The Official Maple Syrup Thread 2011

sunshinytraci · #61 02/19/11, 09:49 PM

Thank you Sugarspinner. I think my fire pits will work. I have been cooking all kinds of things on them for years and Have lots of firewood.

What is the best system for boiling down sap? Do you use a stovetop or something like that? I have never seen a professional operation.

Can you add more sap to sap that is already partly boiled down or will that ruin the finished product?

tab · #62 02/20/11, 09:21 AM

Lots of people add sap and keep boiling. Gives a darker product. A quicker boil is good but sometimes sleep trumps light syrup.

I try not to store sap for more than two days if it cold.

There are pans available on Ebay.

TeamChaos · #63 02/20/11, 10:55 AM

It's our second year sugaring too! I'm in WI and we put a few taps in three days ago. We're getting sap but it's not really floooowing. Last year I cooked it down on a propane grill with a candy thermometer so that I could watch it close while I tended to other chores, but this year I'm hoping to get a bigger pan so that I can be a little more efficient with my time and have more syrup to share. Last year's set up was just right for the first year though, no point ruining a big batch if you can learn your lesson with minimal loss.

sugarspinner · #64 02/20/11, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunshinytraci

Thank you Sugarspinner. I think my fire pits will work. I have been cooking all kinds of things on them for years and Have lots of firewood.

What is the best system for boiling down sap? Do you use a stovetop or something like that? I have never seen a professional operation.

Can you add more sap to sap that is already partly boiled down or will that ruin the finished product?

Well, the best system is to have a regular evaporator, which we do, but they're horrendously espensive, even for the tiny ones. A stovetop is going to put a lot of humidity in your kitchen and it will steam off your wallpaper if you have any. Your firepit will probably work fine. It's best to use a fairly shallow pan or not put a huge, deep amount into the pan, because it takes more heat to get it to boiling and will take llonger to boil it down. Just think this through; a fairly large, shallow amount of sap will simply evaporate quicker.

That being said, whatever you use, if you're using the syrup yourself and don't care a lot about light color, etc., isn't going to make a big difference. Yes, you can add sap to the boiling sap. Again, it's not the very best plan but it works. There's even a bit of that takes place in the professional evaporators, which is why most of us take the syrup off a little short of finished and do our finishing on a separate burner; thus, the finishing pan.
You could do that with yours; bring it into your kitchen when you're down to a degree or so short of finished. That way, you can have better control of getting it just right.

Something else I forgot to tell you is about straining. We strain any sap that comes from buckets (twigs, leaves, ants, moths, etc) through cheesecloth. Then we strain the syrup when we take it off the evaporator and again when we take it out of the finishing pan. Then we run it through a pressure filter when we re-heat it for canning. The reason for all of this straining is the natural mineral, nitre, also known as "sugar sand," which is the thick, mostly tasteless sediment that accumulates in the bottom of jars and bottles. It is harmless but useless and can be at least partially eliminated even without anthing fancy like the pressure filter. I'd strain the syrup through either several thicknesses of cheescloth or, better yet, through white flannel. If you don't have flannel, a new dish towel or a piece of muslin will work. Whatever you use, don't wash it in soap; just use water. Any soap is apt to leave a minute residue, which will give your syrup an off-taste. The general rule is that the syrup should be strained any time you re-heat it and at least once during the original cooking. Do the straining when syrup is hot because the nitre is in suspension then and will filter out better.

If there are producers near you, they're usually good to share information and encouragement. Wish you were near us and you'd be welcome to come watch.

Good Luck. If you'd like, pm me for help and to let me know how you get along.

tab · #65 02/21/11, 08:15 AM

Good point about filters. Any of the supply places and sometimess a farm store will sell the felt filters which are not expensive and do a fair job.

The earlier in the boil the sap is added, the smaller the impact on the finished product. Some of the pans sold on Ebay have a smaller warming pan over the main pan to allow sap to preheat and dribble in. There really are a zillion ways to boil it off. Just do it and if you like it you will change and adapt to what works for you.

In other year's maple syrup thread pictures have been posted. Good way to get ideas.

michiganfarmer · #66 02/21/11, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Photog

Max,

I heard that the Griner's and the Olds' are tapping already. Feels like we shouid be too, but I think it is going to drop again for a week or two.

I just talked to Dick Olds saturday. THey arent even putting tubiing out yet. Dick said they might tap near the first of march. A friend of mine works for griiner, but I havent talked to him so I dont know what thye are doing.

michiganfarmer · #67 02/21/11, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Photog

Max,

I heard that the Griner's and the Olds' are tapping already. Feels like we shouid be too, but I think it is going to drop again for a week or two.

who are you? lol. Do we know each other?

Photog · #68 02/23/11, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michiganfarmer

who are you? lol. Do we know each other?

LOL, I sold you a couple hundred gallons of sap 2 years ago, didn't do much last year.

A kid stopped into the shop to have us rebuild his 3x9 evap. and told us about Olds. Must not have known what he was talking about.

michiganfarmer · #69 02/24/11, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Photog

LOL, I sold you a couple hundred gallons of sap 2 years ago, didn't do much last year.

A kid stopped into the shop to have us rebuild his 3x9 evap. and told us about Olds. Must not have known what he was talking about.

OOOHHH YEAH,lol. I remember. yuo gonna tap agin this year?

michiganfarmer · #70 02/24/11, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Photog

A kid stopped into the shop to have us rebuild his 3x9 evap. and told us about Olds. Must not have known what he was talking about.

on the kid's behalf, there are 4 Olds brothers, and sometimes one or two are doing things that the others might not know about

michiganfarmer · #71 02/25/11, 11:13 AM

I just talked to that friend who works with Griner. They've made 40 gallons already. He said its comming slow, and the sugar is only 1%

michiganfarmer · #72 02/25/11, 11:13 AM

I dunno.... maybe I need to start tapping. Gonna work on tubing all weekend

StephanieH · #73 02/25/11, 03:47 PM

This is our second year. We have 11 trees and 22 taps that we put out yesterday evening. This morning I collected almost 10 gallons. It is so much fun!

akaRach · #74 02/27/11, 08:00 PM

Yep, went and put in all my taps this weekend. There were a couple that were flowing a little bit and temps above 0 all week.

Got everything ready to go, I can't wait!

I think this year I about doubled the number of taps I have too...what was I thinking!! lol

poppysfarm · #75 02/27/11, 09:33 PM

This is our second year. Last year we boiled it down on our propane stove. The pint cost us about $80 in propane. It was yummy but not that yummy. It was also very thick and 1/2" crystalized on the bottom of the jar. This year we boiled it down in shallow pans on a wood fire. We may have removed it too soon as it seems watery. Its in the refrigerator for now.......can I boil it more again tomorrow? We have a little over a gallon. I am also confused about storing it. Can I just boil it to 185 degrees and then pour it into mason jars and seal without refrigerating until opened....or does it need to be done in a water bath canner and sealed? TIA for everyones help. Its a little water but very yummy this year too!

michiganfarmer · #76 02/28/11, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppysfarm

.can I boil it more again tomorrow? We have a little over a gallon.

yes

Quote:

I am also confused about storing it. Can I just boil it to 185 degrees and then pour it into mason jars and seal without refrigerating until opened.

yes...

Quote:

TIA for everyones help. Its a little water but very yummy this year too!

michiganfarmer · #77 02/28/11, 08:07 AM

Pretty sore. HUmping up and down hills in the 12 acres of woods all weekend working on tubing.

Its coming. Still no warm weather forcast for the next 10 days.

sugarspinner · #78 02/28/11, 01:33 PM

Poppysfarm, Yes, you can put it back in and reboil it to the proper consistency. Before you start, put a candy thermometer in boiling water to check the boiling point that day because it varies according to the barometric pressure. Then, boil the syrup to 7 or 7 1/2 degrees above that point. IOW, if water boils at 212 degrees, boil until your thermometer says 219 or even 219 1/2. That should be finished and not so thick that it sugars. At that point, it should weigh 11 pounds per gallon, too. If you don't have a candy thermometer, finished syrup will "sheet" off the edge of a spoon. That's a little harder to judge, though.
Yes, 190 degrees and into a hot mason jar and cap it with hot lid. No, you don't want to can it in a canner because that will further cook it. Oh, you can also freeze it.

ca2devri · #79 03/01/11, 07:36 AM

Ok, I'm almost back from my trip to San Francisco and the forecast isn't looking good. I think I'll start putting in all the taps anyway, but where's the warm weather?

Chris

Forerunner · #80 03/01/11, 08:41 AM

Finally.

Two weeks ago, or so, we got wind that the deep freeze was about to let go, so we tapped, and, it did. Then it stayed warm for a week.

Now the temps are acting more like late Feb. We put out roughly 1500 taps.
We've made about ten gallons of syrup so far.
Both 60 gallon cooking vats are full and boiling vigorously, as we speak.
The 400 gallon bulk tank is about full. The boys are going out after breakfast to begin dumping overflowing buckets at grove #1. That should net another couple hundred gallons. The forecast is calling for freeze and thaw. This afternoon, with temps in the fifties, grove #2 should give three hundred gallons, plus.

Life is good.