Who wants some ropey syrup

[Haynes Forest Products]

Well its been quite the season. Have been up at the shack for 6 weeks enjoying the sport of sugar making. This season has been a good one BUT a long one. With the extended season because of 2 days run and 5 day freezing its hard to predict when the sap will run again. This last freeze up gave me time to drain the sweet from the finish pans into 5 gallon buckets and soak the entire evap with vinegar I finally did all the small things that I have wanted to do and today the sap started flowing. Decided to dump the 25 gallons of what I thought would be a good start to the next boil. I opened the first bucket and was getting ready to dump it it when I noticed it didn't look quite right and stuck my finger in it.........That of course was after I triple washed my hands and sanitized them 4 times all the time wearing a hair net. I now have 5-5 gallon buckets of great looking grade A road tar. Sat to long in 40 degree temps oh well will be starting all new and clean>

[jmayerl]

Good run today? We had our second best run of the year in Green Bay. Still 6" in the woods, gonna be a busy week. Always sucks when dumping syrup in the garden.

[Sunny Knoll Farm]

Had the same thing 2 weeks ago. Tried to stretch an extra day between "sanitary" boils and didn't quite make it. Wasn't ropey just a little stringy! Pulled the plug because I couldn't get enough to keep pans fresh. Very poor year - only 18 gallons on 230 taps.

[Haynes Forest Products]

If its stringy is ropey. This might be my best year yet if the weather turns out as they predict.

[Super Sapper]

You might get rid of it for bear bait. I have a guy by me that says he gets more for bear bait than good syrup.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I have a friend that was the victim of ropey syrup a few years back and wants it for that very reason so it will go to good use. Question is do the bears like it on pancakes or French toast.

[RC Maple]

I had never experienced ropey syrup before last year. We had a warm stretch between runs and I drained the sweet from the pan into a 5 gal bucket. Before the next boil I went to inspect it by dipping a ladle into it. I watched the sweet run into the ladle as I pushed it down into the bucket but when I lifted it back out the ladle was empty! All the liquid was pulled back out of the ladle as I lifted it up. Not believing my eyes I tried it two or three more times and then ran to The Trader to research my options. I learned that unfortunately, there was no saving it and to get rid of it and thoroughly clean anything the sweet came in contact with. We carefully boiled a little in a small saucepan...I couldn't resist... and saw how that would have been a big mistake to boil in the pan. An interesting experience - one I won't forget!

[Sugarmaker]

Yea no fun to boil this stuff! I dumped mine last year.
Regards,
Chris

[n8hutch]

Just a thought? Is putting this near syrup into non sterilized Pails the leading culprit of it turning Ropey? I cleaned my flue Pan last week and I put it into a Freshly cleaned barrel but I never really gave it a thought that it could turn Ropey in there.maybe I will give it a little more thought in the future.

[Sugarmaker]

Warm weather, spoils sap which can make ropey syrup.
Regards,
Chris