Useing up sap in evaporator

[ehausinfrats]

question? I have a 2x6 evaporator. I'm done for the season with sap/syrup still in the pans. Is there a way of getting most of the sap boiled down? If you add water to the sap, does it mix or force the condensed sap out to the syrup pan

any advise would help.
thanks.

[kinalfarm]

i just boil water like you said and it will push the syrup through the pans and when it stops turning dark you know yyour done

[oneoldsap]

Up here in VT we call it chasing out the rig ! On a 2x6 you can probably get one more draw before it won't come to syrup again . If you want to get it all , just boil down what is left in the front pan . (not on the arch)

[batsofbedlam]

I boil down the last sap in the evaporator and remix water back into it and let it turn into maple vinegar. It's great in salad dressings and sells like hotcakes.

[brookledge]

Drain the sap out of the flue pan, then fill it with water. Start boiling and add sap to syrup pan as needed. Keep filling flue pan with water. That will get all of your sap into syrup.
I have also done as others said by just chasing the sap with water but I feel you don't get all of the sugar that way.
Keith

[Haynes Forest Products]

Im a little slow when it comes to chasing the syrup with water so explain to me how you can boil water and syrup and keep the two seperate? I did an experiment in a pot of water. I put food coloring in only one side of the pan when it was boiling:rolleyes:

[KenWP]

Haynes you can actually boil water with out burning it. Amazed.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I had my 6 and 9 year olds keeping a close watch over my every move:lol:

[red maples]

that is my plan!!!

Drain the sap out of the flue pan, then fill it with water. Start boiling and add sap to syrup pan as needed. Keep filling flue pan with water. That will get all of your sap into syrup.
I have also done as others said by just chasing the sap with water but I feel you don't get all of the sugar that way.
Keith

[stoweski]

I boil down the last sap in the evaporator and remix water back into it and let it turn into maple vinegar. It's great in salad dressings and sells like hotcakes.

Can you elaborate on this a bit? I'm at the end of my run. Currently I have a mixture of sap & some water in the pan. Is there a way to tell when it's "done" (a certain density) or do you just guess.

I'm assuming you bottle it hot and then let it sit on the shelf for a while.

Any info would be helpful. I'm thinking it might be nice to get something from the last bit of sap I have left.

Thanks!

[mapleman3]

I run my evaporator as usual and just run water into my head tank... it's boiling what concentrate out to the syrup pan while starting to clean the back pan... when it's not making syrup anymore I check the back pan sugar % with a refractometer.. if its below 1% it's pretty well done. you can further boil down whats in the the front pan in a finisher if you want.

I just run water through the whole rig for a few hours after that and start scrubbing.

I may put some pan cleaner in or lemon juice later when there is time.... OH WAIT this year there is plenty of time since I only had about 1 weeks worth fo decent sap runs.