn off the blower. 222 and I open the valve all the way and pray. This hasn't happened yet, but that's my protocol. Then I close the valve again when temp drops back below 219.

When I bottled last night I checked the density and it was 67%. So, I'm not drawing off light. For me, even on this small rig, checking the density on the fly would just be too much.

I picked up a wireless digital probe thermometer at Wal-Mart, and it's been amazing for this. I can set an alarm for 219, and carry the receiver around with me (and if I so much as look away from the evap, I'm holding the receiver). When that alarm goes off, I'm drawing off.

[Fred Henderson]

On my 3X8 I usually draw 3 Qts to a draw. Just crack that valve a little and let it flow across slowly and you will get more per draw. You cam make the syrup a little heavy in the evap, check with a hydro read temp and draw. I have never drawn syurp that I did not check first with a hydro.

[PerryW]

I just don't know how big the draws are on a typical 2x6. Do you normally draw a quart at once, or a gallon, should I expect to have the time to take draws in the cup, or do I need to get it out of there quicker so as not to burn it.

I do much like Clan does, except I use the hydrometer. If the density starts climbing above syrup, I increase the draw-off flow to try to get the syrup out faster. My draw-offs vary widely, depending on many factors, so you have to expect surprises. Sometimes I draw 2 gallons off (w/ my 3x10) sometimes, just a quart. Usually the big draw-offs happen when I have just reversed the flow, or I'm running deep.

One important note: If your temp or density starts climbing high above syrup; STOP THE DRAWOFF and grab your dipper and ladle some hot sap from your back pan into the draw-off side of your syrup pan until you bring the density back down to syrup.

[johnallin]

Thanks to all, Really good information here, that's what is so great about MapleTrader.