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Thread: Made my first maple syrup today!

  1. 03-02-2023, 06:56 PM #1
    Spikeman
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    Default Made my first maple syrup today!

    So, I have an evaporator coming but don't have it yet. I have been fortunate to use a friends 1/2 pint evaporator - boiled down some sap last Friday. Didn't get it finished off there so i bought it home to finish off today. Started with my Turkey Frier then moved to the indoor stove. Must have checked it every minute but finally got it to 66brix and by the time i got off the stove it was about 67 brix - i used both a hydrometer and a refractometer to check it - boy, when you get close it all goes so fast!

    Very happy with it, I'm thinking pancakes for breakfast tomorrow

    btw: my evaporator is being made by a friend that has a welding school. It will be the same size 3 chanel pan as a 1/2 pint. It just got finished - I just have to go pick it up. Shame there's been no sap for about the past week here in NH.

    Steve
    A new guy here - learning a lot from you guys!
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  2. 03-02-2023, 07:47 PM #2
    ecolbeck
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    Congratulations!! Have fun!
    60ish taps on buckets
    D&G Sportsman 18x63
    Turbo RB15 RO Bucket
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  3. 03-02-2023, 08:21 PM #3
    ScottT
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    Congratulations! Happy Boiling !
    2021 - First year: 4 taps; Tapped too late; 4.5 gallons of sap
    2022 - 11 taps; 20 gallons of sap
    2023 - 23 taps. 3 gallons of syrup; founded TruNorth Maple Co.
    2024 - 26 (+10) taps; 4.5 gallons of syrup; added RO filter
    2025 - 40 taps; Added 3/16 mainline line; Natural Vacuum; 6.5 gallons of syrup.
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  4. 03-02-2023, 08:44 PM #4
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    Swingpure
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    Congrats, always special to make and taste your first syrup!
    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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  5. 03-03-2023, 05:41 AM #5
    DairyVet
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    Congrats! I usually can’t wait til breakfast to enjoy my first finished syrup of the year. Thankfully it goes very well with a couple fingers of bourbon.
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  6. 03-03-2023, 06:07 AM #6
    eustis22
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    Congratultions and commiserations.....you are so screwed now.
    2025 - 48 taps, all but 8 on gravity tubing
    2024 - New Maine resident, 12X16 sugar shack under construction
    2019 - New 12X12 boiling pavilion
    2018 - New Mason 2X3 Hobby XL and homemade RO
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  7. 03-03-2023, 06:41 AM #7
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    littleTapper
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    Ha! Yes, now it spirals out of control. Looking forward to your future thread on your new RO.

    Enjoy and congrats!!!
    42.82N
    http://www.wsmaple.com
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  8. 03-03-2023, 08:37 AM #8
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    MajorWoodchuck
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    Quote Originally Posted by DairyVet View Post
    Congrats! I usually can’t wait til breakfast to enjoy my first finished syrup of the year. Thankfully it goes very well with a couple fingers of bourbon.
    We usually have waffles in the sugar shack with boiling syrup that is almost done and we can't wait any longer.

    At least you have good company as your whole world is focused on 6 weeks every spring.
    Dan of Jack & Daniel's syrup.
    2021 - First time tapper, 40 TAPS, 7 GAL syrup, 400gpd RO
    2022- 105 taps, 17 gal syrup, 2x 400 gpd RO
    2023- 143 taps, 27 gal syrup New 12x16 shack. Lost my father in law Jack who helped me build it. New Badgerland filter press.
    2024 - 210 taps, 37 gal syrup, 6x 400gpd RO Procon pump
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  9. 03-03-2023, 09:43 AM #9
    Spikeman
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    Thanks everyone!
    I think my first upgrade for next year will be to move away from buckets hanging on trees (or should i say buckets on the ground from falling off the trees). First instance will be larger buckets on the ground with tubing from the tree/spile.

    Second upgrade will be a better sap storage method, a larger storage tank than the 5 gallon buckets I use right now.

    I'm sure there will also be a third, forth and fifth upgrade, just have to work out what will improve my process.

    Steve
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  10. 03-03-2023, 09:54 AM #10
    Gunner
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    Did everything your doing when I started out- I fell down that same rabbit hole and there's no turning Back- I was warned too-

    a year later I'm cutting up Oil tanks and buying welding equipment, More syrup equipment, and don't forget the pans got to love the price of the Pans, They must think Im an Oil Barron ,

    Good Luck and Enjoy , When the Neighbors call you crazy- you always have a group here at the asylum to talk too-
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