Quote Originally Posted by Someclown View Post
I find it a very slow process trying to get it to the proper or close to exact brix even with hydrometer, refractometer and thermometers. I will make it a point to pick up a hydrotherm at some point.
After all that time boiling I'm very careful and continuously checking, letting the syrup run off my skimmer for curtaining, I try going by the bubbles but not enough experience for those two methods yet.
I looked at last years calender and I started tapping March 8 and did my first real collection of 150 litre to boil on March 22 as the temperatures were a roller coaster last spring from low + teens to minus teens to high teens. I will tap this week, temperatures at this time look promising. Purchased more buckets, taps, tubing and a nice solid 16 quart stainless steel finishing pot on sale this week at CT for 70% off, saved $120, cost me $50 perfect timing on that sale.
Swingpure, I couldn't help but notice how much snow you have in the bush there when looking at your nice pail holders you made, we have about half that amount judging by the picture.
Our lake is a headwater for the Sequin Water System and as such we are at a higher elevation than a lot of the surrounding area and I think that is why we get more snow. Often Parry Sound will be bare of snow and we will still have a foot or more still left on the ground. We are getting dumped on again right now. White out conditions.

My hope is to get to the 66.9/67 Brix, but we will see how challenging that will be. I do like the ease of refractometer, but will try and verify with the hydrotherm. Even the hydrotherm though is a bit of guess work, if you want something with greater than 66.0 Brix. The red line has to be above the syrup if you want greater concentration. Nothing really tells you how many bars above the syrup is 66.9 or 67. I will go for five or six bars above.

I saw that pot sale. Having already purchased 3 pots, 3 stock pots and two kettles, I was good. The three pots and one stock pot are good for the induction elements. One stock pot and one kettle got converted into my vacuum filter.