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Thread: Storing maple syrup in bulk tanks

  1. #1
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    Default Storing maple syrup in bulk tanks

    Does anyone out there store their maple syrup in a bulk tank? We buy in several thousand gallons of syrup and are looking at installing 2 - 1000 gallon bulk tanks, that way we could empty the barrels into the tanks and return the barrels. Any thoughts? I know the biggers packers do this but I've never seen it done on the scale we are thinking of.
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  2. #2
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    Bascoms has a couple large tanks inside their building. it would have to be refrigerated
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    The larger companies also have a "nitrogen blanket" introduced into the top of the tank to reduce spoilage.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
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    What if you used a vacuum bulk tank and kept the syrup under vacuum? Would this decrease fermentation?
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    Quote Originally Posted by emericksmaple View Post
    What if you used a vacuum bulk tank and kept the syrup under vacuum? Would this decrease fermentation?
    No. It would reduce aerobic spoilage, but not anaerobic degradation (fermentation).
    Dr. Tim Perkins
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  6. #6
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    A smaller producer around here used to store syrup in a 300 gallon bulk tank. He installed ultra violet lights in the top. Said it kept quite well
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    Do you know if he also refrigerated it? Any thoughts Dr. Perkins?
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  8. #8
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    Might help for microbes that float...not for those that sink. If you constantly stirred it perhaps, but UV penetration through syrup is VERY low...very top surface only. Keeping it cold would help.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrTimPerkins View Post
    The larger companies also have a "nitrogen blanket" introduced into the top of the tank to reduce spoilage.
    I had considered a nitrogen blanket for sap storage in the future, has there been any research done on this? I know this is quite common in wine production.
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Timberwolf View Post
    I had considered a nitrogen blanket for sap storage in the future, has there been any research done on this? I know this is quite common in wine production.
    I am not aware of anyone using a nitrogen blanket for SAP storage. It is used by some of the very large packers for SYRUP storage. Nitrogen is introduced into the top of bulk silo tanks to retard spoilage microorganisms. I haven't seen any research on inert gas blankets specifically for maple, but it is fairly commonly used by large food companies. Lots of rules pertaining to purity of the gases, equipment construction, and worker safety (to avoid suffocation, etc.), so it isn't something that sugarmakers would use in their operations. More common in vineyards, but justifiable there given that the value of the product is so high.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

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