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Thread: Newbie with questions

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
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    NH
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    Default Newbie with questions

    I have a question.... I was boiling on my stove top and it's a gas stove. When I put the temp probe in the sap it tells me that I'm above 219 but when I check with the hydrometer it was still too thin according to braum... Which one do I rely on more? Any help would be appreciated. I'm guessing that the temp was altered by the flame on the stove??

    Thank you!
    George

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
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    Danbury, Connecticut
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    did you compensate the brix for temperature?
    2016 - 36 Taps - File Cabinet Arch + Food Pans
    2017 - 2.5'x10' drop flues - 3/16 Natural Vacuum - 122 Taps
    2018 - 16x20 Sugar Shack - 3/16 Natural Vacuum - 235 Taps

  3. #3
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    Feb 2017
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    NH
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    Default

    what do you mean compensate for the brix and temp?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
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    Birdsboro PA
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    Default

    Two things. 1 don't let the probe touch the bottom of the pan. That will give you an off reading.
    Syrup changes with barometric pressure. So it may need to go higher. Temp gets you close but a hydrometer will be more accurate.
    Search for a temperature compensation chart on here or google it.
    The cooler the syrup the lower the Baume or brix will need to be.
    first year 2012 50 taps late season made 2 1/2 gals.

    2013 2x6 homemade arch 180 taps. 20 Gals.

    2014 40 on 3/16 gravity 160 on buckets.

    http://omasranch.wix.com/omasmaple

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
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    Alcona County, Michigan
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    Default

    Your thermometer may be off. Test it by verifying that water boils hard at 212.
    CE
    44° 41′ 3″ N

    2019 -- 44 Red Maples - My home and sugarbush are for sale.
    2018 -- 48 Red Maples, 7 gallons
    2017 -- 84 Red Maples, 1 Sugar Maple, and 1 Silver Maple , 13 gallons
    2016 -- 55 Red Maples, 8 gallons
    2015 -- 15 Red Maples, 6 Birches - 3+ gallons maple syrup
    An awning over my deck is my sugar shack.
    An electrified kitchen sink and an electrified steam table pan are my evaporators.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
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    Danbury, Connecticut
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cedar Eater View Post
    Your thermometer may be off. Test it by verifying that water boils hard at 212.
    i've learned to check thermometers against each other. I bought a nice dual channel digital thermometer and each probe reads different from another. and the whole thing is off by 35-40 degrees. @ 211-212 they were reading 246-250.
    2016 - 36 Taps - File Cabinet Arch + Food Pans
    2017 - 2.5'x10' drop flues - 3/16 Natural Vacuum - 122 Taps
    2018 - 16x20 Sugar Shack - 3/16 Natural Vacuum - 235 Taps

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
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    5,099

    Default

    I would use/ trust the hydrometer first. carefully fill the hydrometer with boiling syrup. insert hydrometer.
    Also as mentioned please check your thermometer in boiling water. Around here water boils at 210 F. So syrup would be made at 217. I have two thermometers that read almost 2 degrees different.
    Also if you dont have it get a thermometer that reads in 10ths of a degree.
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Maine
    Posts
    108

    Default

    I second the hydrometer. We were boiling to 220 the first couple of years and it seemed thin. Bought a hydrometer and low and behold..we were making maple water. Had to get the temp up to 223 before it read correctly on the hydrometer. Just with several of the bigger guys in my area and they said the same was true for them.
    1st year - 6 taps and a turkey fryer and 1 gallon of syrup
    2nd year - 12 taps, turkey fryer and another gallon of syrup
    3rd year - 45 taps, new propane setup and 5 gallons of syrup

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    North Grenville
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    FWIW someone here on MT told me to always finish at 225, ignore size of bubbles, drip rate and apron on spoon etc. I still do do look at those but with the help of both an olde-fashioned immersion candy therm, and a new digital therm, both bought at a professional chef supply place - I don't trust the ones bought at hardware and/or grocery stores, they've let me down too often in the past.

    Anyway finishing at a properly read 225 - after calibrating BOTH therms in hard boiling water which can be 210-214 - means that I get within 1-2 hashmarks of Brix when I go and hydro it. Hope this helps!
    Been tapping since 2008.
    2018 - 17 taps/7 trees...819l sap, approx 28l syrup
    2019 - 18 taps/8 trees...585l sap, 28l syrup...21:1 ratio
    2020 - 18 taps/8 trees...890.04l sap...gave away about 170l, 30l snafu'd....23l total for me from approx 690l
    2021 - 18 taps/8 trees...395l sap, 12 l syrup
    2022 - 18 taps/8 trees....7 sugars 1 red due to #2 having surgery so had the season off....582l sap, 18.5l syrup
    2023 - 18 taps/8 trees...all sugars again. 807l sap, so far approx 14l syrup

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