Finish by temp only

[acorn roadster]

Another first timer here. I am finishing by temperature only because I don't want to spend any more money so no hydrometer. I have taken my syrup to 219-220 but it still seems thin. Also no niter formed after letting it sit for a few days. Should I keep going hotter? Water boils at 212 every time I've tested. How hot is too hot to go? Is going by temperature alone just going to be a crapshoot?

[brass maple]

Is syrup sheeting of a large spoon. I use a large metal grill spatula. If you get large sheets of syrup falling off of it, you are close if not at syrup

[buckeye gold]

Yes going by temperature alone is somewhat of a crap shoot. However, if it's for personal use only your probably close enough at 219-220. I never could get the sheeting thing when I first started, it takes a trained eye. I do notice that if I dip some up in a glass measuring cup and pour it out syrup will stick to the sides and sheet off, but thin concentrate will pour out pretty quick and clean. To me $17-20 for a hydrometer is not a big expense if your going to continue. I would not attempt to make syrup without one.

[happy thoughts]

Going by temp alone can be a crapshoot. Not all thermometers are accurate and some types are more accurate than others. You need to be careful about touching the sides or bottom of the pan when taking a reading and the syrup needs to be deep enough so the temp sensing part is submerged.

If your operation is too small to justify a hydrometer purchase then look for sheeting like brass maple suggests. Here's a picture of aproning or sheeting. If it drips in single drops off the side of a spoon or spatula, it's not done yet. It should look like a curtain

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5254/5...bd3380a05e.jpg

[CampHamp]

How hot is too hot to go? Is going by temperature alone just going to be a crapshoot?

I think it's only a crapshoot if you don't set your baseline in water first - but if max water temp is 212 at that same hour, then you have syrup at 219. Above that number by a couple degrees then you'll have less syrup and it will form crystals in the bottle over time (like rock candy).

[happy thoughts]

Even if temp is accurate at predicting density, +7 F isn't going to get you quite to syrup. 66 brix is theoretically reached at +7.1 degrees F and 66.9 brix, the VT standard, at +7.5 F above water's boiling point. Those decimals of degrees can make a big difference since since sugar concentration directly affects syrups boiling point.

[Cedar Eater]

I finish by temp, but I check it with the sheeting method. My digital thermometer always reads the boiling temp of water at somewhere between 216 and 216.5*F, so I just bring the temp up until it first starts to tickle 224. I shut it off then to check for sheeting and I always have it by then. I still get some crystals in about a third of my jars.

[saphound]

I'd like to know how you're not getting any niter. Niter doesn't form after a few days, it forms while boiling over 200 or so degrees. But anyway, if your syrup seems thin after it's completely cool, take it a couple degrees higher, say 222-223. It might end up a little heavy, but it won't be thin. That's the way I like it, myself.

[bill m]

If you are selling syrup to the public the sheeting method is not accurate enough. Why not just buy a hydrometer? A thermometer that will be accurate enough will cost more then a hydrometer. If using a thermometer you must check it in a pot of boiling water 2 or 3 times a day because it will change with the barometric pressure. Today I boiled water to clean my evaporator. It started at 211.3 at 10 AM, by 1 PM it was up to 211.8 and at the end of the day ( 4:00 ) it was back down to 211.4

[Eds Constructors]

In several of the "old time" country hardware stores here in CNY, they sell maple supplies and I noticed that the thermometers had marks at several locations indicating sugar, candy, and syrup was at 230 degrees. I am only in my second year but noticed on my 3 different thermometers, all read different ,but all were boiled around 223 and still were shy on the hydrometer 65 brix. I just didn't want to burn it. I've had the pleasure of having syrup over boil on my stovetop, NOT FUN!. I'm sticking at 65-66 or 220 at 60 seconds never turning away to even blink-lol