Quote Originally Posted by MustardSeedMum View Post
The other thing I'm struggling with is figuring out when to finish. Use my hydrotherm or my thermometer? I was boiling to 219/220 but my hydrotherm would say it's not quite ready. But I'm getting the sheeting and my finished product looks really thick going by my hydrotherm.
MSM, maybe I missed it, but I didn't see anyone suggest that perhaps your target number for the thermo hasn't been calculated properly. Every day you need to check the boiling point of water as near to where you are using the thermo as possible (e.g. beside where you're boiling the sap). Atmospheric pressure, caused by weather conditions, can change that normally 212F number into 210F or 214F. So find out today's number (I boil my thermo in a kettle, with fresh water every day), and then add 7.2F to it to get to minimum maple syrup brix point.

Also, there temperature corrections that should be done with Hydrotherms if your syrup is not boiling when measured. Fill your hydrotherm cup with boiling syrup, wait a few seconds for the cup to warm, then dump and take fresh syrup...then measure.

As Karen says, if it looks good, its probably good, but if you're thinking of selling any, you really should resolve the two measurements to your satisfaction so you know what you've ended up with.