anachronism
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I'm a Brit. Maple syrup sucks. Its horrid. Bring the hate. 
How to clean stainless pan...
- Thread starter snoman701
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Please Jon, you make it so easy!
If you didn't cut all the trees down over there you would still appreciate a good thing!
If you didn't cut all the trees down over there you would still appreciate a good thing!
anachronism
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But but but....
It's squidgy and horrid and gross.
It's squidgy and horrid and gross.
anachronism said:But but but....
It's squidgy and horrid and gross.
Squidgy? That's a new one on me! :lol:
You obviously have never had my wife's pan cakes, or my mother's good southern biscuits, smothered in real butter and real maple syrup! Haha!! :mrgreen:
He's likely confusing it with Aunt Jemima's 100% corn syrup with artificial coloration.
From an actual cooking taste test the top 3 were all genuine Maple syrup!
http://www.epicurious.com/archive/everydaycooking/tastetests/maple-syrup-taste-test
But what can we expect? They love a desert called Spotted Dick over there?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_dick
How about some spotted dick with maple syrup? Naahhhh I'll pass!!!
From an actual cooking taste test the top 3 were all genuine Maple syrup!
http://www.epicurious.com/archive/everydaycooking/tastetests/maple-syrup-taste-test
But what can we expect? They love a desert called Spotted Dick over there?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_dick
How about some spotted dick with maple syrup? Naahhhh I'll pass!!!
4metals said:
With a side of penicillin perhaps!?! :shock:
:lol: :lol:
Do you do your finishing in those pans as well Kurtak?
Did you plumb each individual tree to a central collecting tank? or have to go around dumping buckets? If central, what diameter tubing do you run from the tap to the tank? Happen to know polymer?
Did you plumb each individual tree to a central collecting tank? or have to go around dumping buckets? If central, what diameter tubing do you run from the tap to the tank? Happen to know polymer?
kurtak
Well-known member
snoman701 said:
That's kind of a yes & no answer --- the pan on the left (first pic in third set of pics of OP) was used as a preheat/evaporate "starter" pan - in other words cold sap would go in that pan where it would start to heat up as well as start evaporation
Then the pan on the right (same pic as above) had a divider in it dividing the pan into a front compartment of one third of the pan & a back compartment of two thirds of the pan - if you look close at the pic of the pan (this post) you can see the divider --- the front one third compartment was the "finish" compartment of the divided pan
So - when first starting out the pan on the left (first pic in third set of pics of OP) was filled with cold sap as well as "both" compartments of pan on right
Then - as the sap level evaporated down in both pans - sap was transferred from the back compartment to the front compartment of the divided pan & sap from the "starter pan" transferred to the back compartment of the divided pan & then the starter pan topped off with cold sap again
So the flow was - cold sap goes to starter pan to preheat & start evaporation - then preheated sap transferred to back compartment of second pan (as level goes down) to "continue" evaporation/concentration - which is then transferred to front compartment as level goes down where evaporation/concentration continues until that compartment becomes full compartment of syrup --- which is then drained - compartment washed - refilled & cycle restarted/continued
Per the underlined - no - that is normally a "vacuum system" where a vacuum is used to "draw" the sap from the trees to the central tank --- & the vacuum lines are normally put in "permanently" (left year around)
The trees we tap are on someone else's property - the land owner did not want permanent lines running through his woods
So we had to use collection bags that hang on the tree taps (first pic of second set of pics of OP) - because the trees we tap go back 1,200 - 1,500 feet off the road we set up a system using 55 gallon drums & compressed air to transfer the sap from the woods out to the truck (see pic of drawing)
The way it works --- sap collects in bags on trees - bags are emptied into buckets - buckets emptied into 55 gallon drums - when drum is full drum is pressurized with compressed air which pushes sap out to truck
Drums are set in locations so you don't have to carry sap to far - drums are laid on ground with small bung hole at the bottom with sap transfer line attached - large bung hole at top - 2 inch treaded elbow with funnel (in large bung hole) used to fill barrel - when barrel is full - elbow/funnel is removed & replaced with large bung cap with air line fitting - barrel is pressurized to transfer sap to 450 gallon tote in back of truck
Sound like a lot of work - but its not really - three of use could collect & transfer about 600 - 800 gallons of sap from the woods to the truck in about two & a half hours
At the beginning of the season we can lay the system out AND tap all our trees in a day - at the end of the season we can roll the system up - pack it out & haul it home in about a half a day
Kurt
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kurtak
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anachronism said:I'm a Brit. Maple syrup sucks. Its horrid. Bring the hate.
:lol: - personally I am not a real big fan of maple syrup ether (but I am not a big fan of sugar to start with - other then in my coffee)
I do it for two reasons --- money & fun :!:
Money = $15 per quart = 60 per gallon X 130 gallons = $7,800
$7,800 divided by 3 people working it = $2,600 divided 3 weeks work = $866 per week
Though that may not be great money - its not bad money - AND ---------
Its 3 buddies spending some time out in the woods together after a looong winter - AND - while keeping an eye on the evaporator pans & stoking the fires - we play cards - drink LOTS of beer - & tell old stories of our exploits in life (hunting, fishing, old girl friends, etc. stories) 8)
OK - so we tell a bunch of lies - or at least stretch the truth a bit (or a lot) :twisted: :mrgreen:
Plus you make the rounds to other cookers to see how they are doing - drink more beer - tell more stories (OK - more lies) 8) :mrgreen:
All in all - its about 3 weeks of fun & a good time had (OK - so by the end - its more like "had by a good time") :twisted:
All with the bonus of making some money to boot :!: 8) :mrgreen:
Kurt
I've seen both setups around here...where you've got the PVC all over the place, then quite a few guys with buckets hanging.
Actually, I've never seen the bag method, it's interesting...going to have to check in to it some more.
It's not something I'll ever do for money (although I should, I could probably set up the fence-rows of some local farm land with a vac system on the cheap).
I first learned of it on accident when I was a kid. We cut a branch off a maple tree and dad showed me how the sap was sweet. So I started collecting it in a bucket. Pretty soon, the bucket was full.
Twenty years later, my brother in law says, "I tapped the trees this year with the kids and made this" tiny jar of syrup.
And fifteen years after that, my daughter asked what the little shack in the front of a "neighbors" property was for. I told her that they make trees bleed, collect the sap, and turn it in to syrup. She was intrigued. So, I popped some plastic T's in to the trees in our yard and plumbed it to collect in a five gallon bucket.
If she enjoys it, maybe we'll make enough to give to close friends and family next year. She has already said that she does not like the taste of "tree water". Personally, I like it, but can't have much of it. I think I'm on the edge of being diabetic, so I try to save my guilty pleasures for those of the chocolate variety.
Actually, I've never seen the bag method, it's interesting...going to have to check in to it some more.
It's not something I'll ever do for money (although I should, I could probably set up the fence-rows of some local farm land with a vac system on the cheap).
I first learned of it on accident when I was a kid. We cut a branch off a maple tree and dad showed me how the sap was sweet. So I started collecting it in a bucket. Pretty soon, the bucket was full.
Twenty years later, my brother in law says, "I tapped the trees this year with the kids and made this" tiny jar of syrup.
And fifteen years after that, my daughter asked what the little shack in the front of a "neighbors" property was for. I told her that they make trees bleed, collect the sap, and turn it in to syrup. She was intrigued. So, I popped some plastic T's in to the trees in our yard and plumbed it to collect in a five gallon bucket.
If she enjoys it, maybe we'll make enough to give to close friends and family next year. She has already said that she does not like the taste of "tree water". Personally, I like it, but can't have much of it. I think I'm on the edge of being diabetic, so I try to save my guilty pleasures for those of the chocolate variety.
If you think too much urea in aqua regia (added too fast) can boil over..... that's nothing compared to boiling syrup. You get to a point where, if you are not careful or you're in too much of a rush, and boom, over it goes. Sticky nasty clean up.
Up here you run a ring of animal fat around the finishing kettle and if the boil gets up to the ring, it just drops instantly when it hits the grease. I know some guys hang a slice of fatty bacon on a string over the boiler for the same reason.
Up here you run a ring of animal fat around the finishing kettle and if the boil gets up to the ring, it just drops instantly when it hits the grease. I know some guys hang a slice of fatty bacon on a string over the boiler for the same reason.
anachronism
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4metals said:
So even the way it's MADE is gross. Eww just ewwwww.
When dissolving certain materials in a bucket, there is a possibility that it will foam over. When I suspected this might happen, I often used my finger to wipe a very thin layer of grease or oil around the top of the bucket (or, beaker). Like 4metals with the syrup, the foam breaks when it hits the grease. Just takes a little bit. I've used whatever was handy - stopcock grease, motor oil, etc., as long as it didn't contain silicone. Silicone tends to produce more gold "floaters" on the solution surface. One drop of silicone oil can totally destroy a plating solution.
The oil/grease on the side of your nose works well for this, if you can get enough of it on your finger. In emergencies, when I saw the foam was going to go over, I have quickly rubbed my finger on the side of my nose and then wiped the oil around the top of the bucket. Usually works. Might have to spray it also. This nose oil is quite special, as you can see in this link. Whether it's true or not, I've heard it only occurs in nature's creatures in 2 places, on the side of the human nose and in a shark's liver.
It's an old sign painter's trick to use this nose oil on your finger to quickly remove small amounts of wet oil-base paint when you've screwed up. It's amazing how thoroughly the paint is removed with 1 swipe and how easily the paint is removed from your finger.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasal_sebum
In places where they rent rug shampooers, they usually sell anti-foam solution in small bottles. We all know that water from a spray mister will knock down foam fairly well. I used to put about an inch of anti-foam in the spray bottle and then filled it with water. Works better than water alone. Sometimes, though, the foam was rising too fast to use spray. In that case, I have quickly unscrewed the spray lid and poured a little of the anti-foam solution directly into the foam. Some brands of A-F work better than others. If I remember, Rug Doctor was weak and it didn't work as well as other brands. I did use it when nothing else was available.
The oil/grease on the side of your nose works well for this, if you can get enough of it on your finger. In emergencies, when I saw the foam was going to go over, I have quickly rubbed my finger on the side of my nose and then wiped the oil around the top of the bucket. Usually works. Might have to spray it also. This nose oil is quite special, as you can see in this link. Whether it's true or not, I've heard it only occurs in nature's creatures in 2 places, on the side of the human nose and in a shark's liver.
It's an old sign painter's trick to use this nose oil on your finger to quickly remove small amounts of wet oil-base paint when you've screwed up. It's amazing how thoroughly the paint is removed with 1 swipe and how easily the paint is removed from your finger.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasal_sebum
In places where they rent rug shampooers, they usually sell anti-foam solution in small bottles. We all know that water from a spray mister will knock down foam fairly well. I used to put about an inch of anti-foam in the spray bottle and then filled it with water. Works better than water alone. Sometimes, though, the foam was rising too fast to use spray. In that case, I have quickly unscrewed the spray lid and poured a little of the anti-foam solution directly into the foam. Some brands of A-F work better than others. If I remember, Rug Doctor was weak and it didn't work as well as other brands. I did use it when nothing else was available.
Jon thought it was gross when I said to use food grade oils to kill the foam while boiling syrup, what do you think he would think about good old fashioned nose grease !!!!
anachronism
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Fatty slabs of bacon and nose grease..... Deep joy.
Seriously gentlemen you're not selling this one very well.
I refer you both to my previous comment regarding grossness.
Seriously gentlemen you're not selling this one very well.
I refer you both to my previous comment regarding grossness.
Geo
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I'll have to try the nose grease on my next process with sulfamic acid. If for nothing more than to see how it works.
jimdoc
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Automated Syrup System is Sweet Sweet Madness
https://hackaday.com/2018/03/03/automated-syrup-system-is-sweet-sweet-madness/
https://hackaday.com/2018/03/03/automated-syrup-system-is-sweet-sweet-madness/
