First Syrup

[odskaggs2]

Made my first gallon of syrup this weekend. I'm small only half a dozen 5 gallon buckets but a gallon is a gallon. Everyone loves the taste ( I think it has a butter flavor not sure why though). Thanks for all the help from this board. Next season maybe I'll go for two gallons and figure out why I have butter maples LOL.

[Doc]

Okay....
I was too eager and tapped before the big snow hit. :(
After sweetening the 2x3 over about a 12 hr period I made my first syrup this season. Not a big time operation and the output on the little trees remains 1/3 to 1/2 gallon per day. The few big maples are putting out about a gallon per tap. I'm averaging about 2% sap and drained, melted ice is at 1%.
I shut down the other night right at syrup but didn't draw off any.
Today boiled about 5 hrs and made 5 quarts. WOOHOO!!!
I agree with the buttery taste and having fun. Isn't that what it's about? :)
Sitting here waiting for everything to cool down and I'll boil again probably Thursday night.
Had my parents over and my wife made pancakes for the new syrup.
Good times.

My trees are in a depression right on the banks of a frozen lake. Do you think that they haven't awakened yet or is this par for the course of tapping too early and off weather?
Thanks for all the advice. Great times here by the lake!!!

[Buckeye mapler]

you could always take a bit and reboar the hole to freshen it up. It will run like new again~!

[maplehound]

Doc.
If you ever figure out why a tree runs more one time and less another let us all know. :) We have been trying to figure that out ourselves.
This has been a crazy year, I thought I would get a great run yeasterday and instead it only ran about half what it should have. I don't expect much of a run today since it never got below freezing last night but I will be starting the vaccume up here soon and pumping what did run yeasteday.
Doc. If you have time stop out and see me tonight I will be boiling after 4:30 pm and will probably have enough to boil about 4 or 5 hours.

[Doc]

Staying in tonight by the fireplace. Maplehound, I'll stop down one of these nights. Drop me a line when you are boiling again or I will just drive by. Living on Beaver-Springfield now so we are close.
What do you think about trees on the banks of a lake?? Any difference in the way they act? I have noticed that overall it is colder down there.
Keep in touch.

[Doc]

Last night water boiled at 209 on a digital thermometer. When the syrup was 217-220 the hydrometer wouldn't float. Hydrometer was on the hot syrup line at 222. The syrup had a good taste but still was on the thin side.
Odd going on's happening 'round here.

[maplehound]

Doc,
I finished all the sap I had today. Not sure if there is much in the woods I will have to wait till morning to see that but my father didn't think much was flowing when he checked around 2:00.
Those temp. do give you fits at times. not sure if maybe your thermometer is off or what. I know I have had to boil till I was over 222 before but this year I am right at 219.7 or maybe a little less.
If you want to watch a larger rig Dave Hively is having an open house this Saturday. He hopes to be boiling by 2:00 and he will also be having a tree felling demonstration by Brock ( the logger who has been teaching the game of logging for our forestry group) He will also have icecream toped with fresh maple syrup and who knows what else he may have going on. Should be a fun day.

[Buckeye mapler]

Maplehound. How long have you been doing 600 taps? How many gallons of syrup do you "average" per season? I have had spills and and over flows and today I had to dump some out of the bucket. But I am below what I thought I would have for 130 taps. I will probably end with around 7-8 gallons. Mostly medium amber. No light and probably a little dark amber. Temps down here are saying get ready for clean up and look forward to turkey season!

[maplehound]

I have always been a little disapointed in my over all totals. I do run a vaccume and the best I did was 2 years ago when everyone had a good season, that year I did 170 gallons of syrup with 700 taps. I haven't changed my drops in many years so I am thinking of changing out all drop lines for next year.

[Doc]

I use a new digital thermometer from MapleGuys. If it was calibrated too high then water boiling would have been higher than 209. In another thread on the same night other's were saying that they were drawing off syrup at 222 as well. Tonight I finished my syrup and was drawing off at 219-220. Water still was boiling at 209.
Oh well...I am relying more on the hydrometer and learning as I go.
As far as Saturday, we are taking my parents up to Middlefield to go see a few places up there. If for some reason they don't want to go then we may head out locally.
Where is the large outfit located at?? I am on call the following weekend and may check him out then if he still wants company.
Thanks and let me know when you'll be back out there.
I'm awaiting some cold weather. Wierd....all but one tree gave me practically nothing over the last 2 days. It gave me close to 4 gallons with two taps.

[maplehound]

Doc.
Dave Hively is having his open house this saturday. He lives on Middletown road between rout 45 and 62. There will be alot of people there and probably will be parking along the road so you can't miss it.

[Doc]

Cool. Thanks. If I make it I'll look you up.