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Thread: Changing syrup color?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Mid Michigan
    Posts
    77

    Default Changing syrup color?

    So we have always pulled finish syrup off our evaporator, used gravity filter cones and bottle into quarts and pints. I am going to a filter press this year and storing some in 10-15 gallon kegs. So if I pull syrup off the evaporator and allow it to cool until I get enough gallons to press. Reheat to press, seal in a 15 gallon drum. 3 months later reheat the drum to bottle smaller bottles will all these heat cycles darken the syrup?
    1986-2002 2x6 Leader evaporator 150 taps drop tubes
    Life happens
    2015 130 taps drop tubes and sap sacs
    2016 225 taps drop tubes and sap sacs
    2017 300+? MicRO single membrane
    2019 325 taps 81 gallons made, most ever for us
    2020 2x6 Smoky Lake evaporator 400 taps with 160 on a guzzler pump
    2021..... a lot more line and vacuum

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    each heat cycle darkens the syrup. If you only heat it to 185, each time you darken it less than if you heated it to 195-200+ each time. I like to use a Hanna Checker which gives you the % of light transmission thru the sample vial (Cuvette). I label the result on each keg. that helps you as you reheat, because you know where in the 25% width of that grade. Also, as I blend, which I do to get darker syrup, I stop mixing as I get to about the middle of which ever grade I'm mixing for. The grades are 100-75% golden, 74-50 amber, 49-25 dark and under 25% very dark. Thus I shoot for 85-90 for golden (if I can), about 65-70 for amber, 35-40 for dark. I rarely get any Very Dark. Then as I need to reheat I have some wiggle room.
    Before I had a Hanna Checker, I used the temporary test kits. Even then I made note of just where the sample fell in that grade, light, middle or dark end. I just made up a code for my own info.
    As you are getting close to having enough to fill a barrel it also helps if you heat what you have saved, add it to what you draw off, then filter and fill the barrel. Some of the syrup thus gets 1 less heating. Then, when you bottle, heat to 185, (I filter again), then bottle. Try to not get it hotter than 185, but still above 180. If using a water jacketed bottler it's easy, if heating it on propane (or the kitchen stove not as easy, but you just need to keep a close eye on it.
    Last edited by maple flats; 01-22-2021 at 07:45 PM.
    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.

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