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  1. Thread: 2017 season

    by Sapster
    Replies
    22
    Views
    22,656

    Still Holding On

    No buds on my trees and this looks like it will be the best week of the season - and the last. Have about 3-1/2 gallons per tap since Sunday and should have more in the next couple of days. Glad I...
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    Today was the end of a mediocre season. Had 110...

    Today was the end of a mediocre season. Had 110 gallons from 2/27-3/12 made very dark syrup. Previously had 105 gallons from 2/20-2/27 and made light amber. Got a 42:1 ratio both times. At least...
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    21,015

    Had a great day Sat. Boiled 105 gallons to make...

    Had a great day Sat. Boiled 105 gallons to make 2-1/2 gallons of Golden Delicate syrup (also meets former Grade A Fancy). Sap was testing at 2.4°Brix, which explains my good boil ratio of 42-to-1. ...
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    33 taps in this afternoon.

    33 taps in this afternoon.
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    21,015

    old tom It looks like you are in the...

    old tom

    It looks like you are in the neighborhood too (New Lenox?)! wilos1 and I are in the vicinity of 167th, Cedar Rd., and Bruce Rd. There are lots of sugar maples in the area. Thousands in...
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    I'm expecting to tap in a few weeks. The...

    I'm expecting to tap in a few weeks. The earliest I've tapped so far is Feb. 13th (2011). I usually tap the last week of Feb. or the first week of March.

    wilos1, I notice we're in the same town....
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    mellondome, Thanks for mentioning that. I do...

    mellondome,

    Thanks for mentioning that. I do plan on showing the Brix measurement as a function of temperature above the boiling point of water (as measured on my stove at the time).
  8. At what Brix value does sugar crystallize in syrup?

    If you have any examples of sugar crystallizing in syrup and you know the Brix value of the syrup, can you please post it here. Maybe mention whether or not it was refrigerated too, since...
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    Wow! I completely struck out here. If I get a...

    Wow! I completely struck out here. If I get a chance this season, I will try to create a graph relating sap/syrup boiling temperature to Brix value and post it here. I'm not sure if this is going...
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    Boiling Temp. vs. Density (Specific Gravity)

    Can anyone out there direct me to some data or a chart relating the density (specific gravity) of maple syrup near the finished state to the boiling temperature? I want to know how much a given...
  11. Thread: 2015 tapping

    by Sapster
    Replies
    49
    Views
    35,425

    Very Little Sap So Far

    Put in 33 taps in Will Co. on 3/8 and only have about 25 gal so far. It seems that the ground hasn't fully thawed out from the late cold snap last month. Hopefully warm weather will break through...
  12. Thread: Saybrook

    by Sapster
    Replies
    22
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    18,322

    Pulled my taps yesterday. This year started out...

    Pulled my taps yesterday. This year started out very slow but ended up just below that last few years for sap output. Ended up with 10gals per tap. On my last two batches, sap collected between...
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    I'm 30 miles SW of Chicago and the story is the...

    I'm 30 miles SW of Chicago and the story is the same here. I tapped Friday and only have about 20 gallons from 33 taps as of tonight. Unfortunately, it seems like it is going to take quite a few...
  14. Thread: off flavor

    by Sapster
    Replies
    25
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    9,465

    mathprofdk, It may be a bit tedious, but if...

    mathprofdk,

    It may be a bit tedious, but if you take a small sample of sap (a cup or so) from each tree you tap, you can boil the samples down very quickly on the stove and make very small...
  15. Replies
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    92,876

    gwcutter: I got the Insul Stick refractory...

    gwcutter:

    I got the Insul Stick refractory insulation at a masonry supply house. It was about $50 for a 30lb pail. I think it took two to complete both ovens. It needs a little patch work every...
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    19,882

    1st Run of the Season A Success

    Hope everyone is starting to see some sap flow. Since tapping last weekend, I collected about 2 gallons of sap per tap, most of which came over the past 3 days. It was a little wet today, but we...
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    Taps Finally In in Will County

    33 taps finally in today with the help of my 5 and 7-yr olds. With a high of 35°F and direct sun hitting the trees, sap was starting to slowly dribble. It looks like next week will be the first...
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    I have two 32"x32"x9" stainless pans. After each...

    I have two 32"x32"x9" stainless pans. After each use, I clean the inside and outside with 3M Scotch Brite and a bucket of hot water and dishwashing soap. The dishwashing soap really dissolves the...
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    Here are a few more angles and a short video to...

    Here are a few more angles and a short video to show the ovens better. A few notes:
    1. There is an internal brick wall separating the two ovens.
    2. Even with the firebrick mortar and refractory...
  20. Replies
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    92,876

    Thanks MapleLady. I only have time to manage 33...

    Thanks MapleLady. I only have time to manage 33 taps for now, so I am able to finish on the stove in one or two batches.
  21. Replies
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    92,876

    My homemade "brick oven" evaporators - built in...

    My homemade "brick oven" evaporators - built in 2008. They are made from firebrick with Heat Stop II mortar and lined with Insul Stick refractory insulation. The 32"x32" evaporation pans are made...
  22. Replies
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    Thanks MapleMounder. I've been trying to improve...

    Thanks MapleMounder. I've been trying to improve every year since 2007 (steam tray sitting on a shelf rack over an open campfire) through trial and error.

    I'm really glad to have found this site....
  23. Replies
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    Tap Dates in Illinois

    My tap dates:
    2007: Feb. 21 (10 taps)
    2008: Mar. 1 (24 taps)
    2009: Mar. 3 (33 taps)
    2010: Feb. 27 (33 taps)
    2011: Feb. 13 (33 taps)
    2012: Feb. 19 (33 taps)
    2013: ??? (33 taps)

    I collect...
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