Zero sap flow today, I was expecting something. I will boil whatever I have Sunday morning, even’t if it is a short boil. Some of the sap I collected a couple days ago is going a little cloudy, even though I kept the pails buried in the snow.
This is where I lack experience. Should I toss the sap if it is a little cloudy, or is it okay and will just produce darker syrup?
Thanks
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.
If it's yellow and it stinks, toss it. But cloudy sap that has not gone too far makes fine dark syrup.Originally Posted by Swingpure
Gabe
2016: Homemade arch from old wood stove; 2 steam tray pans; 6 taps; 1.1 gal
2017: Same setup. 15 taps; 4.5 gal
2018: Same setup. Limited time. 12 taps and short season; 2.2 gal
2019: Very limited time. 7 taps and a short season; 1.8 gals
2020: New Mason 2x3 XL halfway through season; 9 taps 2 gals
2021: Same 2x3, 18 taps, 4.5 gals
2022: 23 taps, 5.9 gals
2023: 23 taps. Added AUF, 13.2 gals
2024: 17 taps, 5.3 gals
2025: 17 taps
All on buckets
Thanks, no sap ran today and I only have 24 gallons to boil, but I will boil that tomorrow, and maybe leave it in the final pan for Mondays boil. There is not enough volume to get it too close to syrup tomorrow.
Hopefully the sap will run really well Sunday and Monday.
It is also looking good next weekend, if it is still good sap.
Last edited by Swingpure; 04-09-2022 at 06:19 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.
Looks like it will slow down this week and then come roaring back with a vengeance. Managed to pull 500L of sap yesterday. Nothing crazy. Just enough to create some steam to pre warm all the bottles I need to fill. I went over to a friends place yesterday. He was having a maple emergency. Had amassed too much syrup over the past week while he was out sick. His neighbours came and boiled down all the sap. So he had 70L of syrup to filter and only a cone filter. it took him over an hour to get the first 5 litres through because of all the nitre. I brought over the vacuum filter contraption that I made. It worked perfectly for all of it. Done. Bottled and a very relieved friend. Couldn't believe how clear the syrup was compared to the cone filter.
Anyway. This week was crazy. At one point I had 2800L of sap. I got lucky and all my parts and pump arrived for the 4x40 RO that I built. It is pulling 80-100 litres of water out of the sap per hour. Im amazed at how well it works. Basically the same as the CDL hobby RO but I source all the parts and pumps myself. I splurged and got a proton 3 SS pump and a new direct fit 1/2 hrs electric motor. Total cost was 1480$ all in.
I figured out how to make a video. Woohoo. Here is the vacuum filter build and in action. Best 200$ I've ever spent for my "hobby". Enjoy. PM for any tips or suggestions to build your own. Or buy the exact same thing from CDL for 2800$. I have used the CDL one. I think this one works better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8nbZd8EOT0
Great video, thanks for posting. Your vacuum filter design was a game changer for me. I used it right from the start. Filtering was quick and easy and it did a super job of filtering as well. I will have to use some of the other tips in your video next year.
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.
Boiled the 23 gallons of sap I had so it did not go bad. It was clear in the pan, when I poured it in.
No sap ran yesterday. It is just now getting above freezing and I am hoping today and tomorrow will be good runs and I will boil tomorrow if I get any sort of run today.
As 4walls said next weekend is looking good. If the sap is still good that will be bonus. The end of next weekend will be 6 weeks that my spiles are in the trees. I definitely will pull the taps after next weekend.
Edit: At noon the sap is just streaming out of the lines, it will be a good day.
Last edited by Swingpure; 04-10-2022 at 11:05 AM.
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.
That was a surprise. I went to the shack to bring my pans home to clean them. I checked on my buckets and they had a good volume in them. I put some in the freezer to make sap cubes since I have no snow left to pack around the barrel.
Summer project is to build a small enclosure to insulate and pack the barrel with snow. The insulation should keep the snow from melting.
Boiled yesterday and got 37:1 ratio. Alot better than the first batch of 52.3:1.
2021 - Year one. 15 taps using 5/16" and drop tube into buckets. Homemade barrel evaporator with 2 steam trays.
2022. 32 taps. Added AUF.
2023. 51 taps. Ditched the steam pans for an 18x22 flat pan.
2024. 56 taps. Built a proper evaporator to fit the 18x22 flat pan and 1 steam pan.
2025. 62 taps.
I collected 42 gallons today to go along with the 23 gallons I brought to a boil this morning, so I will have a 65 gallon boil tomorrow. That brings me to 68.8% expected sap and when that is finished, it will get me over 90 L of syrup. My sap sugar concentrations is still high.
Tonight is forecasted to drop to -4° and +10 tomorrow, so there should be sap flow tomorrow and another boil on Tuesday.
The forecast for next weekend is changing and warming up a tad overnight, so Tuesday’s boil could be the last, I will keep an eye on the forecast.
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.
I am lucky, I boil in my yard, where I have large piles of plowed snow, so I always have lots of snow available to bury my pails. Glad to hear that your sugar content in your sap went up.
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.
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