Author Topic: OT Maple Taps (Read 155956 times)

maineduckhunter · « **Reply #270 on:** Mar 20, 2011, 07:25 PM »

My very first batch of Yumminess!!!

toguefisha · « **Reply #271 on:** Mar 20, 2011, 07:46 PM »

new and improved evaporator. Longer and now lined with fire brick, much more efficient

maineduckhunter · « **Reply #272 on:** Mar 20, 2011, 07:56 PM »

Quote from: toguefisha on Mar 20, 2011, 07:46 PM

new and improved evaporator. Longer and now lined with fire brick, much more efficient

(Image removed from quote.)

Is that a barrel stove inside?

toguefisha · « **Reply #273 on:** Mar 20, 2011, 08:03 PM »

Nope, just concrete blocks lined with fire brick. Used some tin and stove pipe to make chimney. Deep dish catering pans to boil syrup in. Very low tech.

Westerly · « **Reply #274 on:** Mar 21, 2011, 12:07 PM »

Well, you guys inspired me to get back into boiling this year instead of next. I thank you, but I'm not sure if my wife does...

Got the evaporater set up on Saturday and fired it up for the first boil yesterday. Ended up looking about like yours, Toguefisha (hope you didn't have a patent on that rig!). Thanks also to gamefisher for some solid advise on the steam pans and construction tips. Had a few minor mishaps and a few little kinks still to work out, but overall everything went well and I ended up with about three quarts of golden nectar.

Hopefully the sap runs well this week and I can do it all over again next weekend.

gamefisher · « **Reply #275 on:** Mar 21, 2011, 12:45 PM »

I was wondering where my license plate went to!

Look great Ryan.

Good run for the next 10 days!

brace · « **Reply #276 on:** Mar 21, 2011, 04:49 PM »

Nice looking set-up Westerly!! And it obviously makes syrup....

teampar · « **Reply #277 on:** Mar 21, 2011, 05:07 PM »

Quote from: gamefisher on Mar 20, 2011, 04:01 PM

We drove off 43 gallons on my "new" pan yesterday. After I got some better wood, it worked great. Finished this morning, took forever but made a gallon of nice looking stuff. I've determined it be much easier to just go buy a jug full.

Brace / others - what do you filter with before bottling? My prefilter does a nice job but takes forever to get through and quite a bit gets wasted with the niter.

Just a gallon??

How are you going to take care of your "county connections" with just a gallon

FishUndertaker · « **Reply #278 on:** Mar 21, 2011, 08:11 PM »

Notice Gamefisher didnt mention all the help he had

teampar · « **Reply #279 on:** Mar 21, 2011, 08:13 PM »

Quote from: FishUndertaker on Mar 21, 2011, 08:11 PM

Notice Gamefisher didnt mention all the help he had

I assumed the word "WE" implied he had a mouse in his pocket.

FishUndertaker · « **Reply #280 on:** Mar 21, 2011, 08:33 PM »

Quote from: teampar on Mar 21, 2011, 08:13 PM

I assumed the word "WE" implied he had a mouse in his pocket.

No but he sure had one in his noggin the next morning!!!

brace · « **Reply #281 on:** Mar 21, 2011, 08:45 PM »

Everyone always has more friends when the sap in running....

gamefisher · « **Reply #282 on:** Mar 22, 2011, 05:22 AM »

Quote from: FishUndertaker on Mar 21, 2011, 08:33 PM

No but he sure had one in his noggin the next morning!!!

Sweet, sweet nectar.

Went around this morning and dusted the buckets off, (we got 6-7" here

) 15 gal. of the most beautiful cold, crystal clear sap you could ever hope for from Mon. and Tues. Nothing like last week but still looks like a lot of sugaring season left.

Don't forget guys - Maine Maple Sunday coming at you local sugarshack but lots are open Sat. as well. Great fun if you have little kids, they love it.

toguefisha · « **Reply #283 on:** Mar 22, 2011, 05:37 PM »

Just finished off about another two gallons of syrup. Sap buckets were full this afternoon as well. Ought to get at least one more boil.

gamefisher · « **Reply #284 on:** Mar 22, 2011, 06:07 PM »

Quote from: toguefisha on Mar 22, 2011, 05:37 PM

Just finished off about another two gallons of syrup. Sap buckets were full this afternoon as well. Ought to get at least one more boil.

You've got more than that, check the long range.

How many gallons of sap so far Alec?

toguefisha · « **Reply #285 on:** Mar 22, 2011, 07:23 PM »

Three gallons of syrup so far. Guess thats pretty good considering I only have three trees tapped.

Got some monster maples.

gamefisher · « **Reply #286 on:** Mar 23, 2011, 05:09 AM »

Quote from: toguefisha on Mar 22, 2011, 07:23 PM

Three gallons of syrup so far. Guess thats pretty good considering I only have three trees tapped. Got some monster maples.

120 gallons of sap so far off 3 trees.... you better put them in the witness protection program...that is insane.

Most people figure 10 gal. sap per tap for a season, still a lot more coming. 3 trees sure makes collection easy.

Bowdoin Boy · « **Reply #287 on:** Mar 23, 2011, 05:14 AM »

I don't understand how this off topic post has lasted so long?? it has nothing to do with Ice Fishing??

billditrite · « **Reply #288 on:** Mar 23, 2011, 05:22 AM »

search the boards there have ben plenty of O/T threads these last couple weeks. enjoy it

Phoenix · « **Reply #289 on:** Mar 23, 2011, 06:42 AM »

Quote from: gamefisher on Mar 23, 2011, 05:09 AM

120 gallons of sap so far off 3 trees.... you better put them in the witness protection program...that is insane. Most people figure 10 gal. sap per tap for a season, still a lot more coming. 3 trees sure makes collection easy.

I've been sugerin' for about forty years and this is the best year I can remember. We've got five gallons of grade a put by all ready and I'm gonna pull the taps because I'm outa wood

toguefisha · « **Reply #290 on:** Mar 23, 2011, 03:13 PM »

Quote from: gamefisher on Mar 23, 2011, 05:09 AM

120 gallons of sap so far off 3 trees.... you better put them in the witness protection program...that is insane. Most people figure 10 gal. sap per tap for a season, still a lot more coming. 3 trees sure makes collection easy.

I've been getting about 3-5 gallons per tree per day. Have almost enough sap stockpiled up for another gallon of syrup

gamefisher · « **Reply #291 on:** Mar 23, 2011, 05:09 PM »

Quote from: toguefisha on Mar 23, 2011, 03:13 PM

I've been getting about 3-5 gallons per tree per day. Have almost enough sap stockpiled up for another gallon of syrup

This has been quite the yr. It's hardly been above freezing here this week, no sun, and my daughter and I just picked up another 23 gal. after I collected yesterday morning. Don't get it but hey, why question it.

It don't see it stopping for a while either.

MaineFishah · « **Reply #292 on:** Mar 24, 2011, 03:05 PM »

Looking for a little insight here as I'm in a little predicament. I've got about 110 gallons of sap stored in 20 gallon rubbermaid totes and another 10 or 15 gallons still in my buckets. As you may remember I wasn't prepared with a set up this year since this is my first year at my own house and I didn't know what to expect for a maple run. I've been using a 50qt turkey fryer to boil and have found that it takes me about 10 hours to boil down 20 gallons and one tank of propane for every 30 gallons of sap. When I figure it out it's about $40 per gallon of syrup just for the propane. Figure in my labor and I should have just bought syrup! What is the cheapest and easiest way to boil? I'm trying to get a hold of some dry wood and set up a steam pan set up but where can you find them and what do they run? Thanks.

toguefisha · « **Reply #293 on:** Mar 24, 2011, 03:14 PM »

Check out my set-up on pg. 14 of this thread. Nothing but conrete blocks, lined with fire bricks (no mortar used, everything free standing) and some stove pipe venting out the back. Using stainless steel catering pans I got from a used kitchen supply store instead of expensive evaporator pans. Pretty low tech and cheap.

MaineFishah · « **Reply #294 on:** Mar 24, 2011, 04:04 PM »

Ok, so you got them directly from a kitchen supply store. I had been looking at your set up and even though I have a barrel stove that I will be setting up for next year, I think I may stick with the steam table pans. Thanks for the help.

pipeboy98 · « **Reply #295 on:** Mar 24, 2011, 05:29 PM »

anyone else from Wisconsin collecting sap on here? this is my first year and so far i agree...sappin is hard on the liver! i only have about 40 taps out and have already gotten around a gallon of finished syrup this season which according to many is just beginning. hope everyone has a safe and fun season...and pics of the last minute, ad lip evaporator in action will come soon. i keep forgetting the camera while we're boiling off!

good luck,

matt

maineduckhunter · « **Reply #296 on:** Mar 24, 2011, 05:59 PM »

Quote from: MaineFishah on Mar 24, 2011, 03:05 PM

Looking for a little insight here as I'm in a little predicament. I've got about 110 gallons of sap stored in 20 gallon rubbermaid totes and another 10 or 15 gallons still in my buckets. As you may remember I wasn't prepared with a set up this year since this is my first year at my own house and I didn't know what to expect for a maple run. I've been using a 50qt turkey fryer to boil and have found that it takes me about 10 hours to boil down 20 gallons and one tank of propane for every 30 gallons of sap. When I figure it out it's about $40 per gallon of syrup just for the propane. Figure in my labor and I should have just bought syrup! What is the cheapest and easiest way to boil? I'm trying to get a hold of some dry wood and set up a steam pan set up but where can you find them and what do they run? Thanks.

Check my set up for propane....I hardly used a half a 20lber total for boiling down 10 gallons of sap....the baking pans were the ticket!!!

speedyrower17 · « **Reply #297 on:** Mar 24, 2011, 11:13 PM »

After tapping a bunch of trees in Vt for a friend, I'm getting more interesting in trying it out myself. I understand how you all are making you evaporators, but i'm questioning the whole boiling process.. I know it boils about 7 degrees higher than water, but how long do you keep it at a boil for? after that do you filter it right away and put in into the jars? any insight helps...

pipeboy98 · « **Reply #298 on:** Mar 24, 2011, 11:22 PM »

well now that i've done it twice i still don't consider myself a master by any means, but today it took me 3 hours to boil down 20 gallons of sap to make 4 pints of syrup. after the initial 3 hours i take and empty the chaffing pans into a pot and bring it inside to finish the boiling down to syrup, which takes maybe 20-30min. after quite a bit of research...i would make one suggestion. get a cup and hydrometer to measure the sugar density! 2 friends of mine started without it and ended up with crystalized sugar jars...which is what happens when you over cook it. i have used it twice and the results are perfect everytime...quite tasty!

gamefisher · « **Reply #299 on:** Mar 25, 2011, 05:27 AM »

Quote from: MaineFishah on Mar 24, 2011, 03:05 PM

Looking for a little insight here as I'm in a little predicament. I've got about 110 gallons of sap stored in 20 gallon rubbermaid totes and another 10 or 15 gallons still in my buckets. As you may remember I wasn't prepared with a set up this year since this is my first year at my own house and I didn't know what to expect for a maple run. I've been using a 50qt turkey fryer to boil and have found that it takes me about 10 hours to boil down 20 gallons and one tank of propane for every 30 gallons of sap. When I figure it out it's about $40 per gallon of syrup just for the propane. Figure in my labor and I should have just bought syrup! What is the cheapest and easiest way to boil? I'm trying to get a hold of some dry wood and set up a steam pan set up but where can you find them and what do they run? Thanks.

I'd say you better come up with something pretty quick or you will be so far behind you'll have to dump sap. I have 50+ gal. to get through and I'm not really looking forward to the amount of time it will take even with a 22X32 pan. I'm going to cheat and use my old smaller pan over propane at the same time to get caught up. Solid sapping right through 4/1.

Those steam pans are pretty cheap at Sams Club. You might want to think about 3-4 and make your block arch accordingly. Good luck.

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Author Topic: OT Maple Taps (Read 155956 times)