Making Maple Syrup - Filtering and Bottling

[@davidlesley1328]

Well done video, very comprehensive, I appreciate the details about the bottom of the bottler to avoid the heat precipitated nitre, from one Cdn to another 2 thumbs up!

[@jamiemcmunn4325]

Great video Rudi! I have been thinking about getting one of these! I think you have convinced me :). Thanks for taking the time to do this. Stay healthy and safe!

[@fredA1234]

So if you use those 5 gallon pails, you do not have to refrigerate it. You can leave it at room temperature? Great video thanks so much.

[@stevejuststuff2779]

Great video. I just make five gallons a year for the family. When I bring my syrup up to 190 for bottling I use a double boiler so it won't coke the syrup in the middle and cause more niter. It works really good.. Thanks for the video

[@terrybrown9206]

Nice looking setup

[@fredA1234]

Also, some of the buckets that I see have the screw on gamma lids. Are those the same as the pound on lids? Thanks again.

[@AlexB-fo3mz]

HI Rudi, Great video very well explained process of finishing. Did your CDL Vacuum press come with temperature gauge or did you add that yourself?

[@CFmurse]

I got excited when the Canadian Tire buckets appeared… I thought for sure you’d use metric 😂

[@northerngirlhobbies]

Beautiful product. Thank you for the in-depth instructions. We need better equipment.

[@johnfilliol9840]

Very good info thanks

[@doubleblack3329]

I was wondering where do you get your bottles and labels from. Thanks

[@rudijones]

Cdl for the bottles and local printer for labels

[@scottgolembeski5802]

Hi Rudi- I just watched your filter press video and found it to be very informing. I have a hobby operation. I’ve been doing now for eight years in the Catskills of New York and my biggest issue is running my final filtering through Orlon bags. I’ve been considering using something similar to this, but I had a question. When you put the vacuum on the press, how much residual syrup is sucked up Through the elbow inside the pot? As in does it come up the hoses and the vacuum itself? I’m just curious.. I was considering perhaps, adding a shield over the 90° elbow inside the pot to prevent filtered syrup to rundown along the opening of the vacuum intake.

[@rudijones]

With the standard design no syrup comes into the vacuum

[@danthomas8767]

Hey. Great video. Wondering where ya got your labels made. Thanks

[@rudijones]

Thanks! It’s called Fast Printing. In Canada

[@karlhermann3121]

Great video thanks.. I can't afford the $850.00 CDL vacuum filter so I am thinking of trying to make my own.. do what is model of the toronto brewing company "pot" that you are using? I'm told that can be the bottom of the home made vacuum filter.. THANKS!

[@maplefish]

Great video. Do you know if the weldless ball valve and weldless temperature probes would fit to the curved surface of the pots? Thanks

[@rudijones]

That’s a good question. It would depend on the size of valve and thermometer mating surfaces. I think for a standard 1/2” npt opening you should have no problem sealing on the curved surface.

[@betinakoellreutter9803]

Hey guys, awesome videeo! Thank you for sharing. Would you mind sharing what material do you usually go for when it comes to choosing the filter? And do you recommend using a pre filter to then use a more "heavy" duty one? Thanks a bunch and have an awesome week!

[@rudijones]

Thanks! CDL sells the filters for these. The first layer of the filter is a light coffee maker type filter material then the syrup goes through another heavier orlon filter. You can wash and reuse the orlon filter and throw out the lighter coffee type filter. You should be able to find them on Cdl website

[@betinakoellreutter9803]

@@rudijones that is extremely helpful Rudi!!! I’ll indeed do that! Thanks and have an awesome night!

[@barbaramacfarlane-huffman7247]

Wow that video was so helpful! My husband and I are first time syrup makers from collection to finished product. We both grew up being involved in our Family's Maple Sugar Bush but not in the entire process. Different FMy members had different jobs and the patriarch was the Finisher!! Your video has helped us tremendously. We are northeast of Belleville and our Farm is Huffman Homestead.

[@janetkaye5110]

Where did you get your filtering pot?

[@bradmack8304]

Very nice operation! A perfectionist for sure. How many trees in total are you tapping, and what was your final yield of syrup for 2021? Watching from Manitoulin Island

[@rudijones]

Thank you! 109 taps and made about 35 gallons.

[@dougfletcher8719]

How did the Canadian Tire buckets handle the heat? Any plastic taste in the syrup? Thanks, and nice set up btw.

[@rudijones]

They are great. Hdpe food grade, no taste whatsoever and white is easy to keep clean.

[@fredA1234]

Do you need to refrigerate the 5 gallon pails when you store them until bottling?

[@rudijones]

No just cool spot preferably without light. Like a basement.

[@savagesugarbushmaplesyrup9242]

What kind of fitting is that for the vacuum hook up? I’m building my own and ordering weldless fittings - having trouble figuring how to get to the 1 1/4 vacuum hose

[@rudijones]

My vacuum end is sort of gummy and fits right over the end of the hex area on the 1” ball valve.

[@terrybrown9206]

It is a decent setup

[@scottk5174]

Rudi, great video and setup you have there. I built a very similar vacuum filter to this one (I like building stuff like this), but the filters clogged very quickly. I used same filters and as you used. I think the same DE powder too, unless there are different grades, that I am not aware of. Small early season batch of 2 gallons eventually went through but it took almost 3 hours. Have you ever had clogging issues? How long did it take for yours to go through? Looks like 30 minutes or less. Happy sugaring.

[@rudijones]

Thanks! Been doing regular batches of 7 gallons this season. I put 4 cups de and it all goes through filter in about 20 minutes. I put it through at about 200F, it’s about 160F once all of it is in the filter/bottler tank. Using a dewalt type shop vac.

[@terrybrown9206]

How much is the price for the equipment?

[@Mapleguy3186]

I find it more efficient to take the syrup from the evaporator and put it directly through the filters. Then store it in your food grade buckets. Putting very hot syrup into plastic is questionable. Put the filtered syrup into bottler and bring to 190.

[@fredA1234]

Thank you

[@slhomeandpropertymaintenan183]

I was considering getting one of the vacuum filters. Do u think maybe 8 gallons was a little much at one time before a filter change. Or was it ok.

[@rudijones]

I would say the 8 gallons was fine. I may have gone a little heavy with the DE powder and the vacuum I was using didn’t have that great of suction. At the end of the day though the filter did filter every bit of syrup that was put through it.

[@slhomeandpropertymaintenan183]

@@rudijones sounds good. I tap 440 just south of Ottawa. Thanks for the reply

[@Buzzybeeacres]

Questions: someone mentioned you should still come filter prior to running it through this Do you guys do that? I personally don’t see the point, I kind of thought that’s what the expensive vacuum filter was suppose to save you from

[@rudijones]

No need for cone filter this filter does it all perfectly. At most you could put one of the cone pre-filters on your bucket as it comes out of the pan to catch visible debris but I don’t really see the point. More stuff to clean and throw in the trash.

[@slhomeandpropertymaintenan183]

Is there such thing as too powder. Or better too much than not enough

[@rudijones]

You can’t really put too much within reason. It creates a filter “cake” on the cloth filter. You can only get the syrup so clean so any excess filter aid would just be wasted.

[@WildWisdomA]

what kind of filter do you use>?

[@rudijones]

Orlon with a pre filter from cdl

[@Adam-Kramer]

Hi, where do you get your filters from?

[@rudijones]

Cdl

[@paul06062]

Where did you get your vacuum

[@rudijones]

Canadian tire - any shop vac will work

[@darrengarlough5121]

Could someone let the evaporator run right into the cdl and miss the step of putting it into the kettle?

[@rudijones]

Yes

[@paul06062]

I was talking about your vacuum pot sorry

[@johnfilliol9840]

Very good info thanks