Originally Posted by
sr73087
Interesting, so drop down the heat and keep it around 7.5 above boiling? I never thought going too high would matter as long as I didn't burn it. Is that all niter that is being created? This could be why I have a hard time filtering as well.
I'm honestly not a diehard believer in the old maxim of finishing syrup at 7.1 degrees above the temp of boiling water, though I do find it kinda cool to see water boil at 210 or 214, both of which have happened. BTW I'm only 364 ft above sea level. I haven't finished a batch at below 222, but I know if I play around much over 224 that I'm going to get crystals. Why not just salvage a jar or two of crystallized syrup, chuck it into a finishing pot with some distilled water or fresh sap, and play around?
And as for nitre...ah good ol' nitre. Once you've made syrup, if you reheat it past 190 degrees, you will get nitre forming, guaranteed.
Strrictly fwiw I don't bottle straight from the finishing pot; I therm mine out once it's cooled (usually cause it's the end of a long night by then and I have to get to bed and get up for work) and check it then use a so-called Quebec hydrotherm, which can measure density on both hot and cold syrup. Then if it is within a hashmark or so of that red line, I reheat the syrup (still in the finishing pot) over medium and prepare the glass jugs and lids while doing so. As soon as the temp hits 185, I yank it off the heat and bottle 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