Update on this thread. I picked up 3 15 gallons kegs at MES in Henniker, NH this morning. They are new kegs, not repurposed ones. They sell them for $125 a piece. Look great.
24504B8B-7E61-46A8-B820-4D012B71CC1C.jpg
Update on this thread. I picked up 3 15 gallons kegs at MES in Henniker, NH this morning. They are new kegs, not repurposed ones. They sell them for $125 a piece. Look great.
24504B8B-7E61-46A8-B820-4D012B71CC1C.jpg
Sugaring for 45+ years
New Sugarhouse 14'x32'
New to Me Algier 2'x8' wood fired evaporator
2022 added a used RB25 RO Bucket
250 mostly Sugar Maples, 15% Soft Maples. Currently,(110on 3/16" and 125 on Shurflo 4008 vacuum, 15 gravity), (16,000 before being disabled)
1947 Farmall H and Wagon with gathering tank
2012 Kubota with forks to move wood around
I just picked up 10 of the CDL 15 gallon barrels. They are new, NOT refurbished beer kegs.
First introduced to making maple syrup in 1969
Making syrup every year since 1979
3 x 10 oil fired
Revolution syrup and max flue pan
Almost 1300 taps total with 900 on high vacuum
Bought first Marcland drawoff in 1997, still going strong.
At such a low cost I may sell some of my 26.5 gal barrels (SS) and buy some more 15 or 16 gal CDL or MES in the future. I don't like packing even 26.5 gal of one grade syrup at one time, but that's what I do now. I only own 4 SS 16 gal barrels (originally a NYSMPA special) and 1 CDL 15 gal I bought from another producer who had to cut way back on production because of health issues. All of the 26.5's are in like new conditio, they use 2" plastic bung plugs so never any buggered threads in the bung.
I now have 10 SS 26.5's with my old sugarhouse name etched on the top (Dave & Joan's Sugarhouse) and 4 I bought later with no etching. I have no idea how many I'd sell of the ones with the etched name, but I'd sell the 4 with no etching. When I decide, I'll get a picture and list them in the classifieds on this site. Even though the etched ones are worth more to me, I realize I'd need to sell them for a little less.
My issue with packing from a 26.5 gal barrel is compounded if I need to pack 2 grade a short time span. I store all packed syrup that is in jugs in 2 freezers I have at the sugarhouse and they aren't large enough to fit 50+ gal worth. The freezers are just 2 of the little coolers mom and pop stores used to use for selling ice cream novelties. They are mini freezers and my sugarhouse is too small to fit 2 full size freezers.
Last edited by maple flats; 01-13-2021 at 11:24 AM.
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.
Sugaring for 45+ years
New Sugarhouse 14'x32'
New to Me Algier 2'x8' wood fired evaporator
2022 added a used RB25 RO Bucket
250 mostly Sugar Maples, 15% Soft Maples. Currently,(110on 3/16" and 125 on Shurflo 4008 vacuum, 15 gravity), (16,000 before being disabled)
1947 Farmall H and Wagon with gathering tank
2012 Kubota with forks to move wood around
We had one of the older CDL 15 gallon barrels at $165. Then we picked up 3 of their 40 gallon barrels at $185 or so. THe 40 gallon barrels are a little big for our size and we use them for bulk packing to Bascom. We just bought 10 of the new CDL 15 gallons barrels. The seem like they are well constructed. We should be able to fill one each boil. We'll see how it goes. If we get some darker grades we'll likely repack into the 40 gallon barrels.
Mike
Tapping since 1985 (four generations back to early to mid 1900s). 200-250 taps on buckets and then tubing in the mid 90s. 2013- 275 taps w/sap puller 25 gal. 2014-295 taps w/sap puller 55 ga. (re-tapped to vacuum theory) 2015-330 taps full vac. 65 gal, 2016-400 taps 105 gal, 2017-400 taps 95 gal. 2018-additional 800' mainline and maybe 400 new taps for a total near 800 taps. 2x6 Leader WSE (last year on it) supported by a 250 gph RO.
First introduced to making maple syrup in 1969
Making syrup every year since 1979
3 x 10 oil fired
Revolution syrup and max flue pan
Almost 1300 taps total with 900 on high vacuum
Bought first Marcland drawoff in 1997, still going strong.
Sugaring for 45+ years
New Sugarhouse 14'x32'
New to Me Algier 2'x8' wood fired evaporator
2022 added a used RB25 RO Bucket
250 mostly Sugar Maples, 15% Soft Maples. Currently,(110on 3/16" and 125 on Shurflo 4008 vacuum, 15 gravity), (16,000 before being disabled)
1947 Farmall H and Wagon with gathering tank
2012 Kubota with forks to move wood around