Foaming like crazy

Started todays boil with a like new clean pan. Sap concentrated to 4%. From the time it came to a boil it was foaming. The foam would die down around firing time but then go right back up as soon as I added wood. I boiled 4 1/2 hours and it kept getting worse as the day went on. Towards the end I wasn't even firing as hard as I usually do. No amount of defoamer would help at all. I emptied the pan at the end and it really had no nitre in it but there was an abnormal amount of really dark foam on the sides of the pan. The syrup tastes very good and I am wondering if this is just from late season sap? Most of the sap was clear but I did have some cloudy mixed in. I also ran it a little deeper then normal as I was concerned with scorching the pan.

Had the same problem boiling for 6 hours yesterday, Playing with fire worrying about scorching the pans.

Same here. My Reds cleared up yesterday, which I have never seen this late in the season, it is always cloudy. Sap was very foamy during boil. Had to increase to 3 drops of defoamer with each firing, instead of my usual 1 drop. Still good flavor though.

Foaming in late season can be high. Foaming with a clean pan can be high (no residual defoamer spread throughout pan). You got both at the same time.

I did my final boil of the season today and had the same problem. I also noticed that anytime I pumped or poured sap it also foamed up. Glad it's not like that all the time. Thanks for the answers.

We have to increase our defoamer usage late in the season to keep the syrup pans from overtopping the partitions. Whenever possible we only add defoamer to the incoming sap (concentrate) but late in the year you often need to add a touch to the syrup pan every once in a while.

Is a defoamer a must have for a hobbyist, regardless of the type of evaporator? Is the foam just something you can scoop off with a strainer type of ladel?

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Originally Posted by Swingpure

Is a defoamer a must have for a hobbyist, regardless of the type of evaporator? Is the foam just something you can scoop off with a strainer type of ladel?

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No defoamer = a messy disaster and potentially burnt pan.

You can use sunflower or canola oil as a natural defoamer as well. A few drops works well. Would be fine for small hobbyist using steam pans.

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Originally Posted by TapTapTap

No defoamer = a messy disaster and potentially burnt pan.

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Only if you plan to finish on your evaporator. I did batch boils for five years, and only went to probably 50% sugar max on the evaporator, before finishing the syrup on the stove. Never used a drop off defoamer, and never burned my pans.

GO