light color

[steve J]

I used the same Hydrometer that I have used in past years when I was boiling useing turkey friers. But the syrup is a very light colored Fancy could my hydrometer be off?

[mapleman3]

if you are using the 2x3, the syrup is going through not as a batch system, when you boiled on the turkey fryer you boiled all together, which darkens the syrup. also it is possible the paper in your hydrometer moved and it is a bit off.

[sapman]

Steve,

Most likely, you've succeeded in making fancy syrup! Congratulations!

My first year, I thought all syrup was supposed to be dark, like the fake corn syrup junk. I didn't have a grade set then, and figured I needed to boil it longer. But it was, indeed done.

Tim

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I always keep two hydrometers on hand just in case and I still use the same hydrometer I have used since the early 90's. I always check them side by side each year and make sure they both read exactly the same. Good to have a spare as they break easy.

Sounds like you made some light syrup. There is a ton of it out there it seems this year! :D :D

[steve J]

I do have a grade set although its a couple years old. But this light color is lighter then what they show as fancy in the grade set is that possible ? Also since I am having to finish in a defferent pan from my boiling pan I have noted that most of the niter is staying in the boiling pan could this be part of the issue?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Steve,

I made quite a bit this year that was lighter than fancy grade and so have a lot of others.

Good job, just keep up the good work. I made some 3 years ago that some of the sap in it had been cooked 3 or 4 times and it almost looked as clear as water. Never seen anything like it and it threw the theory of reheating syrup causes a drop in grade right out the window. :D

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Kevin,

It might be unusual, but my syrup seems to act different down here than what most say up north. 8O I make light syrup with having to boil off 50 to 1 and I made 33.5 gallons as light or mainly lighter than fancy. Don't know if I could do it with a raised flue because with my drop flue, I only have about 20 gallon of sap in it at a given time and the sap it moving through it a lot faster than it would in a raised flue. If I stay on top of it and fire it every 5 or 6 minutes, I am getting over 50 gph and pushing 60 gph on the best hour during a boil.

I ususally filter my syrup straight off the evaporator and then reheated it normally at a later date to bottle it. I have never seen any difference in grade or a drop, but I don't know due to the fact I don't check it before or after. It always seems the same and I had a lot of light syrup this year. Maybe I pay for it in the 50 to 1 ratio, but don't have as much problems with other things. 8O

[mapleman3]

Ok Brandon I have to disagree 8O :wink: with you on the drop flue having it go through any faster than the raised flue... it only takes me around 20-30 also to fill mine, yes yours is 2 ft longer, but I don't think it's going fster because of the flues... maybe because of the airtight and preheater.

[sweetwoodmaple]

Brandon and all - do you guys with "smaller" evaporators do batch draw off or try to get a trickle and do it continuous?

I find that 1 gph (or slightly less for me) of syrup is hard to regulate when you combine it in with uneven firing of a wood evaporator.

Brian

[mapleman3]

I like a steady trickle, I find it kicks my boil rate up, if I batch draw off, it takes much longer to draw off, and tends to go heavy quick 8O I get about a 1/8" steady stream off most of the time... much more consistant temp that way I think.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I have tried it both ways and for me it is easier to draw off about 1 quart every 15 minutes. Too hard to get the exact trickle coming out, but whatever works for each person is the most important.

Another reason I like to batch draw off is that the syrup is really hot and I can filter it while it is still really hot. When I say batch, I only open up my valve a touch and it takes about 1minute to take off a quart. That way I don't mess up the boil rate and the flow within in the pans or the gradient.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Kevin,

That's good and helpful info, I guess I will have to try to clean my pans more often! :D

Thanks! :wink:

[Maple Flats]

Sound like cleaner pans are the answer. I'm going to clean them more often. Has anyone found a good way to get nitter off the bottom of a pan while it is still loose? I wondered if a piece of vinyl hose and siphoning into a pre-filter and then back into the evap might work quickly and easy for between cleanings. Has anyone tried that?