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So It's maple syrup time again here in the great white north. I had done it before as a kid, maybe 13 or so, and my brother and I got the bug again this year. Being cheap as I am, and gas prices being high, I found a way to go about it using stuff I had lying around the house. For the spiles, I am using empty rifle shells with the primer end cut off.

I made a little groove in them to hang containers from. Two liter soda bottles and gallon water jugs are my containers. Works just as well as store bought equipment and didn't cost me a dime. Then we needed something to boil with. As a kid I did it in the kitchen once and my mother kicked me outside. Try boiling 10 gallons down to a quart inside your house and you will see why.

We came up with this

It's an old wood stove we stripped down, and since the stovepipe connected to the side, we could lay it on its side, giving us more surface for the pans. We cut holes into the stove so we could lower the pans into the fire. The pans are two halves of a roaster we bought real cheap.

This is the yield from five gallons of sap I collected in one day ( minus some taste testing for quality control, of course) Its been too cold the last few days, so no more sap for now.

Also I need a thermometer to tell when its done, I over boiled ths batch and the sugar crystalised, no big deal, I'll just add it to the next batch and try again.

flight control wrote:

IMG638.jpg

This is the yield from five gallons of sap I collected in one day ( minus some taste testing for quality control, of course) Its been too cold the last few days, so no more sap for now.

Also I need a thermometer to tell when its done, I over boiled ths batch and the sugar crystalised, no big deal, I'll just add it to the next batch and try again.

i boil it to about 219-220ish

Can the trees continue to be drained a little later than normal and throughout the summer without it killing or affecting the trees life/health for future taps? I know nothing about any of this maple syrup stuff but want to give it a try.

They only run when it is below freezing at night and 40 or better during the day, when the leaves start to bud it's over

Maple, beech, elm,ought be one or two others, can't remember

Thanks, then I'm out. I won't be home for another 2 weeks. I'd venture to guess the temps are why nobody makes maple syrup in La. I'll still trade you some cane syrup for maple if you're interested.

I'll get ya some reb

Appreciate it and if there is anything you want from La. let me know, I gotcha.

jehler wrote:Maple, beech, elm,ought be one or two others, can't remember

Birch, and I've heard boxelder. Birch is aparently 100:1 ratio and tastes like molases. For the amount of work involved, i'll buy molasses.

flight control wrote:

jehler wrote:Maple, beech, elm,ought be one or two others, can't remember

Birch, and I've heard boxelder. Birch is aparently 100:1 ratio and tastes like molases. For the amount of work involved, i'll buy molasses.

I actually tasted some birch syrup this morning that a guy bought up in Alaska. Don't bother with it. Molasses is cheaper and tastes better.

Ive gotten about 9 gallons of sap from the three trees in my front yard the last two days, Kind of cool to see when the sun hits the trees they start flowing like mad, but as soon as they are shaded or the sun goes down, they slow right up!
Hey J, did you ever get a maple hydrometer?

Nope no hydrometer

Is the hydrometer used to determine the initial sugar content or for the finished product? Seems like it wouldn't be worth it since you need to know the temperature to calibrate the hydrometer ( at least for beer/wine and acoholmeters) and temerature is just as reliable for telling when you're done.

Idk for sure, but being the gear queer I am it sounded like something I should have

You northern boys have taught me one thing: I have never had real maple syrup in my life. I have always had corn syrup crap.

Tomkat wrote:You northern boys have taught me one thing: I have never had real maple syrup in my life. I have always had corn syrup crap.

WHAT!

Jehler- humanatarian of the year.



He can't stand to see a fat boy go maple syrupless all his life.

Tomkat wrote:You northern boys have taught me one thing: I have never had real maple syrup in my life. I have always had corn syrup crap.

You need to get on the ball here TK. Is it not available where you live?

NOPE! I live in the Kaw valley, we grow corn like crazy here. Lots of corn. Its in everything- dogfood, gas, etc.

I went to the store Sat and looked at every bottle of syrup.

All of them were corn syrup.

Jehler is going to hook me up.

flight control wrote:Is the hydrometer used to determine the initial sugar content or for the finished product? Seems like it wouldn't be worth it since you need to know the temperature to calibrate the hydrometer ( at least for beer/wine and acoholmeters) and temerature is just as reliable for telling when you're done.

maple syrup hydrometers are calibrated temp wise for boiling as to beer hydromters are calibrated to 68*F. The time it takes to cool a sample down from boiling could mean scorched syrup, so theyre calibrated specially for syrup at boiling temps. Jgun was looking at picking one up, not sure if he got around to it yet. I figured i would just go temp route. Supposedly 219.1 is the temp you want to hit, everything ive read just says once you hit 219 to shut it off and thats it. Filter and package and your done (minus cleanup) .

Tomkat wrote:NOPE! I live in the Kaw valley, we grow corn like crazy here. Lots of corn. Its in everything- dogfood, gas, etc.

I went to the store Sat and looked at every bottle of syrup.

All of them were corn syrup.

Jehler is going to hook me up.

I see. I'm having a cup of coffee right now and instead of sugar, I added maple syrup. 75 on AT's 1-3 scale

BrewGUN wrote:

flight control wrote:Is the hydrometer used to determine the initial sugar content or for the finished product? Seems like it wouldn't be worth it since you need to know the temperature to calibrate the hydrometer ( at least for beer/wine and acoholmeters) and temerature is just as reliable for telling when you're done.

maple syrup hydrometers are calibrated temp wise for boiling as to beer hydromters are calibrated to 68*F. The time it takes to cool a sample down from boiling could mean scorched syrup, so theyre calibrated specially for syrup at boiling temps. Jgun was looking at picking one up, not sure if he got around to it yet. I figured i would just go temp route. Supposedly 219.1 is the temp you want to hit, everything ive read just says once you hit 219 to shut it off and thats it. Filter and package and your done (minus cleanup) .

Ok, makes sense, for the small amount I will make, I think I will just go the temp route also

I read that it was 4°C higher than the boiling point of water, so 104°C, depending on altitude. I forget what it was in Farenheit. I measure everything in feet, inches, quarts, gallons but Farenheit has always confused me.

flight control wrote:

Tomkat wrote:NOPE! I live in the Kaw valley, we grow corn like crazy here. Lots of corn. Its in everything- dogfood, gas, etc.

I went to the store Sat and looked at every bottle of syrup.

All of them were corn syrup.

Jehler is going to hook me up.

I see. I'm having a cup of coffee right now and instead of sugar, I added maple syrup. 75 on AT's 1-3 scale

Hot damn, I never thought about maple syrup in coffee. Now I want some!!

Tomkat wrote:

flight control wrote:

Tomkat wrote:NOPE! I live in the Kaw valley, we grow corn like crazy here. Lots of corn. Its in everything- dogfood, gas, etc.

I went to the store Sat and looked at every bottle of syrup.

All of them were corn syrup.

Jehler is going to hook me up.

I see. I'm having a cup of coffee right now and instead of sugar, I added maple syrup. 75 on AT's 1-3 scale

Hot damn, I never thought about maple syrup in coffee. Now I want some!!

I want to try some of that syrup. I routinely put honey in my coffee, very good.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

jarbo03 wrote:

Tomkat wrote:

flight control wrote:

Tomkat wrote:NOPE! I live in the Kaw valley, we grow corn like crazy here. Lots of corn. Its in everything- dogfood, gas, etc.

I went to the store Sat and looked at every bottle of syrup.

All of them were corn syrup.

Jehler is going to hook me up.

I see. I'm having a cup of coffee right now and instead of sugar, I added maple syrup. 75 on AT's 1-3 scale

Hot damn, I never thought about maple syrup in coffee. Now I want some!!

I want to try some of that syrup. I routinely put honey in my coffee, very good.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

you got it Jerry. Come over some morning to do some shooting etc and I will get ya some gourmet with jehler brand maple syrup.

ALL HAIL JEHLER!!! Dude is gonna get me some real syrup. How in the hell did I get this far in life and never even think about this>?????

Damn Aunt Jemiamh failed me!! So did Mrs Butterworth. Bitches.

Will trade black raspberry syrup in equal volume for maple syrup.
You can make jelly with it or eat it on ice cream, pancakes, etc.

Cost wise, it'd be more like 5 parts blackberry, for 1 part maple, even up trade would be a little rough!

BrewGUN wrote:Cost wise, it'd be more like 5 parts blackberry, for 1 part maple, even up trade would be a little rough!

I KNEW someone would say that. You dont understand what wild black raspberries are or how cut up you get picking the things. Ate up by bugs and its hot...steamy weather.
You pick your own. Then tell me what you think they are worth. Of course your time is worthless, to me.