April Journal
Here it is April 9, still no journal started. We must have all been too busy.
Anyways, I have boiled the last of this year's sap, have boiled down the contents of the flue pan and the front pan is down to less than 1/2" deep. The auto draw put about 20+ gal of Amber in the draw off tank. I will now need to drain the rest from the front pan and get it all to proper density. First I need to put what is in my finisher in a barrel and maybe pack the rest into retail containers. Then pump the 20+ gal of Amber to the finisher and get it all to proper density and then likely put 16 gal into a barrel and pack the rest in retail containers. Then I will finish cleaning the pans, pack another bourbon barrel with syrup to start another batch and bottle my next batch, which is ready to pack.
Then it's time to pull taps and wash tubing. I should have a final total for this year's production by this time tomorrow.
My last sap of the season was collected 4/7/19.
We had a good season. The sugar was up above the last 2 years. We did not however get to meet or beat our .52 gal/tap of last year. I still need to do the math to get our season sap sugar %.
Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.