Please Help with refractometer Brix not matching temp and I'm trying to finish today

[Ocelotsden]

I'm having a problem with my readings that I didn't have last year and trying to finish up my less than 2 gallons today.

I don't have a hydrometer but the couple years I've been using a refractometer to tell when I'm at 66 brix and that normally matches the boiling temp of 219.5 F pretty closely. But this year My pot has reached 221 degrees but the refractometer is only reading 59-60

I have cooled my syrup sample, doublechecked the refractometer with virgin olive oil and it's reading 71.5 as it should, and have tried 2 different thermometers to verify that I did go over and hit 221 degrees. Unless I'm missing something, maybe my olive oil that I tested with is bad? I also verified water boiling temp at my location.

I don't know which one to trust so I can bottle. I'm leaning towards just going with temperature and adding a little sap to bring it back down to a 219.5 degree boiling temperature.

[JoeJ]

The syrup hydrometer with syrup at 211 is the best route to go with in my opinion. I have refractometer and do not use it on hot syrup off the evaporator. The hydrometer is fool proof. Always buy 2. I have only broken one in 10 years, but I have one to use and 2 new ones in the boxes.

Joe

[ecolbeck]

Temp for boiling water must be verified on a daily basis (at minimum) because atmospheric pressure changes will affect it. When was the last time you checked?

[Ocelotsden]

I checked today both with the SapTap App and also I boiled some water on the stove and checked the temp.

[ecolbeck]

Sounds very frustrating. Not sure what's happening with your refractometer. One option is to use the old school method of "sheeting" the syrup to check for doneness. A forum or google search will be helpful. Basically the idea is that instead of dripping off a spoon the syrup will form a "sheet". That would tell you if you are close.

[Ocelotsden]

I think there's something up with the refractometer. I checked a sample from last years syrup in the refrigerator after bringing the sample up to room temp and it only read 58 brix, but I know it was 66.5 when I bottled it last year. It was checked, and double and tripple checked. But that doesn't explain the olive oil reading correctly now.

Also, I just filtered what I had and now it reads 64 brix. So I'm thinking that If my last years sample is correct but reading 58 now, and I have currently over boiled based on temp and it's reading 64, then my current sample is maybe really at 70ish brix. If that's the case, I can add some sap, boil to 219.5 and hope it's okay?

[Ocelotsden]

I'm not sure what's going on today, but things are screwy for me, that's for sure. I just boiled more water on the stove and this time it boiled at 214 on one thermometer and 213.6 on a second one which is a big change since this morning. I'm going to try using the new numbers to reheat the sap and recheck with the refractometer.

[TheNamelessPoet]

This. today I checked and my boiling temp of water is 213. last year on 2/23 it was 209.5. 2/29 was 209.0. and 3/8 was 212.

sometimes its different even in the same day! Nature is a teenage girl, don't try and figure it out

[Ocelotsden]

Okay, all sorted out I think. My apologies for the panic post.

For whatever reason, there was a big water boiling temp swing between early this morning and this afternoon. Couple that with the fact that I never really realized how much brix in finished syrup can change with just 1 to 2 degrees in boiling temperature.
I noticed that even at 220.5 degrees, my syrup was still a little thin and not sheeting as it should. I ended up taking it to a little over 122 and when checked on my refractometer it read just over 67.5 brix, so I called it a day, filtered and bottled. I just hope it wasn't too heavy and crystalizes.

This is just my 3rd year as a backyarder. The first year I just winged it on my BBQ grill, went to 219.5 and canned a half gallon. The second year I got the refractometer to be more precise, used real bottles and a big propane burner and did over a gallon. This year I moved to a wood fired barrel stove and hoped to make more, but snow, weather and health didn't cooperate and I did a little over a gallon which would have been a good bit more except for a big boil over mishap when finishing on a big propane burner. I lost a lot, but live and learn

This is my best tasting so far, and even with the mishap, it's enough for the year for my wife and I, plus giving away to a few family and friends.

[Goatogether]

This. today I checked and my boiling temp of water is 213. last year on 2/23 it was 209.5. 2/29 was 209.0. and 3/8 was 212.

sometimes its different even in the same day! Nature is a teenage girl, don't try and figure it out

”Her”. 🤣.....