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Thread: Newby - Help me clear my syrup on a budget

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    247

    Default Newby - Help me clear my syrup on a budget

    Hi All,

    I have a new setup this year, tubing, RO and a 2x4 continuous pan. Its a big step up from my buckets and chaffing dishes of last year.

    As of now I plan to initially filter my syrup through cone prefilters and a synthetic cone.
    I think I'll keep my syrup in food safe pails in the cool basement until I have a few boils completed and then bottle several batches at once to keep things efficient.

    When Bottling, I'll refilter as above into my finishing pots, heat to 185 and then bottle.

    Here are my questions:

    1. Will the above process give me a decently clear finished product?
    2. What temp do I need to hit before bottling?
    3. Where do you all source your bottles at an economical price point. I'm looking for small decorative bottles up to 1/2 gallon containers.
    4. What trick of the trade can increase quality without breaking the bank...?
    5. What am I missing?

    All help is appreciated.

    Thanks,

    Bryan
    2024 - 160 taps, Shurflo 4048. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 Raised Flue. 5x400 RO.
    2023 - 121 taps. Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 20 gallons.
    2022 - 103 taps. Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 23 gallons.
    2021 - 77 taps on Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 22 gallons.
    2020 - 70ish taps on Shurflo 4008. Mason 2x4 XL. DIY R.O. ~24 gallons.
    ______________________________________________
    Trout Brook Valley
    Weston, CT

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Louisville, Kentucky
    Posts
    215

    Default

    Hi Bryan,
    Filtering through prefilters and cone should give you nice, clear syrup. I've bottled cone-filtered syrup in glass and it's remained crystal clear with no sediment showing at the bottom. Might depend a bit on the niter content though. You'll want to bottle syrup at 180 degrees, but not much more than 190 or it'll form more niter. Helps to preheat your containers also, especially glass if they're cold. After bottling, turn containers on their side for a few minutes to sterilize the lid.

    I've found Roth's Sugar Bush a good source for containers, especially if buying less than a full case. They have a nice selection of glass, plastic and tin containers - https://www.rothsugarbush.com/

    The most cost effective way to increase quality is to keep everything in the process as clean as possible. Bacteria is what leads to lower quality syrup, spoilage and bad tasting syrup.

    Best of luck!
    Dave Barker
    2014 30 taps, steam tray pans
    2015 ~100 taps, in conjunction with University of Louisville
    2x5 Smoky Lake hybrid pan
    2022 150 taps

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    When you filter you should always have the syrup at or above 180, I think 190+ is better. I actually heat mine to 205-210 then filter. That way you have removed more niter, and you are less likely to get more building up if you reheat to 185 to bottle. Remember, the niter is basically the excess minerals (mostly) that precipitated from suspension as the syrup became saturated at that density.
    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.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    1

    Default

    questoin here, may be somewhere else no luck finding answers, i boil in stainless buffet pans propane fired about 10 to 15 gallons of sap at a time, i was told by locals to pull and filter at 216 and filter then finish to 219 then filter and bottle, this seemed to work last year, my question is when i pull at 216 and filter what can i do with this so that it wont spoil if im not able to finish right away, thanks in advance for info ron

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
    Posts
    5,099

    Default

    Bryan,

    1. Will the above process give me a decently clear finished product? cone filters have worked for years just dont try to force the syrup through, filter hot (boiling if possible) Have a dozen pre filters and couple felts so you can change them as needed
    2. What temp do I need to hit before bottling? your 180 - 185 is good
    3. Where do you all source your bottles at an economical price point. I'm looking for small decorative bottles up to 1/2 gallon containers. Glass is always good even mason jars canning jars will work and keep costs low.
    4. What trick of the trade can increase quality without breaking the bank...? Taste it for flavor, get a grading kit to get the correct class of syrup, Get a Murphy cup not cheap but will check your density at any syrup temp, long term, enter you syrup in competition, Longer term make syrup for 60 years and you will still be improving!
    5. What am I missing? Sounds like your doing good.

    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Northern Wisconsin
    Posts
    54

    Default

    If you are letting your syrup sit in pails for a few days you will be able to pour off the top of the pail and leave much of the niter in the bottom. You can then combine all of the niter from the bottom of the pails and let them settle. Do this before you reheat and filter your syrup. It will speed things up for you.
    3500 taps, vacuum.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Western Ny
    Posts
    269

    Default

    I bottle all my syrup in glass using cone filter/w prefilters. I sell some and they are nearly perfect, like others have said it depends on your process but it can be done. I purchased the optimizer this year for filtering so I'm looking forward to using that and making my filtering process alot faster and easier. If you havent heard about the idea of using your cone filter in the shape of a sailors hat (which is what the optimizer does) look into it, its alot more effective use of cone filter. Also I do batches of 3/4-1.5 gal of sap at a time, and use a minimum of 3 to 5 prefilters. The best bottles I found from www.leaderevapirator.com they have maple leaf shaped bottles up to 1.5pts for about $5-$6. And glass syrup jugs up to 1gal about $3 a piece.
    Last edited by barnbc76; 02-26-2020 at 11:21 AM.
    2019- RO
    2018- 25 taps made 8 gal syrup.
    2017- 25 taps -built a 2x3 flat pan, and a fuel tank arch for it. 335 gal 7.34gal syrup.

    2016- 15 taps, 4.3gal syrup boiling on cinderblock arch 3 roasting pans, 1 redneck trash can with a pot, and a turkey fryer.

    2015- 4 taps 44 gals of sap made 2.25 gal of lite syrup.

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