How we bottle syrup during the off season

Syrup is held in bulk barrels for retail packaging later in the year. In this video we bottled 55 gallons of dark robust syrup.
Syrup and other maple treats can be purchased at www.dunnfamilymaple.com

[@roughcutscanada]

Outstanding set up. It sure beats my 45-Gallon-Drum Evaporator.

[@dunnfamilymaple]

everything is a work in progress, no matter how long it takes

[@roughcutscanada]

@@dunnfamilymaple I just finished my rookie season with 40 taps. I’m hooked!

[@dunnfamilymaple]

@@roughcutscanada it happens

[@ryan05753]

I’m just curious why you would ride the struggle bus to hoist a drum of syrup in the air when you have a perfectly good pump on the filter press. My press is on quick connects on the suction side to hook to my draw tank but I also quick connect to a draw tube for barrels and use my bypass hose to put it in my canner.

[@dunnfamilymaple]

Have you ever tried to pump cold syrup? It doesn't pump and I don't keep the sugar house heated all the time. By doing this I can fill the canner quickly and get back to doing other things and the temp of the syrup never matters. It works really well.

[@professordogwood8985]

Can you show how you store syrup in the barrel? I'm trying to figure out how to store syrup before bottling and I'd love to know if you vacuum seal or need to refrigerate.

[@dunnfamilymaple]

You fill the bottle at 180-190 deg then seal the barrel. It’s just like storing the syrup in any other container

[@professordogwood8985]

@@dunnfamilymaple OK, so you bottled that entire barrel after you cracked it open?

[@dunnfamilymaple]

@@professordogwood8985 yes

[@professordogwood8985]

@@dunnfamilymaple Wow! So if you can't fill the entire barrel, will the vacuum from the hot finished sap still preserve?

[@dunnfamilymaple]

I'm not following your question. If we are filling the barrel during the season and are not able to fill it completely that night you just start where you finished the day before. If I am emptying the barrel and don't want to bottle the entire thing you have some time. It will mold eventually if its warm.

[@davelindahl8273]

I liked your video. Was informative to me about syrup density. Thought I saw a Murphy cup, hydrometer and your measurements. So any number is ok close to 66 bricks? I have an Grimm pressure filter 7.5”

[@dunnfamilymaple]

I use a murphy cup for checking density before bottling. I generally bottle 1/2 point over correct for better a better palate flavor. Love my clear press

[@bencote2219]

So is it more direct flame or the 180-190F mark that brings nitre out? Theoretically you could accidentally heat the water base in the bottler to 200 F and produce nitre, but conversely if you used an open flame to only get it to 180-190 F it wouldn’t produce nitre?

[@dunnfamilymaple]

Yes to both unfortunately. With the steam pan I can keep the heat off and maintain temperature. I am moving to a water jacketed bottler for next year though

[@thisoneworks]

Do you filter it directly after boiling initially or do you only filter just before bottling? Curious about this - I've spent alot of time with some Amish making syrup the past 2 weeks

[@dunnfamilymaple]

I filter before I bottle or filter direct into bulk barrels not always right after boiling, some times the next day. If I am taking it from a bulk barrel and bottling then I filter again. Does that make sense?

[@kurtiswhite3910]

Do you have a daughter named Bridget

[@dunnfamilymaple]

I do