somthings wrong

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Originally Posted by PerryW

They used to calibrate hydrometers at some of the maple suppliers but not sure any more. I have two of them and I check them against each other. They used to say you should make a paper tracing of the hydrometer because the only thing that can go wrong with them (other than breakage) is the paper inside the glass can slide up or down.

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Well at least you're doing something to check. I have to wonder how many others are as conscientious as you are. As for the "only" thing you say could go wrong with them, that would render them inaccurate, no? And failing to correct for temperature would also have me questioning any reading I got. I am not 100% convinced that all those using hydrometers are taking the care or making the considerations that you are.

That brings me back to my original point, if you're just going by a reading and failing to look at the "patient", then you're not taking everything into account. But that said, I agree that with a hydrometer, it is more likely you'll be making syrup of the right density than by using a thermometer alone.

We do the same thing to check out hydrometers. We have three that we check against each other. Have found that they all vary slightly. Same with digital thermometers. They all vary slightly. That is the fun part of sugaring; lots of little variables that make it challenging. You are much braver than I am Happy Thoughts, I would never attempt to make syrup without a hydrometer. :)

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Originally Posted by jmp

We do the same thing to check out hydrometers. We have three that we check against each other. Have found that they all vary slightly. Same with digital thermometers. They all vary slightly. That is the fun part of sugaring; lots of little variables that make it challenging. You are much braver than I am Happy Thoughts, I would never attempt to make syrup without a hydrometer. :)

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Trust me jmp, a hydrometer is on my wish list. Maybe when I'm making more than a couple of gallons a year I'll be better able to justify their cost, (and replacement cost lol).

post edit PS- when your hydrometers differ, which do you choose to go by and why?

my three hydrometers differ by maybe 0.1-0.2 on the baume scale, essentially the difference between the top of the red line and the bottom. I always err in the direction of making the syrup thicker.

You certainly need to take into account all data when making syrup. You can tell by the bubbles of the boiling syrup when it's getting close. You can tell by the dial thermometer when it's getting close. You can try the apron test w/ a syrup scoop (if you own one). When it starts going plop-plop-plop, you are getting too thick and better dipper some hot sap in quick. But even an innaccurate hydrometer is better than a thermometer.

I've been sugaring most of life and I'm a cheap Yankee. I have never bought a sap hydrometer, never used a tubing tool, build houses without a nail gun, never used a pump, but I own three syrup hydrometers.

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Originally Posted by PerryW

But even an innaccurate hydrometer is better than a thermometer.

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And I don't disagree if all you're basing density on is a hydrometer reading.

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Originally Posted by PerryW

I've been sugaring most of life and I'm a cheap Yankee. I have never bought a sap hydrometer, never used a tubing tool, build houses without a nail gun, never used a pump, but I own three syrup hydrometers.

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You also have many hundreds of taps :) If I had that many or were selling commercially, I'd have several hydrometers too. That said, making syrup is the same as making candy and many have made all varieties of candy going only by temp and the behavior of a sugar solution. I've only been doing this for 6 years but feel reasonably confident that my syrup is pretty close to what it should be. I am not basing my judgements on a thermometer reading alone. I guess that either makes me cheaper or more Yankee than you:)

5 Gallons of sap made 2 gallons of syrup???? I would tap every tree in the county you sir have a bonfied gold mine!!!!!

Happy Thoughts, our hydrometers vary by about the same as PerryWs. And we also err on the side of cautious.

PerryW, you are NOT a cheap Yankee, you are a TRUE Yankee! :) And thats coming from one.....

this is just my 3rd year making syrup and my first selling and i would not even try to make it without hydrometer, i have only one but i am going to buy another one this week. i finish in a propane finisher and can tell when it is close by the type and color of bubbles and it is usually "finished" within 2-3 minutes. i always try to err on the side of thicker than thinner. i have a digital thermometer and do not even use it,i would rather "waste" propane and use my finisher. as for 1.5 gallons to 35 gallons of sap, i tested a couple buckets from my lawn and they were 3 percent but i would guess that most of my woods taps are 1.5 -2.0. i would guess that you have some very sweet sap/partially finished syrup i did this my first year and found out that my "syrup" was not quite done. if you are just making for yourself and like thin syrup, it will spoil if not used quickly, then it is a moot point but if plan to sell or even give it away you owe it to customers or even friends to buy a hydrometer, at $25 it is about the cheapest thing you will buy in this hobby/business.

took me 6 hours on Sunday to Finnish but i did it i took it in the house and put it on the stove way to early it took 3 hours on my barrel evaporator and 3 hours on my house stove to make about 18oz of syrup from 5 gallons of sap i think its a little thin though i will get a hydrometer for next time

I have noway right now to test for sugar% but im sure it right up there. After the cold nights we would take the ice out of the buckets and by the time we got done we were down to 35 gallons of sap. Dont remember what we started with but we tossed alot of ice. I had read about doing this in a backyard sugaring book at one time. Alot less boil time and higher sugar % in your sap. Just a new guy tring new stuff....jim