Syrup not thickening

[Old Shady Lane]

Anyone ever have syrup that doesn't thicken. Usually when my thermometer reads 215, I'm at about 50 brix. However, last night it was reading 215 and the hydrometer wasn't even floating. Very strange! I tested the thermometer and hydrometer on a batch I was finishing and everything worked properly. The sap was clear and looked good and smelled fine I thought.

Thanks, Old Shady Lane

[Ausable]

That is strange - Like there is no Sugar in solution in the syrup even though you have boiled it normally. Any color to the syrup? Does it taste sweet? If the hydrometer is ok and the sap had 1 to 3 plus sugar in solution when you started the boil - we have a mystery ...... Mike

[PerryW]

215 is still pretty far from syrup, the hydrometer would be barely floating, especially on a high-pressure day. I would trust the hydrometer.

[Old Shady Lane]

Color looks good and it tastes fine. The sap in the back pan is very dark which tells me the sugar isn't traveling forward for some reason. Everything is level and looks good. I might try adding water and see if that will start pushing it forward.

Thanks,
Old Shady Lane

[PerryW]

This time of year, the sap in the back pan always looks dark,( not to mention the nitre buildup make it look even darker.)

I would avoid putting water in your backpan unless you are done for the season and just trying to push out a final take-off.

Not sure what state you are in, but in my area, we will get at least one more sap run today-tomorrow when we thaw out.

[Old Shady Lane]

Thanks for the help! I'm in Morristown, Vermont. We probably have one more run coming up here as well. We'll see what happens. I'll just finish out the season and see if it thickens up.

Thanks,
Old Shady Lane

100 taps
2X4 Leader w/ drop flues
(This year 50 taps w/ new twins in the house)

[Haynes Forest Products]

Shady First test the sap in the flue to see what you have. Quit with the thermometers and use the hydrometer. When it is to the line its done. I dont understand why so many people keep trying everthing but the tried and TRUE method of syrup making. Boil the sap till the HYDROMETER says its done. If you boil .01% sap that is dark and it turns darker in the flue pan and its thin what does diluting with water do for you?

[KenWP]

It's obvious it has sugar in it as it's boiling at 215. Not sure why your worried as it has to be close to 219 to be syrup. Just boil away till the hydrometer says 59 and then pour it off.

[red maples]

this late in the season you need to go by hydrometer. I made that mistake a few weeks ago I was drawing at 220 like I usually do to find the syrup to be just 1 or 2 brix over but was 5-6 brix under had to finish it and everything else after that I was drawing off at 222-223 coincidentally that was when I went from a light/medium to dark and borderline dark to Gr B.

alway trust the hydro!!!

[wcproctor]

I Agree Quit with the thermometers and use the hydrometer. So many people think this is a science lab. Red means stop.