New guy here looking to make syrup for the first time.

[superchunk]

Technically this will be my second time if you take into account that pint of sap I boiled down into a few tablespoons last year. It tasted delicious so this year I bought a dozen spiles and plan to go a little bigger. I'll be happy if I can get 5-10 gallons of sap this year and end up with a quart or two of syrup. I really don't have the proper equipment. My plan was to find some food grade 5 gallon buckets that I could store sap in my spare fridge until I had time to try and evaporate it. But surprisingly I'm having trouble finding food grade buckets. The local bakeries and donut shops don't seem too receptive as far as giving away icing buckets. I have a large pot (stainless turkey fryer) that I planned to use to evaporate the sap. I thought about building a rocket type of stove from blocks to help keep my costs down. I have lots of wood to use for fuel. I need to do more research in the process of evaporating sap as far as boiling temperatures and rates are concerned. But I'm looking forward to making a little syrup this winter and assume that next year I'll be wanting to go bigger and badder.

[psparr]

Sorry for your addiction. Your wallet will get thinner.

Walmart has a good price on buckets.

There's more than a years worth of reading on this site, so you'll have plenty to do the rest of the year.
Good luck!

[superchunk]

Thanks!

I didn't realize Wal Mart sold food grade buckets. I was going to get some from Lowe's because they had a #2 on the bottom. But I then read that the blue Lowe's buckets aren't technically food grade.

[psparr]

Yes. They should be in the paint aisles. They have a sticker on them that's even states food grade.

[eustis22]

the #2 is only the grade of HDPE....verify food grade by the sticker at lowes/home depot (Not the orange buckets, not food grade).

you can also try a local donut shop that may have some jelly buckets for free/reasonable cost.

now abandon all sanity....

[wiam]

I have seen food grade buckets at lowes/Home Depot. They are white and say food grade on them.

[maplemas]

Tractor supply also has food grade buckets

[superchunk]

I checked my Lowe's and they only had the blue non food grade buckets. But I hadn't thought of Tractor supply. That's a good idea. I'll check there.

On my way home I stopped at a local bakery. I explained to them why I wanted buckets and they gave me 2 square four gallon buckets from icing. Very nice. I'd still like to have some larger 5 gallon buckets.

I was depressed when I got home to see my first tree tap fail. I had tapped a maple in my yard and ran poly tubing down into the top of a 1 gallon recycled water jug the previous night. I packed a bit of snow around it to hold it in place but after the snow melted today the jug must have fallen over and the wind blew it across the yard ��. So I lost all my sap. I walked over to the tree and there was a steady drip coming from out of the tubing so I think I may have had a full jig if it hadn't fallen over. Needless to say I took a couple of bungy straps and strapped the water jug to the base of the tree through the handle. We'll see what I get tomorrow.

[psparr]

Failure is the best teacher.

[John-NJ]

If you want some sap bags, I have a bunch that I will send you for the price of shipping. I also have homemade hangers that I made out of PVC water pipe. I don't use these anymore as I am using 100% tubing. For boiling you want the most surface area you can get. I started with a graniteware turkey pan.

Remember don't save the sap too long. Bacteria will grow, even at low temps in the fridge. You will kill it by boiling, but it reduces the quality of the product.

Good luck, and plan for expansion!!

Regards