Northern Ontario 2022

[Swingpure]

I collected 43.5 gallons of sap today, but with the cold weather coming tonight, I will likely not boil it until Wednesday. I will keep it real cool until then and may put it out Tuesday so it can partially freeze.

I have collected 28% of my expected sap so far.

We will be shut out of sap flow because of the cold weather until Thursday, but starting Thursday it looks like fantastic conditions for sap flow.

Today I finished the 94.5 gallons I boiled yesterday and will bottle it tomorrow. I think my should get 9, possibly 10 lites from it.

[Swingpure]

Yesterday’s boil of 358 Lites produced 11.5 L of syrup. The syrup is lighter than it looks in the picture. It is an amber colour when held up to the light.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/06eV...6zQw1jbHIEmHWA

[Maplesapper]

I believe that is 3.07% Brix for sap--- you are a lucky dog

[Swingpure]

These are the colours of my first four batches, first to fourth, left to right.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/06aB...je501OpFUZod2Q

I am hopeful the flows starting Thursday, will really pick up. The more I make, the more generous I can be with family, friends and neighbour’s.

I am starting to look at some custom made evaporators made in Owen Sound. I just need to find the right time to approach my wife about the cost. The one I am looking at, will have a flat pan and a preheat and finish pan and could boil 15-18 gph.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0d2T...QNJ-PUcXnj4sqg

Wanting it and convincing my wife is two totally different things, so we will see what happens.

[aamyotte]

I boiled 66L down to 1.25L of syrup. 52.8:1ratio. I have low sugar content this year.

[Swingpure]

I believe that is 3.07% Brix for sap--- you are a lucky dog

I checked the sugar content with my refractometer and it was just about dead on what you calculated. It started off with 2% my first time I checked it.

I am putting my 43 gallons of collected sap outside during the day, hoping it will freeze up a bit and I will remove the ice and put it back into my garage which is at 5°. I will keep doing that until Wednesday’s boil.

On Thursday I may have to put up danger signs on my property, the sap is going to flowing so hard with a +13 now in the forecast after the deep freeze. I wish I had chosen the high pressure 3/8” tubing. 浪

If this forecast holds, it is a sugar maker’s dream.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/025b...LG4BWrqQdRXpNw

[Big_Eddy]

I am starting to look at some custom made evaporators made in Owen Sound. The one I am looking at, will have a flat pan and a preheat and finish pan and could boil 15-18 gph.

Don’t want to burst any bubbles, but the ones in your picture look to be 2’ x 4’. You would be hard pressed to average 10gph on a 2x4 flat pan, even with a blower. To average 18gph under 5’ long, you are going to need a flue pan.

Maybe they make those too. In for a penny, in for a pound

[Maplesapper]

Seems like your bubble burst is Truism.....
We run a 2x4 7" raised flue pan and a 2X4 divided flat pan. Arch is AOF and AUF - we are luck to average 22-20 gph consistently.

For my money- jump into a flue pan and enjoy the time savings

[Swingpure]

Don’t want to burst any bubbles, but the ones in your picture look to be 2’ x 4’. You would be hard pressed to average 10gph on a 2x4 flat pan, even with a blower. To average 18gph under 5’ long, you are going to need a flue pan.

Maybe they make those too. In for a penny, in for a pound

That may not be the identical one. They offer different boiling capacities and the one I would buy, is the one they list as 15-18 gph.

“ Custom building maple syrup evaporators and pans. Fire boxes are made from 3/16” plate steel then fully lined front to back with 2” firebrick. All units are painted with high heat paint. Chimneys are stainless steel measuring 9’ tall and 8” diameter. We have made cast doors and cast grates to go on all units for the 2022 season will be adding pictures in the future. Building 5 Standard units but not limited to.
3-4 gph 1-30 taps
13-15 gph 20-70 taps
15-18 gph 40-100 taps
20-21 gph 100-250 taps
28 gph 125-300 taps

All pans are made from 22 gauge stainless and fully tig welded. Options from flat pans, divided pans, flue pans. Float boxes and blowers on the fire box can all be added.”

[Swingpure]

Seems like your bubble burst is Truism.....
We run a 2x4 7" raised flue pan and a 2X4 divided flat pan. Arch is AOF and AUF - we are luck to average 22-20 gph consistently.

For my money- jump into a flue pan and enjoy the time savings

Forgive my ignorance, can a flue pan also be used for batch boiling, or are all flue pans, divided pans?