SLIGHTLY ropey syrup?

Hi folks, can you help me figure out if I've made ropey syrup?

Had a batch of sap that sat around for a few days in cool but not cold temps. It got cloudy but smelled and tasted fine, so I went ahead and boiled it. Boil went normally; as I usually do, I drew off early to finish in a propane finishing pan rather than over the wood fire. The almost-finished syrup tastes good, but its texture is a little strange: it's just a little stickier than it seems like it should be, and drips when I pour out are just a little longer and stringier-looking than I'm used to seeing. Sort of seems like it might be ropey, but all the descriptions of ropey syrup are way more dramatic and gross than this. Everybody says you'll know ropey syrup when you see it, but I'm really not sure. So is there such a thing as slightly ropey syrup? Is there anything I can do to verify? I'd like to know what I'm dealing with before putting it in the finishing pan, and certainly before blending it with my previous successful batches. Any help would be great!

It can be hard (or impossible) to get a good density reading on ropey syrup. Generally if the string stretches more than 2 inches long it is considered ropey and rejected.

Am I correct that you can use slightly stringy syrup for candy, sugar, or cream?

Am I correct that you can use slightly stringy syrup for candy, sugar, or cream?

I used some to make sugared almonds and they turned out fine.

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Originally Posted by Ultimatetreehugger

Am I correct that you can use slightly stringy syrup for candy, sugar, or cream?

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Maybe...depends on the invert level and how stringy it was. If it is stringy, the invert level might be too high. How are you defining "slightly"?

Using it for nuts or sauces (BBQ) might be better options.

Thanks everybody!

I didn't measure the strings yet, but they might be less even than the 2" you mentioned. Maybe one inch or so, just enough that I look at it and think, "That doesn't look right." That was pouring it at high temp, and around 62 brix as I haven't put it in the finishing pan yet.

If it is in fact ropey I may try making granulated sugar with it as suggested. Another option I'm considering is that we do sugar-on-snow demonstrations. Seems like if I overboil this stuff and pour it on shaved ice, the stringiness wouldn't be noticeable. Does that seem reasonable?