Dr. Tim Perkins
UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
https://mapleresearch.org
Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu
It is a good conversation and for that, I’ll expand on what I’ve been doing. my draw off consists of a box and a ball valve from a 3 x 3 syrup pan. The box has a receiver for a thermometer and I use a digital one. I start to draw off with a slow trickle to stream when I’m bouncing between 217 and 218° I can expect a temperature spike up to 220 to 221° within about 30 seconds. At that point, I try to maintain 219° and if the temperature spikes, I will pull sap from the back compartment of the syrup pan and drizzle from the draw off back to thin it out a bit. I do not pay attention the barometric pressure because I will be finishing it off on a stove top.
The sugarhouse is located in a remote area on my property so I use a quad or a snowmobile to move batches in 5 gallon containers. I store overnight in my basement which happens to be at 60°. This is when I first check with a hydrometer. I usually fall right around 65 brix. It is then brought up to temperature over a turkey fryer to which at that point, if I feel it’s a little light, I’ll let it go for a few minutes. The pot is then moved to the stove top which is a weak, propane flame. This is when I will estimate based on volume and using a sugarhouse calculator app what my volume should be at 68 brix. The process is slow from this point on so it’s not running away from me. This is where I was talking about watching the viscosity. I would always shoot for the heavy side to be safe. It is then, drained into a canner with a cone filter and bottled. I would save what’s left at the bottom of my canner and check the density again the next day at 60°. The first few years, I would see crystallization at the bottom of the bottles but for the last few years, I haven’t. Other than a reduction in yield, is there any other disadvantages to going a little heavy? Dr. Tim, am I just a fast learner to be able to get that down in six years?
Speaking of sheeting, I always thought 68 brix represented a change in the consistency of the syrup with sheeting showing it to be just beyond the point of syrup. I found it interesting to hear that syrup could sheet with such a low brix.
So that’s it, feel free to tear apart my methodology. Interested to hear.
Note, no syrup going to market at this point.
Last edited by M&M Maple Grove; 04-08-2022 at 01:07 PM.
Roughly 300 taps on a hybrid 3/16 gravity/Shurflo vacuum system.
12x16 Solo build timber frame sugar house.
RO Bucket RB-20 with 2nd booster pump(screaming for a coffee break)
Mismatched Grimm Lighting(Vermont) 2x4 raised flue/ Small Brothers(Quebec) 3x3 syrup pan on modified oil tank arch.
“This is the real secret of life — to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.” - Al
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
If you think it's easy to make good money in maple syrup .... then your obviously good at stealing somebody's Maple Syrup.
Favorite Tree: Sugar Maple
Most Hated Animal: Sap Sucker
Most Loved Animal: Devon Rex Cat
Favorite Kingpin: Bruce Bascom
40 Sugar Maple Taps ... 23 in CT and 17 in NY .... 29 on gravity tubing and 11 on 5G buckets ... 2019 Totals 508 gallons of sap, 7 boils, 11.4 gallons of syrup.
1 Girlfriend that gives away all my syrup to her friends.
Be careful with generalities. Ontario regulations require proper density syrup. There are no regulations in Ontario that identify which instruments can or cannot be used to measure the density of the syrup.
A hydrotherm is a perfectly legal instrument for testing syrup density in Ontario. As is a thermometer, hydrometer, and refractometer.
Like any instrument, if the calibration is off, the result will be too.
Big_Eddy
Eastern Ontario (Quinte)
20+ years on a 2x3 block arch,
Homemade 20"x64" drop flue since 2011
Build a Block Arch
Build a Flat Pan
Build a Flue Pan
Sweetening the Pans
Build a Bending Brake
Using a Hydrotherm
How much Sap to Sweeten?
Thanks for the info. Had no idea they were legal elsewhere.
Randy
Toad Hill Maple Farm
http://ToadHillMaple.com/
3650 Taps on Vacuum for 2010 & still expanding
56'x64' Timberframe Sugarhouse - New for 2011
3x10 Leader Vortex w/ Max Flue Pan & SteamAway
1000 gph Leader Springtech RO
777 Acres in the Adirondack Mountains
Hi Ed.
I was curious about your comment as I thought I had previously read that a hydrotherm is not allowed for use in Ontario, but on the OMSPA website they specifically indicate in the Density section:
"Has a minimum soluble solids content of 66 per cent as determined by a refractometer at 20°C."
Did Ontario recently change to specify Refractometer and remove hydrometer?
Maybe there is a difference between the Ontario and Federal regulations and that's where I was confused?
Thanks,
Paul.
______________________________
2023 -30 trees -24 vacuum, 6 buckets. ~1,845 L sap; Syrup count: 49.25L
2022 -30 trees -24 vacuum, 6 buckets. ~1,530 L sap; Syrup count: 48.65L
2021 -29 trees -23 vacuum, 6 buckets. ~1240 L sap; 34.5L of syrup
2020 -30 trees 32 taps. ~900 L sap; 27.1L Syrup.
2019 -27 trees 31 taps. ~725 L sap; 22.2L Syrup.
2018 -19 Trees 20 taps. ~750 L sap; 18 L Syrup
2017 -4 trees 4 taps. ~60 L sap; 1.5 L Syrup