Eastern Ontario 2018

[Galena]

I finish the syrup, filter it through paper coffee filters (cut-up clean white cotton tees vary way too much in the tightness of the weave, I've had whole batches just shoot right through, so I stopped using them) mounted with wooden clothespins onto stainless-steel funnels sitting atop the mouths of pre-heated Mason jars. Then, usually the next day, I check the brix and fix it if it needs it. Then I bring the syrup SLOWLY up to 185 while sterilizing the jars/lids in the oven for 10 min. DO NOT GO OVER 190 when reheating or you will create more nitre. In my case I do care about nitre cause I sometimes enter at fall fairs, and the presence of nitre will eliminate you in a heartbeat. Anyhow I am not saying my way is any better or worse than anyone else's, but it's what works for me :-)

This pic shows what I do, though here the funnel isn't stainless, as I only started use stainless ones a few years ago. http://www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=1056914

ETA: Just finished the first batch and this time I did check Brix as it was boiling to help fine-tune the timing. It finished at 221.5, but the therm I used is only my second-best one, and water did boil at 210 today, so it really was pretty much bang on to my usual finishing temp of 224 (12 degrees over the *normal* boiling point of water, which is 212. Looks like it'll be 3+l syrup from 123.8l sap. Darker than normal, and more robust flavour than typical, but it's probably the biggest first-run batch I've ever made.

ETA2: Oh btw I was expecting around 3.5l....it's almost 5l instead. Not complaining but wondering what my sugar content is! Back to bed for a little more shuteye :-)