Keep the level low like your sap pan, the evaporation rate will be better. Pour in new sap as it boils down.
Keep the level low like your sap pan, the evaporation rate will be better. Pour in new sap as it boils down.
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.
Maybe I have to be more patient, but they seem to boil much sooner and much better with the lids on. The steam seems to find a way out. A couple of times now I have taken the lids off, just for the reason you suggest and the pot immediately loses it’s boil, an I wait for it to regain it’s boil and finally give up.Originally Posted by Z/MAN
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.
Thanks I have been trying to keep it lower today, but likely can live closer to the edge than I have been.
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.
Last night the temperatures did not drop below freezing, so the trees did not recharge. I only collected 4 gallons of sap today. Next Tuesday’s run should be fantastic and even tomorrow’s should be good.
I have been boiling all day and I am still boiling. I do have the sap levels lower, but I guess I have to go lower yet.
I just might be able to make syrup close to New Years Eve. That would be cool. My syrup temperature is 217.83° right now. I like my syrup at 66.9/67 Brix, so that is more likely a 218.75° temperature.
Would I tap trees again mid winter! Absolutely, with two caveats:
One - my evaporator would have to fully functional. I could have boiled up all of this sap in under two hours.
Two - I might go more in, install more taps, maybe them all.
Last edited by Swingpure; 12-31-2022 at 06:51 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.
You'll still evaporate faster with the lids off. In the earlier stages of concentration, I'm not even sure how essential it is to actually be in a true boil, but it essential to not have anything in the way of the steam escaping. If you're doing it with lids on, and its going slow, that why it's going slow.
Okay, I will be starting a fresh boil likely tomorrow, so I will do it all with lids off.
I hope to make syrup tonight.
Edit: I consolidated everything in one pot to boil down and finish. I took the lid off, it immediately lost its boil. I waited 25 minutes and although there was some upwelling, there was no boiling. Go figure.
Last edited by Swingpure; 12-31-2022 at 10:20 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.
If you can achieve 200F, (edit, rechecked my notes, make that 205F) you'll lose an inch an hour of liquid without lids. More if you can get higher.
Curious, how many inches an hour, boiling, with lids on? (this is good data)
Last edited by Andy VT; 12-31-2022 at 08:50 PM.
First syrup made in 2023, bottled at 1:30 am, January 1st!
https://share.icloud.com/photos/032P...MIQMJX2KrlGUAQ
BB9B2527-1CE4-4B54-8A55-BD8458AC9439.jpg
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.
Just a few thoughts on making the syrup.
This was my first time making syrup starting with so few gallons of sap to start with (20 gallons). Near the end when I was finishing it, the syrup level was fairly low in the pot. I will wait until I have at least 40 gallons to start with, before doing it again.
I made less syrup than I expected. I thought I should have made at least another 500 ml of syrup. The 20 gallons should have made 1.9 L of syrup, and I made 1.375 L.
The taste of the syrup, based on the remnants in the pot, was different from when I boiled last spring over a wood fire. This time it was all done on an induction stove. It was still good, but different.
The DYI vacuum filter, with the new overcentered clamps I added, as per 4walls design, worked perfectly.
Having the new stainless steel pot allowed me to transfer the hot sap directly from the vacuum filter kettle pot to the finishing pot while it was still hot, so I had very minimal reheating to do.
I still cannot figure out the boiling without a lid thing. With a lid it boils vigoursly and steam is finding its way out and without a lid, it really does not come to a boil. All I know is it took me double the expected time to boil the sap.
Today I have to clean up last night’s pots and utensils from the sugar making, I will be walking the three steep lines to see if there are any trees or branches on them and then hopefully I will collect some sap. It did drop below freezing last night, but not as much as forecasted. Counting today, there is three more days to collect sap.
This is the colour of last night’s sap in the daylight. I seem to have a knack for making amber coloured syrup.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0ddv...E8W2EvMMGUMyQw
9FD1BFAB-FE35-4F75-BA88-CDEF6B417B48.jpg
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.
For the lid issue maybe put a couple of wooden spoons across the pot to create a gap to let more steam out while keeping the heat in to help with the boil.
The other thing to do would be to occasionally remove the lid and shake off the water droplets on the underside of the lid. It would be a shame to have them drop back in the pot having to reboil them.
Your syrup looks nice.
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.
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