Maple Syrup days

[Pullstart 62,829]

I figured this is no longer a shop project, we’re down the road from that.

 

We have 46 taps and 21 buckets collecting sap.  The prime maple season is after a cold winter, when days are in the 40’s and nights are in the 20’s. Trees with the most sunlight or southern exposure seem to build the most pressure during this time and yes, the south side of the tree will produce more sap than the north.

 

Once sap is collected, it’s time to simmer and evaporate the water content out.  Syrup is 1/40th the volume of sap, so there is a lot of heat (wood fired in our instance) to make that happen.  We’re looking at 2 weeks of syrup season, before buds start on the trees and the sap goes bitter.  Some people continue to produce bitter syrup for cooking purposes.  I on the other hand pull taps and make some flap jacks!

 

There are many variations of evaporators.  One thing is for sure; shallow water levels and the most surface area possible is the best way to go.  This is my third evaporator and each one has increased in output, ergonomics and efficiency.  Here’s to the 2019 maple season!

 

 

[wallfish 16,994]

Mmmmm, pancakes!

Received a couple of bottles from a customer which has been making maple syrup for years. Think he has perfected his craft as it's the best I've had.

Talking to him for a while I got interested in maybe trying to still some moonshine using the sap. It's got enough water content. (Another hobby of mine which has been on the back burner too long. Pun intended.)

He also invented a strainer cage to hold filters so they have 4 points or cones which helps speed up the process. Super nice guy and if you're interested, I can contact him about his strainers or any other stuff. He may talk to you directly too.

[19richie66 17,500]

While you have the fire raging, may as well toss some brauts on there, smoked sausage at the least.

[Tractorhead 9,064]

Yap, Pancakes are a good idea, but no Eggs...

 

Optical it can also be missinterpreted as Moonshine... 😂

Be aware, they don't wanna do a "test", otherwise You have the work and they have the Syrup..

 

 

 

[Tractorhead 9,064]

By the Way, im not Familar with Maple Syrup make,

does it only work with Shugar Maple or other Maple are also usable for?

[Pullstart 62,829]

Most every maple tree has sugar content, “sugar “ maples just have a higher content than others.  I’ve tapped red and silver maples too.  Also birch, walnut, and many other trees have sugar in their sap but most have alternative cooking preferences.  

 

@Tractorhead, my product has been known to make a trip to Deutschland in the past, maybe say Oktoberfest?

[ebinmaine 67,390]

We have a very large syrup producer at the top of the mountain here.

I have a weird fancy for the darker syrups.

Trina does as well which works out great for me.

The fellow up the hill uses a large amount of rock or red or swamp Maple along with the sugar Maples. Makes for a very very flavorful Rich syrup. Lovely stuff.

[Pullstart 62,829]

2 hours, starting to see some color!  

 

We put up a a temporary tarp shelter to rid the rain... and some water diversion projects are happening too!

 

 

[JCM 9,130]

Patti & I usually head North of us to an operation called Hilltop boilers in Newfield Maine, I prefer that just because they also use wood, the oil burners just don't give that old school feel, I also prefer the dark syrup. Good luck with your results.     Jim

[Ed Kennell 38,112]

Really nice evaporator.    Thanks for sharing this great project.   Many don't appreciate he amount of effort required to produce a gallon of this liquid gold.    I did this one time when I was about the age of your daughters.    I collected about 100 gallon of sugar water in two 55 gallon drums, cut a cord of firewood, and boiled it down in two butcher kettles.

It took  about  30 hours to get it down to two gallons of syrup that was worth about $5.00/ gallon at that time.  

  This was when I lived near Meyersdale, Pa., home of the annual Pa. Maple Festival.   https://www.pamaplefestival.com/

At one time, my mother and step dad had one side of their Somerset Co.  mountain tapped and piped carrying the sugar water to a 2000 gallon tank at the base of the mountain where, during the peak of the run,it was emptied daily by tanker truck. 

Pure Maple Syrup is like these red horses.   It is addictive and I use about 2 gallon/ year  on pancakes, waffles, ice cream, pan hause, puddin, cereal, and with brown sugar, it makes the best ever glaze for a baked ham.

 

[WHGuy413 2,683]

Nice evaporator! It certainly is that time of year around here.

 

I personally don't boil but I help tap and collect here on my property. A guy stopped one day and asked if he could tap our 4 maple trees right around our house. I said sure. The friendship blossomed and I turned him onto the fact that the bottom of our mountain has a bunch of maples. For a small operation who was averaging around 250 taps he doubled it plus some on our land. He pays us with the finished product. He does have a wood fired evaporator.

 

My Assistant Fire Chief who is also a coworker and friend of mine has one of the bigger operations in our area. They have over 5000 taps out right now and still are putting some in he said they could have upwards of 10,000 if they had the time and man power. They also buy sap from other people. He is 5th generation in the Maple business. The family also runs a restaurant at the sugar house. This week he spoiled my kids with maple cream and maple candy. At work he brought in maple cream and donuts for us. We certainly don't mind.

 

 

[Pullstart 62,829]

Still at it, 9 hours in and we’ve pulled off a pint and a sipper!  The day has been wet and we spent longer getting the fire super hot than anything else, but it’s been fun!  We’ll have a big batch ready soon 😁

 

 

[Pullstart 62,829]

We’re gearing up for an all nighter.  The evaporator is eating up 5 gallons of sap per hour on a constant drip, the top pan holds 6-7 gallons.  If we keep the baffled pan a bit deep, it’ll be safe to leave unattended in our camp chairs!

[Tractorhead 9,064]

A fantastic "Buddy &Family "Outdoor project, Love it.

 

Against Rain can be used a simply pavillion or right clothes.

Sounds like you have some Fun and the Dark result in the right glass reminds me a bit to Dark Beer.. 😎

 

[Pullstart 62,829]

3:20 am, Things are about to get interesting at the ManTucket Swamp...

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,390]

Oh boy....

[Sarge 3,463]

Years ago, when I worked at the diesel shop we had a couple towed off the Interstate in an older Ford pickup with a camper shell on it. Turns out, the engine jumped its timing chain and needed a new set including the entire sprocket assembly, guides, and even that odd cam button - it was the oddball 400/351 Modified engine. Since it was stranded in the shop for more than a few days waiting on parts, the owner wanted us to also check into the rear drive axle, which had a bad pinion bearing and was starting to damage the ring & pinion gears. I rebuilt the gear and after waiting for almost 5 days for Ford to come up with the parts - got them back on the road. During some visiting with the couple, we learned they were from northern Canada and were on their yearly syrup run, making the rounds across the US to certain restaurants and businesses that bought their product - very dark maple syrup. The guy paid the bill on his truck in cash and also gave us both 2 quarts of his syrup as thanks for getting that old truck running perfectly again, which it had not done in years. He stopped by every year after that to drop off a few quarts and say hello and spend a few hours visiting - I sure looked forward to him making the rounds and haven't tasted anything close to his syrup since.  

We used to get a lot of interesting characters off the Interstate, some not so good, but most were more than entertaining and that kept the shop a lot less boring to work in than most.

 

Sarge

[Pullstart 62,829]

8:30, still running strong!  Our tarp shelter blew apart this morning, que to get out of the rain and head to town for breakfast and plenty of coffee!

 

The girls brought their props out last night to put on a chicken show, but the chicken was too tired to perform!  It looks like Mr. Josh has tired chicken syndrome this morning too 

 

 

[19richie66 17,500]

You REALLY have to love syrup to camp out at the still in the rain in the woods. 

[Pullstart 62,829]

Next year’s plans are to convert his 10x10 shed into a sugar shack.  Maybe with a bunk bed 

[Pullstart 62,829]

We have about 35 more gallons of sap to go through today.  If we don’t process it, the temps today will likely spoil it.  I better get chopping some more wood!

[Ed Kennell 38,112]

Definitely a boil that will be remembered.

[ebinmaine 67,390]

Kevin

 

You are the man

[Pullstart 62,829]

5 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Kevin

 

You are the man

 

Forgot crazy in there...  the crazy man 

 

[Pullstart 62,829]

Angry beaver.... meet angry Syrup Machine.  Who’s going to win?