Cold Syrup Storage

[jdill]

We are considering adding on a cold room to our sugar house. Hope to build it out of cement block and insulate with whatever we find at best price. I visited a farm last week that used a "coolbot" controller on a window air conditioner in their walk-in cooler. They said it worked very well. We plan on pumping syrup from evaporator into milk bulk tanks (they don't have coolers on them) for storage. We have 3 bulk tanks so far, all 500 gallon each. Anyone have any experience with cold syrup storage to pass on?

[Thad Blaisdell]

If you are going through the trouble to build a cold storage room I would suggest to insulate it correctly, not with whatever is on hand. I would have it spray foam insulated. It may cost a bit more but the ability to keep it cold for less would more than pay for itself.

[upsmapleman]

The Coolbot unit is excellent. I put one in 2 years ago and love it. If you build it to there specs. and use it with the correct size unit it is amazing. Not sure if I have ever heard about anyone using bulk tanks for storage. Would take a big building for what little storage you get. I built a 8x8 cooler 7 ft. high and by stacking some 15 gallon barrells on top of larger can put 800 to 1000 gallon in it. In the hottest months cost $60 to $70 a month for electric.

Dale

[jdill]

The bulk tanks would give us an easy way to keep syrup away from pans and enable us to boil with 1 - 2 people in the sugar house. I can keep more "capable" people in the woods. Was going to fabricate a tighter cover on the tanks. It is quite a bit of open air space though.

[Thad Blaisdell]

How much syrup do you plan on making this year? You dont think that using barrels would be just as easy?

[upsmapleman]

I have no such problems. Being a one man show i have no crews to keep busy.

[red maples]

For your insulation I would just use 4 inch foam board!! easy to cut easy to work with and is great insulation. just make sure that you use a similar grade and R-factor used in walk-in coolers and freezers and make sure you seal it nice and tight or you will get condensation built up on the inside. which creats mold even at low temps!!!

[brookledge]

One issue is how long are you going to keep the syrup in those bulk tanks?
The water in syrup will evaporate even at a cool temp. So I would think that if you put it in at the correct density it will get heavy over time and worse of all you will have a huge area that will be a breading ground for crystals.
Even if you use a closed tank there is a lot of air mass in a partially filled tank.
If you are looking at using a bulk tank for short term storage until you have time to can it up later that might be ok.
One other issue is you have 3 tanks. Over trhe course of the season you might need more tanks 3 grades of A, B and commercial. Also when I gade my own I actualy grade mine with even more like dark A plus or dark A minus so I know if it was just over or just under a grade which helps when canning if you need to blend some
Keith

[maplecrest]

that was tryed in the early 70's by my neighbor and with in 3 months the syrup went high. needs to be hot packed in a drum for any lenghth of time unless you freeze it in those tanks. but good luck if you can make it work. i would run that question by bruce bascom he has played with those storage issues and ideas

[Haynes Forest Products]

I think that drums are the way to go because if you have a bad day at the evap and you bulk some crap into a drum your only tossing 55 to the pigs..........................Ask Ken......................tossing 55 into a 500 bulk tank will make you want to quit. Plus its easy to sell 55s and have the buyer check it and not reheat it. Sucking out of a bulk tank into a drum and loading to wholesale will get you in trouble.

[Bucket Head]

Just curious, what is a "coolbot"?

Steve

[red maples]

Just curious, what is a "coolbot"?

Steve

here steve this link will explain it. basically it a thermonstat override for your air conditioner.
http://www.storeitcold.com/

What would do is not have a big bulk tank. but make your walk-in cooler. then pack your syrup in what ever container. 5 gal plastic blue, 55's, 5 gal epoxy can(hate those things) what ever and put those into you cooler. just by doing that your increasing your shelf life by alot.

this cool bot has me thinking about maybe a root celler type place for canned veggies, bottled syrup, general syrup storage and potaoes and onions and stuff from the garden to make it last longer. I wanted to put ont in anyway but this way I can build a little closet of a room in the basement an my windows are large in there. hmmmm thinking now!!!! un oh that usually mean trouble!!!