Maple syrup 2023

[Johnmn]

I know some of you guys are way ahead of me, my season probably won't start for another month but I have started getting prepared. I have my RO set up and ready, started putting up more 3/16 tubing and started making new drop lines. Hoping to add more taps on vacuum and less on bags. Also getting prepared to make a v2 vacuum filter. I'll post pictures when I get started. @Ryan Browne probably has a bunch of updates for us.

 

[Ryan Browne]

Nice to hear from you John, I was just thinking about sending you a text this morning.

I got a little nervous last weekend with the warm temps, it didn't even freeze overnight here for a couple nights. I am not close to being ready, so I'm glad it cooled down. I did get a report from a bigger operation nearby with several thousand already tapped and under vacuum. They were getting a little sap, but not a real run yet, which was reassuring.

I'm hoping to get a lot done in the woods this coming week.

 

[Hundred Acre Wood]

Made a gallon of product already from my backyard 25 tap gravity setup using 3/16" tubing. Steep hill gives decent siphoning action. Some good weather coming up soon for another batch.

 

[Johnmn]

Nice to hear from you John, I was just thinking about sending you a text this morning.

I got a little nervous last weekend with the warm temps, it didn't even freeze overnight here for a couple nights. I am not close to being ready, so I'm glad it cooled down. I did get a report from a bigger operation nearby with several thousand already tapped and under vacuum. They were getting a little sap, but not a real run yet, which was reassuring.

I'm hoping to get a lot done in the woods this coming week.

It was like -10 here this morning so it's frozen pretty stiff again. Looking ahead I see subzero temps next week as well so it'll be a little bit yet.

 

[nbbt]

Quick question about RO. Does this process remove the sugar sands or would that be during the filtering process?
Why I'm wondering, when I've used syrup with sugar sands for brewing, the yeast seems to be much more active. MAple wine can be rather tasty, especially if there are a couple (or several) of stages of adding syrup.

 

[beaglebriar]

Quick question about RO. Does this process remove the sugar sands or would that be during the filtering process?
Why I'm wondering, when I've used syrup with sugar sands for brewing, the yeast seems to be much more active. MAple wine can be rather tasty, especially if there are a couple (or several) of stages of adding syrup.

It's removed when filtered. The evaporation process creates the sand (actually minerals I believe).

 

[Ryan Browne]

Quick question about RO. Does this process remove the sugar sands or would that be during the filtering process?
Why I'm wondering, when I've used syrup with sugar sands for brewing, the yeast seems to be much more active. MAple wine can be rather tasty, especially if there are a couple (or several) of stages of adding syrup.

The RO shouldn't remove anything other than almost completely pure water. It is a filter in a sense, but we discard what goes through the filter (permeate) and keep what doesn't (concentrate).

 

[nbbt]

Thanks guy for the explanations.

 

[Johnmn]

I started working on my version 2 vacuum filter. The one I built last year was out of super cheap stock pots and the vacuum would collapse the pot and then I would loose vacuum. These are nice 20 gauge stainless stock pots. The bottom one is about 14 inches and the top about 12.
I started by cutting the bottom off the upper pot to create the "syrup holder".

Next I marked the lower pot lid with the upper pot and drilled out the lid, being this is used for food I used vegetable oil as my "cutting oil" it worked well.


I bent up some stainless that will serve as a spacer for centering and also be something to clamp the two pots together. I don't tig weld so I will be silver soldering all the stainless together. Should be plenty strong. This is as far as I have gotten so far. Tapping tree's should be at least 2 weeks out at least at this rate.

 

[Hundred Acre Wood]

Anyone use one of the cheap ~$20 refractometers off Amazon to measure brix? Wondering if they're any good for such a cheap price.

 

[nbbt]

Anyone use one of the cheap ~$20 refractometers off Amazon to measure brix? Wondering if they're any good for such a cheap price.

I use them for mead, seems fairly consistence between taking multiple measurements on the same sample. There are several ranges of them.
I would personally use both a lower range meter 0-32 for raw sap and them switch to a bulb hydrometer for checking finished product since density will change with the temp at cook down finishing near 218f
I believe that both tools are needed for proper measurements throughout the process, due to measurements at different temperatures.

 

[Hundred Acre Wood]

I've always measured to a daily calibrated temperature (boil water, add 7 degrees). It's worked fine since I only make a few gallons a year but if the $20 refractometer works I'll give it a whirl.

 

[Duane(Pa)]

Amber

 

[Ryan Browne]

Still haven't tapped yet. Might be missing a little sap this weekend, but then it gets cold again. I've been processing slabwood and moving some bulk tanks around. Picked up a new 800 gallon Zero tank last summer. I think I'm gonna use that one for permeate storage to wash the RO. I'd still like a few more tanks, but they don't seem to be as available as they were a couple years ago. Certainly not at a dollar a gallon anymore.

 

[Hundred Acre Wood]

My little 25 tap 3/16" gravity setup has been in about 3 weeks this season. About 2 gallons of finished product and running steady. Been a good year so far. I'm not far from @beaglebriar so he must be doing well also.

 

[kurtz]

@EAK044 and I haven’t tapped any of ours yet. We’re hoping the weather gives us two weeks to get ready yet.

 

[Johnmn]

I believe it's ready to filter syrup.

 

[Ryan Browne]

Cut off my old taps and installed new leader check valve taps yesterday. A couple guys who bring me sap said it was running yesterday and today, but I won't have taps in in time to catch any of this round. Don't think it'll amount to that much.


I did finally get some holes drilled today. Didn't get them all in, but made a start on it. Should finish them up tomorrow and if it goes well I'll get the releaser installed and turn on the vacuum pump. My friend who doesn't mind climbing in sap tanks will be around so hopefully after tomorrow I'll be ready to catch sap when it does start running for real.

 

[Ryan Browne]

Didn't finish tapping, but I made some progress on it and got 4 bulk tanks cleaned and ready to roll. Also changed the oil in my vacuum pump and installed the releaser in my pump house (it can't freeze, so it's been stored in my walk-in cooler which we keep above freezing).

Planning on moving my new RO down to the shack on Saturday. After that, we should be just about ready to go.

 

[Ryan Browne]

Got them all tapped. Well, if I get around to it, there's about 25 I could add here and there, but everything I tapped last year is done.

Turned on the pump and releaser and started chasing leaks. Had 21" of mercury (vacuum measurement) when I started, and got it up to 27"hg after fixing the big leaks. Mostly squirrel chews and a couple taps I had missed. There are some little leaks to track down, but I'm calling it good for now. The snow is deep and mushy and getting around is pretty arduous.

The sap was running, but I just let it run on the ground today to rinse all the lines. I'll start collecting into a tank tomorrow if it's running again. So, not quite game time, but we're getting closer every day.