Tell me YOUR filtering process

[thomashansen871]

I have a Nesco machine, and after it brews, it will hold the temp, I have done 4 batches with it and have not had it scorch, if your urn is insulated, in would leave it unplugged while filling with syrup and canning, it should hold enough heat in it.

[Trapper2]

Ok, I lied. I left out 2 important steps to my process on purpose. We have been doing this since the 1960s. Please don't yell at me. This process, what I do is not for everyone but it works for our private use. We only do 10-15 gallons a year. I do not sell to anyone and I don't have anyone that is Lactose intolerant, and really, I don't know that it would matter anyway. What I do is, once I hit density, I add 1/2 cup whole milk for each gallon of syrup and then boil up to density again. The niter adheres to the milk which makes curds that I just scoop off of the top with a metal strainer, which leaves me niter free syrup that strains very easily through my 3 of 4 prefilters and my Orlon bag. I did 3 gallons on 3-18-2018 with this process. The crud in the cardboard box is the crud I skimmed off of the top. Good Luck to you all. 027.jpg029.jpg030.jpg032.jpg034.jpg

[thomashansen871]

Of it works, that is all that matters.

[Trapper2]

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Immediately after filtering.

[raptorfan85]

If it's stupid and it works, it's not stupid.

I've never heard of the milk trick. Looks like it works pretty well. I might give it a try actually, I'm kinda intrigued...

[Trapper2]

Well I guess I had so many of the BIG producers say you can no longer sell as 100% pure Maple Syrup if you do that. Be careful that it doesn't boil over on you. Lower your heat so it barely boils.

If it's stupid and it works, it's not stupid.

I've never heard of the milk trick. Looks like it works pretty well. I might give it a try actually, I'm kinda intrigued...

[For_the_kids]

By using the milk have you ever had a batch go ransid sitting on the shelf because you were not able to get all the milk out of the syrup? My grandma told me to crack an egg into the syrup and it would do the same thing, but since I only do a few small (2-3 gallon) batches a year I am too nervous to screw up an entire batch.

[Trapper2]

By using the milk have you ever had a batch go ransid sitting on the shelf because you were not able to get all the milk out of the syrup? My grandma told me to crack an egg into the syrup and it would do the same thing, but since I only do a few small (2-3 gallon) batches a year I am too nervous to screw up an entire batch.

No I haven’t and I have a few from 2013 yet. You definitely get it all out as it floats to the top.

[Z/MAN]

Moto Nov 28 2017 008.jpg

I get very close to syrup on my evaporator and then draw off into a stainless milk can filtering through one paper pre filter. When I decide to finish I bring my near syrup to proper density on the stove in a large stainless pot. I then remove from the stove and pour immediately into my filter-canner. Hanging in my filter-canner is an orlon filter and clipped to that is three paper pre filters. I then put a lid on the top, covering and holding the heat inside. Most of the time I can bottle 2-3 gallons of syrup all at once. Sometimes I might have to remove and drain some of the pre filters. I have found the key to keeping the syrup flowing through the filters non stop is putting the lid on top and keeping the heat inside. I use a regular stock pot lid and it fits tight down inside my filter-canner. My filter-canner is a stainless coffee urn with a plastic pail with the bottom cut out inserted into the urn and I have a plastic flower pot also with the bottom cut out inserted into the pail. I have also installed a thermometer in the urn to monitor the syrup temperature. (purchased from a home brew supplier) I have four open eye bolts installed in the flower pot to hang the orlon filter on. No the flower pot is not food grade but the filters hang from the eye bolts and the syrup drains down the center of the filters and drains into the urn without coming into contact with anything besides the filters. All my syrup is usually bottled before the temperature gets to 190 degrees. I NEVER PLUG THE COFFEE URN IN! No chance of making niter. As I said above the key is to seal the heat inside with the tight fitting lid. I bottle in glass and have crystal clear syrup.