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Fishing Media => Fishing Pictures => Off-Topic Pictures => Topic started by: adkRoy on Apr 02, 2007, 07:40 AM

Title: It's sugaring time!
Post by: adkRoy on Apr 02, 2007, 07:40 AM
After hunting and icefishing. This is my favorite season. Making maple syrup. We make enough just for our family and friends.  Here are some picts of us sugaring from Saturday.

our sap collectors
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/adkRoy/Syruping003.jpg)
Starting fresh at 8:00 am
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/adkRoy/Syruping008.jpg)
starting to boil now
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/adkRoy/Syruping009.jpg)
Really boiling away
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/adkRoy/Syruping010.jpg)
It can be boring out there all day. so to break up the monotony a little target practice:
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/adkRoy/Syruping014.jpg)
almost syrup. At this stage you can smell the maple syrup and it tastes maple but not quite syrup yet
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/adkRoy/Syruping020.jpg)
The finished product
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/adkRoy/Syruping021.jpg)
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: Sjohn01 on Apr 02, 2007, 08:17 AM
Pretty SWEET looking operation there Roy  :D
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: dooberhoopa on Apr 02, 2007, 08:33 AM
that is an awesome syrup bottle roy
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: Scott on Apr 02, 2007, 08:37 AM
Yeah thats good stuff Roy! I stopped down at Jacks last weekend for my annual drink of cooking sap. Jack was hard at it after collecting 600 gallons of sap the day before, he said it's been an awsome year so far.


(http://www.iceshanty.com/images/2k7/mar/jack-cooking-sap.jpg)


-Scott
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: 1tigger on Apr 02, 2007, 08:38 AM
Roy
Never really been exposed to the syrup process , is that all you have to do to it is boil and maybe filter it once the collection process is done ?
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: BAZOOKAJOE on Apr 02, 2007, 08:44 AM
Cool!!  I was in the western ADK's over the weekend.  I must have saw 12 sugar-shacks in the little bit of driving around i did.  Them boys must like making syrup, up thata way!   :D
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: adkRoy on Apr 02, 2007, 10:04 AM
Roy
Never really been exposed to the syrup process , is that all you have to do to it is boil and maybe filter it once the collection process is done ?
  We filter it abot 5 times before it makes it into the bottle. I highly recommend a book called the back yard sugarer. We started out with a brick fire place and a 15 gallon galvanized tub. Now we have a small evaporator good for up to 50 taps.

Scott,
 There is nothing better than sipping the "maple tea" (cooking sap) as you are sugaring.
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: 1tigger on Apr 02, 2007, 12:53 PM
Sounds like a little more work than I would have time for but I'm sure all well worth it .
Just looks like an interesting process .
I hear it takes a lot of sap to get little syrup reward .
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: pikemaster789 on Apr 02, 2007, 04:29 PM
Great stuff, Im glad to see some other people doing it independently. It is very rewarding. My dad and I made about 16oz, this year, just enough for the two of us. How long can it be stored in the fridge? Weve been usuing it with pancakes and stuff but dont know how long it is "safe"
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: Gamedog on Apr 02, 2007, 04:38 PM
Where's the still?
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: adkRoy on Apr 03, 2007, 06:28 AM
Great stuff, Im glad to see some other people doing it independently. It is very rewarding. My dad and I made about 16oz, this year, just enough for the two of us. How long can it be stored in the fridge? Weve been usuing it with pancakes and stuff but dont know how long it is "safe"
You can store in the refrig for over a year.
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: dooberhoopa on Apr 03, 2007, 07:53 AM
u guys making good syrup?? there was an article in the paper that said it takes like 43 gallons to make one gallon of true syrup?? that true?
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: adkRoy on Apr 03, 2007, 11:41 AM
u guys making good syrup?? there was an article in the paper that said it takes like 43 gallons to make one gallon of true syrup?? that true?

40-50 gallons of sap boils down to 1 gallon of syrup.
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: 1tigger on Apr 03, 2007, 11:49 AM
Is there really that much flavor difference in home made  vs  store bought to make it worth your time or is it really about the hobby and enjoying the end result of a self made product ?
Cant say I have ever had any fresh made so I don't know .
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: fishercat on Apr 03, 2007, 12:30 PM
Is there really that much flavor difference in home made  vs  store bought to make it worth your time or is it really about the hobby and enjoying the end result of a self made product ?
Cant say I have ever had any fresh made so I don't know .


Yes there is a big difference.

 I like the grade B that is the last run, it is much darker in color and has much more maple flavor.
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: 1tigger on Apr 03, 2007, 12:37 PM
Gonna have to try and find a local that does this and try and talk them out of some .
I dint realize there was different grades too .
just always bought the usual log cabin .
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: adkRoy on Apr 03, 2007, 01:26 PM
I like the dark grade stuff because it has more flavor. A lot of people like the light amber because it looks pretty in the glass bottles.
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: shrub on Apr 03, 2007, 02:23 PM
Great stuff, Im glad to see some other people doing it independently. It is very rewarding. My dad and I made about 16oz, this year, just enough for the two of us. How long can it be stored in the fridge? Weve been usuing it with pancakes and stuff but dont know how long it is "safe"

if its in the can with the seal it will last a long time without any refrigeration,once the seal is broken it must be refrigerated and will last for over a year.
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: pikemaster789 on Apr 03, 2007, 06:19 PM
I also have one more question. When we put our syrup in the jar, after a week or two of sitting, sugar crystals start to form and separate. Why is that and how do you prevent it?
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: Gump on Apr 03, 2007, 08:03 PM
Quote
I dint realize there was different grades too .
just always bought the usual log cabin .

Most of the stuff you buy at store isn't more than corn syrup and flavoring, not the real mckoy.
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: adkRoy on Apr 04, 2007, 06:35 AM
I also have one more question. When we put our syrup in the jar, after a week or two of sitting, sugar crystals start to form and separate. Why is that and how do you prevent it?

That is just from the sugar crystalizing. It is because when we bottle the syrup it is very hot but as it coools the sugar may be over saturated and the excess sugar will start to crystalize. It tastes like a maple rock candy. You can also microwave the jar for about 15-30 seconds before using it. Make sure the cap is off though.
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: Stump Puller on Apr 16, 2007, 06:57 PM
Hey adkRoy, with that evapourator of yours, how big of a batch can you do in a day?
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: adkRoy on Apr 17, 2007, 07:32 AM
We can do about a pint an hour with that evaporator. It is ment for up to 50 taps. We are just a small operation. Mostly for ourselves, family and friends. Anything else we sell but not much.
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: Stump Puller on Apr 17, 2007, 06:57 PM
Thats what I'm looking for, thats all I'm planning on doing is for the family and friends. When you say, 50 taps, does that mean 50 buckets of sap?
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: pondpro on Apr 17, 2007, 07:34 PM
nice set yupp
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: adkRoy on Apr 18, 2007, 07:49 AM
Thats what I'm looking for, thats all I'm planning on doing is for the family and friends. When you say, 50 taps, does that mean 50 buckets of sap?

50 taps means 50 trees tapped. See my first picture. We can boil about 50-70 gallons of sap down in 1 day (10-12 hours) of boiling.
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: shrub on Apr 18, 2007, 08:36 AM
hey roy, did you buy your pan at bascoms?
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: adkRoy on Apr 18, 2007, 10:10 AM
hey roy, did you buy your pan at bascoms?

No we bought our's at Shaver Hill Farm over by Jefferson NY.
Title: Re: It's sugaring time!
Post by: Buckski on Apr 20, 2007, 02:18 PM
man from the title I thought someone was getting a brazillian done!