Has anybody ever melted ice from partially frozen buckets and checked for sugar content?
Rumours are it is just water while others say it will have sugar.I like some ice in my reservoirs!
Has anybody ever melted ice from partially frozen buckets and checked for sugar content?
Rumours are it is just water while others say it will have sugar.I like some ice in my reservoirs!
I measured 0.2% in mine years back. Throw it on the ground.
Boulder Trail Sugaring
150 Taps on Vacuum
Homemade 20"x40" Hybrid Pan - 15 gph
Homemade Steamaway - 10 gph
Waterguys single-post RO
There are several threads on MapleTrader about this. Do a search and you'll find plenty.
http://mapletrader.com/community/sho...ce-away-or-not
http://mapletrader.com/community/sho...Ice-in-buckets
http://mapletrader.com/community/sho...in-sap-buckets
http://mapletrader.com/community/sho...e-toss-or-boil
In general, research on this subject has demonstrated and maple producer consensus is to toss the ice (unless the bucket is almost completely frozen). The frozen component is mostly water, but can have a small amount of sugar entrained in it. It is kind of a poor man's RO. You might lose a small amount of sugar, but you'll save a lot of fuel. Now if you have only a few trees and a lot of fuel...keep the ice.
Last edited by DrTimPerkins; 03-02-2021 at 08:53 AM.
Dr. Tim Perkins
UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
https://mapleresearch.org
Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu
I’ve used freeze for years, works wonderfully. I leave 5 gal buckets out, and transfer the liquid the next morning, dumping the ice, usually about 1 to 2 inches thick.
2019 LNG fired pot, 20 taps on 3/16, 10 buckets, gave it up after 3 gal.
2020 New Mason 2x4 XL; 30 taps on 3/16
What a great idea! Thanks to this sight... i would not have known.This year i'm going to take some brix readings of my own before freezing
and then after ice is removed and also the melted ice!
I filter my sap through an Orlon filter. A benefit of this is I remove all the slush and frail ice disks from the collection before I store it. I did this this past Sunday and removed ~30L of loose slush from a collection of 134L. The storage barrel should now be encased in ice which I can also avoid boiling when it comes time.
50 trees, 1 spile per tree
homemade outdoor fire box crudely made from concrete slabs
5 steamer trays as pans
i have now taken an inch of ice off my sap barrel, thawed it and checked the sugar content.
a pretty consistent .04%
Good work, looks like the "others" were right, there is some sugar there. Is it worth boiling? Another decision in life.
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
I typically toss the ice too. Definitely not worth boiling. But the reason I say "typically" and not "always" is that if you check the weather and it is going to be very warm, and you can't boil right away, it's worth keeping the ice in my storage barrel so the sap I add won't spoil. I would rather have 60 gallons of 1.8 sap than 50 gallons of spoiled sap.
So always think about the forecast and when you can boil before tossing that ice.
Cheers,
Gabe
2016: Homemade arch from old wood stove; 2 steam tray pans; 6 taps; 1.1 gal
2017: Same setup. 15 taps; 4.5 gal
2018: Same setup. Limited time. 12 taps and short season; 2.2 gal
2019: Very limited time. 7 taps and a short season; 1.8 gals
2020: New Mason 2x3 XL halfway through season; 9 taps 2 gals
2021: Same 2x3, 18 taps, 4.5 gals
2022: 23 taps, 5.9 gals
2023: 23 taps. Added AUF, 13.2 gals
2024: 17 taps, 5.3 gals
All on buckets
Gabe is right on how better to keep your sap cool on a warm day! And you were going to boil it anyway.
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