I had a big boil two days ago and I am having another today. I am boiling 52 gallons I collected yesterday and I still have to collect today’s sap. I likely will be between 70 and 80 gallons to boil. Looks like another long day. I always like to finish and bottle on the same day as the boil. I know others do not do that. The sap is almost syrup when I pull it off the pan, so the finishing does not take that long.
The funny thing is with my two fire bowls, I actually boil faster than I was two years ago, but not anywhere near as fast as last year’s beast evaporator, which could boil at 13 gallons per hour. I call it a beast because it got very hot and consumed wood at a incredible rate.
Edit: As I was collecting, I reminded myself that this is a hobby and I do not need to have a long day. The 25 gallons I collected today, I can do tomorrow or it a few days.
I should have today’s boil, bottled by supper time.
Last edited by Swingpure; 03-14-2024 at 03:23 PM.
2022 - 5 pan block arch - 109 taps, 73 on 3/16 lines, 36 on drops into 5 gallon pails.
930 gallons boiled, 109 L (28.8 gals) of delicious syrup made.
DYI Vacuum Filter
2023 - 170 taps, mostly on lines, 1153 gallons boiled, 130 L (34.34 gals) of delicious syrup made, on a 2x4 divided pan and base stack, 8 pipe, on a block arch that boiled at a rate of 13 gallons per hour.
2024 - made 48 L, December to March, primarily over two fire bowls.