Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[blissville maples]

well the trees have awaken! Love the short 4-6 hr freezes really makes for a hard run with minimal ice issue.

Boiled off 8100 gallons yesterday from Saturday and Sunday, sugar content very nice testing 1.9 - 2.1. 1.9 is mix of reds. Turned all that into 165 gallons syrup. Started off with some dark amber and was at light amber by barrel #4. Speaking of amber the new grade system really doesn't correctly represent the actual grade of amber. (I made 3 different grades of amber yesterday) It needs a sub category. We all know dark amber isn't robust and light amber is not golden that's a fact, so just call it amber is the answer I guess but that doesn't separate or highlight the different flavor profiles of the grade(light amber being sweet and crisp while dark amber has a slight amount of maple flavor with a lower light transmission than light amber). which isn't an issue for the robust or golden grades. What about the folks that want a little bit of maple flavor but not robust these folks used to grab the dark Amber now they don't know where to find that particular flavor they once had, I guess they have to buy one of each dark and light and mix their own!

.6 gpt sap yesterday from 10 am to 5 pm, like garden hoses coming into releaser! I'm hoping our season isn't too short, I'm seeing 55/60 and full sun coming up which can wreak havoc on the sap! Time tells all!

[GeneralStark]

Speaking of amber the new grade system really doesn't correctly represent the actual grade of amber.

I couldn't agree more. I personally wish they had based the new system on the old VT system and just added a category for the very dark but alas.... that is not the case.

Yesterday I boiled all the sap I collected Friday and Saturday (.5 gpt each day) and made over 10 Gal of classic dark amber. The sap was a bit cloudy as I think the ice from some solid freezes had scrubbed some slime that started to grow during those warm days last week. Sugar content did come up and it was about 1.8. Hopefully that trend will continue...

I picked up a Murphy compensation float and I'm wishing I had done so years ago. What a clever tool...

[DrTimPerkins]

I picked up a Murphy compensation float and I'm wishing I had done so years ago. What a clever tool...

It really is a useful tool once you get your head wrapped around it. No more charts -- quick and easy to get the density dialed in within the drawoff tank, then off through the filter press and in a barrel. I haven't seen a newer version -- have they added a "hot pack" temperature range to the face of the dial?

[GeneralStark]

It really is a useful tool once you get your head wrapped around it. No more charts -- quick and easy to get the density dialed in within the drawoff tank, then off through the filter press and in a barrel. I haven't seen a newer version -- have they added a "hot pack" temperature range to the face of the dial?

The weak link for me has always been thermometer accuracy and frequent calibration so I really like the fact that this removes that variable completely...

Mine only has one scale on the dial for density.

[DrTimPerkins]

Mine only has one scale on the dial for density.

I had suggested a few years ago that they include a regular temperature scale with an indication of packing temperature range along with the density. I think it is part of their instruction manual, but probably could be too confusing for users (and who ever reads the instruction manual for anything ). The 180 deg F (packing temperature) corresponds to 60.5 on their scale though, so we always try to make sure we're sending it to the barrel while it is still hot enough (which would be a lower Brix value on their scale).

Typically we try to shoot for a touch higher density, then dilute back with sweet from the backpan to proper syrup density. This keeps things hot and ensures we don't drop too low in density.

[blissville maples]

Slow to get going yesterday, ran from 3-6ish, single digits really make it slow to start. Not much sap, but that should be changing from today on!

[DrTimPerkins]

Slow to get going yesterday, ran from 3-6ish, single digits really make it slow to start. Not much sap, but that should be changing from today on!

But the next couple of days should be good flow days. Good luck to all.

[MJPJ Sugars]

Is there any historical data correlation between a previous year's dry/drought conditions and the following year's sap harvest?

Should you expect a less-than-usual harvest/sap flow after a particularly dry growing season?

[DrTimPerkins]

Is there any historical data correlation between a previous year's dry/drought conditions and the following year's sap harvest?

There is nothing published, but we've done some preliminary analysis of this. In terms of sap yield (quantity of sap), the conditions during the sugaring season (cool temperatures, good moisture as either snow or rain) dominate in terms of influence. For sap sugar content, hot, dry weather during the season and hot dry weather in the previous fall and previous growing season all seem to lower it. Growth is a pretty good predictor of syrup yield....hot, dry conditions reduce growth, as does canopy crowding. For sap sugar, you can think of the tree as an engine. When conditions are perfect, the engine will achieve it's optimal power output (based upon the tree genetics). Theonly way to maybe make the engine run better would be to give it high octane fuel (lots of sunlight, nutrients, and water). However almost anything that happens can only have a negative impact on sugar production, pushing growth and sap sugar content lower.

[GeneralStark]

I had suggested a few years ago that they include a regular temperature scale with an indication of packing temperature range along with the density. I think it is part of their instruction manual, but probably could be too confusing for users (and who ever reads the instruction manual for anything ). The 180 deg F (packing temperature) corresponds to 60.5 on their scale though, so we always try to make sure we're sending it to the barrel while it is still hot enough (which would be a lower Brix value on their scale).

Typically we try to shoot for a touch higher density, then dilute back with sweet from the backpan to proper syrup density. This keeps things hot and ensures we don't drop too low in density.

Yes the instructions, which I did actually read , do include an explanation of corresponding temperatures. I also like to draw off heavy and then dilute before filtering. I keep the syrup off the evaporator in my canner which keeps it at about 195-200 F but the diluting, adding fresh syrup and recirculating back to canner from the filter press can cause fluctuations in the syrup temp. This is why this compensation float is so handy for my system.

Things finally thawed out here early afternoon and the sap ran well all night. Will definitely go over 2gpt in 24 hrs. I thought I might get something Monday but it just never warmed enough for more than about 50 gal. to come in, mostly just from the lines thawing.

Going to boil today and see what I get. SSC does seem to be inching up and when I tested earlier it was just below 2.