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Thread: The taste of niter

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Winter, WI
    Posts
    103

    Default The taste of niter

    When I'm filtering after getting my syrup to the right density I take a sample in a small glass cup and let it cool while I pour my syrup through the filter. I like syrup at room temp and my wife and I taste it. This year we both came to same conclusion that the syrup had an off flavor. I described it as dirty and she described it as a bad after taste. After filtering I did the same thing and we both thought the syrup tasted fine. Could we have been tasting niter? If so what are peoples descriptions of niters taste?
    2012 8 Taps 3 pts syrup.
    2013 38 Taps 10 gals. syrup made with turkey cooker
    2014 57 Taps 10 gals. syrup. Homemade fuel oil tank evaporator
    2015 51 Taps, 10 gals. syrup.
    2016 50 Taps, 9 gals. Syrup
    2017 54 Taps, 13 gals. syrup
    2018 75 Taps, 21 gals. syrup
    2019 67 Taps, 21 gals.
    2020 73 Taps, 20 gals.
    2021 75 Taps 21 gal.
    2022 75 Taps 14 gal.
    2023 0 0 Stroke
    2024

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Catskill Mts, Ulster County NY
    Posts
    603

    Default

    Interesting. I continually sample my syrup right off the draw off, so unfiltered, and it seems to taste fine. I actually have people request unfiltered syrup because they think it has less flavor after filtering. I do notice the change in flavor as the season progresses and the syrup becomes darker. I guess this doesn't answer your question, but I'm interested in what others have to say.
    Gary / Zena Crossroads / 42˚ 00' 24" N / Hobby in Early '70s, Addiction since 2014

    175+ taps on 3/16 (60 of which are on two Lunchbox Vac/Releasers)
    12x34 timber framed sap house w/attached 10x34 shed roof for storage
    2 x 6 Smoky Lake hybrid pan on Corsair arch with AUF/steam hood/preheater/concentric exhaust
    7.0 KW Sun Power PV System, Smokey Lake Filter Press/Steam Bottler, Modified NGMP RO - 2 4x40 posts 200 gph

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    chester, ma
    Posts
    905

    Default

    Yes I have noticed a bitter flavor from raw syrup with a lot of niter in it. The syrup tastes fine right away, but after a few seconds in the mouth, it gets this astringent flavor. Not quite metallic, nor like a hoppy beer or astringent wine, but in that general area.

    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
    All on buckets

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Winter, WI
    Posts
    103

    Default

    That's interesting cuz my wife said she got a taste on the side of her tongue "kind of like metallic ".
    2012 8 Taps 3 pts syrup.
    2013 38 Taps 10 gals. syrup made with turkey cooker
    2014 57 Taps 10 gals. syrup. Homemade fuel oil tank evaporator
    2015 51 Taps, 10 gals. syrup.
    2016 50 Taps, 9 gals. Syrup
    2017 54 Taps, 13 gals. syrup
    2018 75 Taps, 21 gals. syrup
    2019 67 Taps, 21 gals.
    2020 73 Taps, 20 gals.
    2021 75 Taps 21 gal.
    2022 75 Taps 14 gal.
    2023 0 0 Stroke
    2024

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Canaan Valley, WV
    Posts
    220

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by OCHTO View Post
    That's interesting cuz my wife said she got a taste on the side of her tongue "kind of like metallic ".
    that sounds about right, gritty, bitter and metallic

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Winter, WI
    Posts
    103

    Default

    Good to know I'm not excessively fussy. Customers appreciate it too. Thanks!
    2012 8 Taps 3 pts syrup.
    2013 38 Taps 10 gals. syrup made with turkey cooker
    2014 57 Taps 10 gals. syrup. Homemade fuel oil tank evaporator
    2015 51 Taps, 10 gals. syrup.
    2016 50 Taps, 9 gals. Syrup
    2017 54 Taps, 13 gals. syrup
    2018 75 Taps, 21 gals. syrup
    2019 67 Taps, 21 gals.
    2020 73 Taps, 20 gals.
    2021 75 Taps 21 gal.
    2022 75 Taps 14 gal.
    2023 0 0 Stroke
    2024

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Williston, VT
    Posts
    615

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by OCHTO View Post
    Good to know I'm not excessively fussy. Customers appreciate it too. Thanks!
    I'm confused by your "customers appreciate it too" statement. Nonetheless, I agree that niter has a bitter metallic flavor. If you taste a pure chunk you'll want to wash out your mouth - it's that bad.

    I never appreciated niter when we ran a 2x4 evaporator on 60 or so taps. I think it was partly due to the small quantity of sap, not so many boils, and that we didn't RO. Now, we process/boil about 10 times the sap in a single boil as we did all season and we concentrate to about 12% or more. After the first few boils, I can show anyone what niter looks like at the bottom of my draw-off tank. And I can peal up plates of it from the bottom of the syrup pan after the evaporator has cooled.

    I would not sell any of my syrup unfiltered even upon the customer's request. With the volume of niter in our unfiltered syrup, we would be selling an unhealthy product.

    Ken
    Ken & Sherry
    Williston, VT
    16x34 Sugarhouse
    1,500 taps on high vacuum, Electric Releaser & CDL Sap Lifter
    Wood-Fired Leader 30"x10' Vortex Arch & Max Raised Flue with Rev Syrup Pan & CDL1200 RO
    https://www.facebook.com/pumpkinhillmaple/

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    In most if not all states (and Provinces?) it's illegal to sell unfiltered syrup except as bulk.
    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.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Winter, WI
    Posts
    103

    Default

    My customers appreciate the fact that I am fussy. I have a no questions asked replace or refund rule and I never had a complaint. I wanted to know if I was tasting niter before I filtered. I was. I've had people want syrup before it was filtered after tasting while I was boiling it and I wouldn't give them any.
    2012 8 Taps 3 pts syrup.
    2013 38 Taps 10 gals. syrup made with turkey cooker
    2014 57 Taps 10 gals. syrup. Homemade fuel oil tank evaporator
    2015 51 Taps, 10 gals. syrup.
    2016 50 Taps, 9 gals. Syrup
    2017 54 Taps, 13 gals. syrup
    2018 75 Taps, 21 gals. syrup
    2019 67 Taps, 21 gals.
    2020 73 Taps, 20 gals.
    2021 75 Taps 21 gal.
    2022 75 Taps 14 gal.
    2023 0 0 Stroke
    2024

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