+ Reply to Thread
Page 8 of 10 FirstFirst 12345678910 LastLast
Results 71 to 80 of 96

Thread: 2019

  1. #71
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    117

    Default

    My kids an I pulled our taps yesterday. Not because the trees were done but because I don't have any more time available to boil. I finished with just about 7.5 gallons which is maybe a touch more than last year. The river was a challenge but we made do. First time boiling in the rain so I will develop a better plan for that although my tarp worked well!Maple Tent.jpgMaple Tent.jpg Now for cleaning and organizing! A blessed year to you all!

  2. #72
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Alaska (East Central Minnesota For Sugaring)
    Posts
    302

    Default

    Started taking buckets down yesterday. Was going to hang on through the next freezing nights, but decided to call it a season, based as much on a now super muddy woods as anything. Yesterday's and today's rain was a big factor. Had a very fun, fairly short, better than average season.

    Best of luck to everyone.

  3. #73
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Buffalo, MN
    Posts
    88

    Default

    We are about to go and collect. We actually are going to have a big day. Stay tuned!
    2 X 6 Smoky Lake with auto draw and reverse flow
    16 X 16 Smoky Lake Filter/Finisher
    2017 82 on gravity and 31 on drops to buckets

  4. #74
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    McGregor, MN
    Posts
    135

    Default

    We are at 34 gallons for the season. We have enough wood for 350 gallons of sap, which shouldn't be a problem collecting this week. This will be our best year ever.
    2017 160 on 3/16th

    2x6 homemade arch

    2x4 copper drop tube flue pan

    sawmill shed converted to sugar shack

  5. #75
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Eden Prairie, MN
    Posts
    1,636

    Default

    After the last couple of frustrating years, you must be very pleased! Running out of wood is a good way to finish. Expectations exceeded!

    Quote Originally Posted by warners point View Post
    We are at 34 gallons for the season. We have enough wood for 350 gallons of sap, which shouldn't be a problem collecting this week. This will be our best year ever.
    John
    2x8 Smokylake drop flue with AOF/ AUF
    180 taps on sacks
    75 on 3/16 tubing with shurflo
    Eden Prairie, Minnesota

  6. #76
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Buffalo, MN
    Posts
    88

    Default

    Good news we collected 108 gallons off 101 trees! Bad news, about half way through syrup started to get a little ropey. We kept the last 3-4 gallons separate, it still tastes really good just a little stringy. Tomorrow we will empty the evaporator and flush/clean to get ready for the next run after the snow and cold.
    2 X 6 Smoky Lake with auto draw and reverse flow
    16 X 16 Smoky Lake Filter/Finisher
    2017 82 on gravity and 31 on drops to buckets

  7. #77
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Marshall, MN
    Posts
    321

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by RileySugarbush View Post
    Some of our earlier syrup had metabolism off flavor, and I am trying the Proctor Mitigation, to see if we can recover the syrup.
    Where is there info on this process? I'm not having luck finding anything. I have terrible tastebuds so its really hard for me to tell, but i have a slight suspicion that a little off flavor is in a couple of my batches. Wouldnt mind giving it a shot, just to be safe.
    Dan
    -15 years sugaring and counting - hoping to create a tradition my kids will always remember
    -400 taps, mostly buckets (Silver Maples + a few Boxelders just for the heck of it)
    -Custom-built 2x6 evap with Smoky Lake Maple raised flue, boiling in dad's old farm granary, now converted to sugar shack
    -Cobbled-together RO with XLE4040 membrane
    -New in 2021: experimenting with 3/16 tubing & a Shurflo pump.

  8. #78
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
    Posts
    6,391

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by SilverLeaf View Post
    Where is there info on this process? I'm not having luck finding anything. I have terrible tastebuds so its really hard for me to tell, but i have a slight suspicion that a little off flavor is in a couple of my batches. Wouldnt mind giving it a shot, just to be safe.
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc/off-flavor.pdf Identification of the cause of metabolism off-flavor
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc/off-flavor2.pdf Remediation process for metabolism off-flavor
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  9. #79
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Jackson mn
    Posts
    2

    Default

    Pulled my taps on the 28th, ROed and boiled it all that day. Ended up with 6.75 gal from 30 silvers, could have maybe got more but that was enough time off work.

  10. #80
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Eden Prairie, MN
    Posts
    1,636

    Default

    We just bottled 7 gallons of syrup recovered with this method. Out of the evaporator it was unfit for human consumption. Strong musty smell, flat flavor and nasty aftertaste. This was early season syrup, definitely not buddy.

    Following the Proctor paper sited by Dr. Perkins, I slowly boiled it as one big batch over propane up to 240°F. At those densities it wants to foam up so we boiled it under minimum heat that kept it boiling. I use a probe for temp and another hovering over the liquid that would alarm at 200F if it got covered in foam as an early warning system. I then diluted it back with distilled water. You have to be careful with that too, either adding water slowly in one spot or wait until the syrup is cooled off a bit. That made a significant improvement, but it was still not right.

    I figured it just had to be at high temperature longer, so I took it up to 240 F again, and this time I held it there for two hours. When it got to 240 I would add water until it was back at 235 and repeat as needed for the duration.

    We now have 7 gallons of dark syrup ( it darkens significantly) without significant off flavor. Far better than throwing it out!

    I think this method could give a nice boost in quality to syrup that has slight metabolism off flavors and make it very nice syrup.

    Tim, is there an easy way to donate to Proctor??? We owe you and your team something!

    Quote Originally Posted by SilverLeaf View Post
    Where is there info on this process? I'm not having luck finding anything. I have terrible tastebuds so its really hard for me to tell, but i have a slight suspicion that a little off flavor is in a couple of my batches. Wouldnt mind giving it a shot, just to be safe.
    John
    2x8 Smokylake drop flue with AOF/ AUF
    180 taps on sacks
    75 on 3/16 tubing with shurflo
    Eden Prairie, Minnesota

+ Reply to Thread
Page 8 of 10 FirstFirst 12345678910 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts