Anyone Here Make Syrup???

[Warm_in_NH]

How far do you boil it down before you do the finish boil? Thanks

As far as we can. I'm no pro we just do what works for us. But I try to take it down to where I have to reduce it by half or so again to finish.
So we may boil 25 gallons of sap down to 2 gallons and then bring it in and reduce that to about a 3/4 +/- gallon of finish.
A lot depends on how much sap and time we have.

Edit: my buddy takes it up to 217 ish on tje big wood fired evaporator then finishes on propane from there.

 

[johnpma]

This is our last week. Storing the sap in buckets in the snow this week. Had a solid 40 gallons of sap that we boiled on Saturday. Made this batch thicker. Color was gorgeous.....time to upgrade the evaporator for next season.

 

[maple1]

This has been a brutal season here. We were only a couple of days away from being all tapped up & ready to go 3 weeks ago - well, we got tapped but still haven't finished digging the lines out of the snow from the 2-1/2' of it we got 2 weeks ago. Bad enough having to do it once, but 2 or 3 times is over the top when you've got KMs of them.

We boiled for the first time on Friday - finally got some syrup the next day. But the way the long-range forecast looks, it's going to end before it really gets going. All freezing temps this week, all mild the next. Winter just lasted waaayyy too long, looks like it's going to turn warm like someone flipped a switch. This is the first time in the decades we've been at it that we didn't make any syrup until April.

Just brutal....

 

[Warm_in_NH]

Just brutal....

I've been following how it's done for a while, but only boiling my own on a hobby level for two years now. I can't imagine how devastating this is for people like you. It's a TON of work, for what should be a good reward, if it doesn't come, that just sucks. Here in NH, it trickled a bit, then shut down, my buddy just start collecting sap like crazy this week, a late flow, but it's flowing like crazy now. It's hard for him to compare to previous years because he tapped a new lot this year, but "per a tap" he's having a good year, finally. Hope you get the same!

time to upgrade the evaporator for next season.

Didn't you just buy that set up this year from an old timer getting out of the business? We need a new evaporator set up for next year too. I just came from my buddies house, saw the tell tale steam rising up as I was driving by, he's a really smart guy, with lots of free time in the winter (like me, but smart), he built his whole set up and modifies it regularly. He's almost got me convinced to spend the $1200 on a small evaporator from Leader. I think it's a crazy idea, then he starts throwing out the numbers at me, for time and fuel costs. Still think I can figure out a wood boil option for far less... $100 in propane this year!

His set up I just came from, can't see much, too much steam!

 

[maple1]

That's a couple pics I snapped real quick those 2 1/2 weeks ago. Mainlines are about 4' or so off the ground. Thought we were almost done. Came back a week later & couldn't even tell there was a trench dug, the snow not only filled the trenches back in but filled in up to & across the tops of the piled up snow. Pretty discouraging, to say the least. There are a few producers around here that called it quits before getting started, some threw in the towel half way through getting started, and some are still wavering.

 

[Michael Golden]

View attachment 156807 View attachment 156808

That's a couple pics I snapped real quick those 2 1/2 weeks ago. Mainlines are about 4' or so off the ground. Thought we were almost done. Came back a week later & couldn't even tell there was a trench dug, the snow not only filled the trenches back in but filled in up to & across the tops of the piled up snow. Pretty discouraging, to say the least. There are a few producers around here that called it quits before getting started, some threw in the towel half way through getting started, and some are still wavering.

Wow!

 

[Michael Golden]

What's a good read for getting into this as a hobby? I have a hillside of rock maples, I'm anxious to try this out next year.

 

[johnpma]

maple1 WOW that is crazy!!

Didn't you just buy that set up this year from an old timer getting out of the business?

He gave it to me but I'm hooked I have a ton more trees I can tap out back so I need something more efficient Thinking this unit and it's made in the USA lol(broken image removed)

What's a good read for getting into this as a hobby? I have a hillside of rock maples, I'm anxious to try this out next year

You came to the right place ask away

 

[Warm_in_NH]

What's a good read for getting into this as a hobby? I have a hillside of rock maples, I'm anxious to try this out next year.

The best source I found was picking peoples brains (not like zombie picking brains, but talking to them) stopped at a couple of sugar houses. Look up the local "leader" dealer (they've got the patent on most tap designs), then when I went to get my taps the guy gave me a little book put out by the CT maple sugar assoc., was FULL of useful info, then I scoured the internet, more picking brains, then it was time to just do it and figure it out the rest as I went. Last year I knew very little about the boil, temps, etc... this year I know a lot more, but there's always something to learn or figure out.

Thinking this unit and it's made in the USA lol

Where'd you find that? It looks perfect!

I like this:
https://www.leaderevaporator.com/c-25-small-and-hobby-maple-syrup-evaporators-150-taps-or-less.aspx
Think I saw it was 1200-1400

Only sold two jars for $6 so far. That's another 198 sales I need to make!

This seasons progression:


Thats the bulk of it. About another 1/2 gallon already given out. Just over 4 gal of finish syrup.

 

[johnpma]

Where'd you find that? It looks perfect!

Here: http://www.wfmasonwelding.com/

I don't understand the reverse flow pan concept and how it all works but I hear it really speeds up production

 

[maple1]

I think the flow reversing is done just to reduce buildup on the pans. Every couple days or whatever you switch the flow. Should make for cleaner pans.

 

[johnpma]

last of our three boils tomorrow. Lines and buckets are coming down today. Evaporator will fire up at 6am and go until the last drop of sap is gone....

maple flavored wild goose breakfast sausage (goose that my son shot in the fall) , eggs, and toast for breakfast.......Sam Adams Lager starting at noon

God I live the weekends

 

[pen]

Sam Adams Lager starting at noon

You are more disciplined than I am.

Good luck

 

[johnpma]

last boil on sat yielded about 2 gallons of syrup......short but great season of coarse it was flowing the best as we were removing the buckets

 

[Ashful]

I think this would be a fun family activity. The new neighbor cut down most of the hard maple, but I have some very large (> 40" caliper) silver maples, and some young (eg. 4") red maples. What are my prospects? I read that both species are used, but obviously less plentiful than sugar maple.

 

[johnpma]

Getting ready soon. Gonna hang the tap line early this year when it's warm so I'm not balls deep in the snow doing it again Also gonna build a new barrel evaporator......

Anyone else boil out in the open?

 

[johnpma]

Tap lines are going up this weekend.....finishing up the new barrel boiler this week cold weekend going into the 40's should start dripping.....some people have already boiled

 

[Warm_in_NH]

Tap lines are going up this weekend.....finishing up the new barrel boiler this week cold weekend going into the 40's should start dripping.....some people have already boiled

Where did ya get that? Did ya buy it or have it made?

 

[johnpma]

Where did ya get that? Did ya buy it or have it made?

Hi Warm_in_NH I made it on the cheap. 55 gallon drum, $48 US Stove Barrel Stove Kit, 1/8" x 1 1/4" "L" from Tractor Supply, .045 thick 12" x 24" sheet metal......most expensive part was the boiling pan and pre-warmer. Guy in VT has them on CL ofr three beans shipped to your door. Took about 6 hours to build all together it will be about $375.00 Have some old 6" stove pipe I'll use for my stack. Only thing I might do is add a small blower to get a hotter burn thus increasing GPH boiled.....then again slower burn means more bent elbows Going to line the barrel with Roxul insulation then brick it for a hotter fire box. Still some trimming of metal to be done.

Check out www.mapletrader.com some really cool ideas

 

[johnpma]

Last Monday my pipes froze and we had -18 degrees this morning the sap is pouring out of the trees as it was 58 overnight...........I think mother nature is having a hot flash

Had to use waders to get to my storage tanks this morning but we harvested 60 gallons of pure clean sap for our tubing systems

 

[Blacknight318]

First batch on the stove.

 

[firefighterjake]

Amish neighbors just tapped a few of my trees on Saturday.

 

[DuckDog]

Forecast is showing that we'll start to see the right weather around March 9. This is right on schedule for us. We typically tap Mar 5 - Mar 12 .+3 to +5*C during the day and -2 to -5*C at night is what we need. We tap about 40-50 sugar maples and usually have 2 marathon boils. Still using a block arch but have a relatively new 2'x4' flat pan. We always finish on a propane. Much easier as it's almost impossible to burn 4 gallons of syrup in a turkey fryer pot!
We've got 3 generations in on it. My dad, myself and my 5 year old son. Such an awesome family activity. I hope my son ends up with the same memories I have.

 

[johnpma]

First boil on the new unit. Got about a 3.75 gallon/hr boil rate using cut up pallets Unit performed better than expected. Hoping with my air induction system I'm building I can increase the boil rate to 4.5 gal/hr Boiled off 35 gallons of sap yesterday and got about 1/2 gallon of finish syrup A good digital thermometer is your best friend Shut it down at 7pm until next weekend....this is fun

 

[begreen]

Love fresh maple syrup. We used to get it right from Cream Hill Farm in Cornwall, CT. Always bought grade B or even C if possible. That's something I miss out here on the left coast.