Author Topic: OT Maple Taps (Read 155414 times)

Raquettedacker · « **Reply #1200 on:** Mar 14, 2020, 11:48 AM »

Hes got a nice set up there Doug.
I had friends who had a monster evaporator and they use to produce barrels of syrup.. They cut and burn enough wood to heat a small town..

Raquettedacker · « **Reply #1201 on:** Mar 16, 2020, 10:41 AM »

Good start..

gamefisher · « **Reply #1202 on:** Mar 16, 2020, 10:48 AM »

Quote from: Raquettedacker on Mar 16, 2020, 10:41 AM

Good start..

There you go, the dark stuff tastes the best! Finished a batch yesterday, alot of sugar sand this year, filtering not fun!

mdanforth · « **Reply #1203 on:** Mar 19, 2020, 03:37 PM »

A good run yesterday, boiling tomorrow...a good way to socially isolate, not that I don’t do that everyday...lol

Raquettedacker · « **Reply #1204 on:** Mar 19, 2020, 04:37 PM »

Quote from: gamefisher on Mar 16, 2020, 10:48 AM

There you go, the dark stuff tastes the best! Finished a batch yesterday, alot of sugar sand this year, filtering not fun!

Yes dark is good.

And your right about the sugar sand. And I ran it through a bunch of filters.. $:-\$

rgfixit · « **Reply #1205 on:** Mar 19, 2020, 07:29 PM »

Brings back many memories. I made syrup,with a good friend for many years. We tapped 2800 trees that last year I was with him. He had a reverse osmosis setup that reduced the raw sap to an 8-1 concentrate before hitting a 5 x 10" arch fired from a natural gas well on the property.

It was a very social thing with neighbors and friends stopping in at any hour as we boiled 24-7. They brought home made wine, cider , food and company. The best was eggs hard boiled in the last pass of the arch with a glass of hard cider. On the side.

Haven't done that in 20 years.

Rg

gamefisher · « **Reply #1206 on:** Mar 20, 2020, 06:44 AM »

Stock up on your drive through beers boys because she ran all night and you will need them!😁🍺

Seamonkey84 · « **Reply #1207 on:** Mar 20, 2020, 02:16 PM »

If you have enough sap, pull a gallon (or 5) at 24-28 Brix (or water some syrup down) and add some yeast and nutrients, make a nice maple wine. Just like making mead, but maple syrup tends to be more expensive than honey.

Gunflint · « **Reply #1208 on:** Mar 20, 2020, 05:29 PM »

Quote from: Seamonkey84 on Mar 20, 2020, 02:16 PM

If you have enough sap, pull a gallon (or 5) at 24-28 Brix (or water some syrup down) and add some yeast and nutrients, make a nice maple wine. Just like making mead, but maple syrup tends to be more expensive than honey.

That sounds awesome.

mdanforth · « **Reply #1209 on:** Mar 20, 2020, 06:52 PM »

I made a gallon and a quart today, but it took 63 gallons to get there...one more boil for me then it’s on to cutting wood...the lack of snow makes for an early start on spring chores...

gamefisher · « **Reply #1210 on:** Mar 23, 2020, 06:25 AM »

Quote from: mdanforth on Mar 20, 2020, 06:52 PM

I made a gallon and a quart today, but it took 63 gallons to get there...one more boil for me then it’s on to cutting wood...the lack of snow makes for an early start on spring chores...

Cold weekend should reset your sugar content, best week of the year coming, firewood will wait one more week but I'm thinking the same thing about perfect year to get a jump on.😎

hunts2long · « **Reply #1211 on:** Mar 23, 2020, 06:43 AM »

My nephew boiled for the last time yesterday. He made about 100 gallons. Local sugar bush was up to 1400 gallons last week...h2l

mdanforth · « **Reply #1212 on:** Mar 25, 2020, 07:26 PM »

Lots of sap...looks like a Friday and Saturday boil

gamefisher · « **Reply #1213 on:** Mar 26, 2020, 05:24 AM »

Quote from: mdanforth on Mar 25, 2020, 07:26 PM

Lots of sap...looks like a Friday and Saturday boil

A buddy of mine in town who has 300 plus on natural vac said it looked like a faucet open yesterday, even gravity was plinking along at better than a gpt. Shaping up to be above average season which I totally didn't see coming with lack of snowpack. Lot more sap to come.😎🍺

gamefisher · « **Reply #1214 on:** Mar 27, 2020, 10:30 AM »

Still making good syrup in the Belgrade’s, I had my doubts on sugar content yesterday as I boiled, but finished of some real nice looking stuff this morning.

Raquettedacker · « **Reply #1215 on:** Mar 27, 2020, 10:34 AM »

Nice. I have a small boil going on now..

Keychain · « **Reply #1216 on:** Mar 27, 2020, 12:57 PM »

Quote from: gamefisher on Mar 27, 2020, 10:30 AM

Still making good syrup in the Belgrade’s, I had my doubts on sugar content yesterday as I boiled, but finished of some real nice looking stuff this morning.

Nice! I just never really got much of a drip going at all down here in Gray. Got 3-4 gallons yesterday and if I can get that much again today I'll have at least enough to do a close to normal batch tomorrow, hopefully yielding a gallon or so.

mdanforth · « **Reply #1217 on:** Mar 27, 2020, 07:04 PM »

I made 2 gallons and a pint today...took 106 gallons to get there. Makes a little over 6 gallons for the season. Not much of a sap run today, might be all for me...we’ll see

Raquettedacker · « **Reply #1218 on:** Mar 28, 2020, 06:50 AM »

Small batch from yesterday. This is very thick and dark...

gamefisher · « **Reply #1219 on:** Mar 30, 2020, 01:16 PM »

Syrup is definitely turning darker but still tasty. I suspect one small boil mid week and then done.

I’m ready for a new hobby anyway, lake should be out in a couple more days.😎

Keychain · « **Reply #1220 on:** Mar 30, 2020, 03:46 PM »

Yep, short and (hopefully?) sweet season for me. 20 taps produced just shy of 30 gallons of sap from 2/23 until 3/28. Ended up with 6 pints of pretty dark looking stuff and just crossing my fingers that I didn't take it too far and end up with crystals forming in the jars. Ah well, there's always next year...

gamefisher · « **Reply #1221 on:** Mar 30, 2020, 03:55 PM »

Quote from: Keychain on Mar 30, 2020, 03:46 PM

Yep, short and (hopefully?) sweet season for me. 20 taps produced just shy of 30 gallons of sap from 2/23 until 3/28. Ended up with 6 pints of pretty dark looking stuff and just crossing my fingers that I didn't take it too far and end up with crystals forming in the jars. Ah well, there's always next year...

A $20 hydrometer is your best friend in this hobby, takes away all the wondering.

Keychain · « **Reply #1222 on:** Mar 31, 2020, 11:06 AM »

Quote from: gamefisher on Mar 30, 2020, 03:55 PM

A $20 hydrometer is your best friend in this hobby, takes away all the wondering.

Had one but never took the time to figure out how to use it. I don't think I've had problems once I started using a candy thermometer, just back in the early days when I was eyeballing it...

GasBlaster · « **Reply #1223 on:** Feb 18, 2021, 07:02 PM »

Who's tapping this weekend ?

9huskies · « **Reply #1224 on:** Feb 18, 2021, 07:45 PM »

It's still too early where I live. There's one day in the 10 day forecast that might go above freezing but not long enough for a good sap run.

GasBlaster · « **Reply #1225 on:** Feb 18, 2021, 08:13 PM »

Quote from: 9huskies on Feb 18, 2021, 07:45 PM

It's still too early where I live. There's one day in the 10 day forecast that might go above freezing but not long enough for a good sap run.

9huskies · « **Reply #1226 on:** Feb 18, 2021, 08:49 PM »

My forecast is 10 degrees colder than that. The coast and the mountains are in different climate zones. Thinking positive about that. Your ice fishing season ends a month before mine.

jpease · « **Reply #1227 on:** Feb 18, 2021, 09:14 PM »

Quote from: GasBlaster on Feb 18, 2021, 07:02 PM

Who's tapping this weekend ?

I will be this weekend. What different year from 2020. I made a gallon in January last year and another Feb 15... about time it starts, I am getting low

Seamonkey84 · « **Reply #1228 on:** Mar 06, 2024, 10:11 AM »

Usually am this pops up at late ice, but that kinda happened quick this year. How’s the tapping going or is that almost over too??

woodchip · « **Reply #1229 on:** Mar 06, 2024, 10:52 AM »

Taps have been in trees here in Gray yarmouth, Cumberland for over 2 weeks now...

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Author Topic: OT Maple Taps (Read 155414 times)