Smoky Lake Maple Filter Press - 7" Short Bank Stainless Steel - How To and Review

[@chrisdaniel1339]

When I lived in NH and sugared I had a Wes Fab short bank press with the hand pump, but I did a stainless steel 90° elbow facing lateral to the press at the outlet, then a short 4" stainless threaded pipe and then a 1/2" stainless bottling valve from Bascom Maple Farm in NH. I would run a bit of syrup through the press to get it hot and dump that clean syrup back into the pan and once the press was hot it just started bottling right off the press. Having the valve and hand pump for control meant there was very little syrup drips and the area stayed clean. I had multiple large pans of syrup heating so I could bottle multiple batches before cleaning the press. This method save a ton of time by filtering and bottling at the same time and my syrup was crystal clear.

[@CarlAshley]

Thank you for a great instructional video on your filter press. I had 5 gallons of syrup ready to be filtered and your commentary added certainly to the process. Your explanation of where the DE goes in the filter press helped me recover from other introductions that just gave a formula only related to the amount syrup to be filtered. Carl in Vermont.

[@UptoSomethingOutdoors]

Thanks for showing how it operates!

[@davidlesley1328]

Excellent vid, great visual and calm voice. Very clear on how it is done, the amount of DE to syrup is still a little vague for me, can you clarify?

[@greatnorthernviews3052]

Looking to get one of those. Smokey lake is 25 miles from me.

[@andylicht8017]

Very informative! Thanks for the great video.

[@greatnorthernviews3052]

I’m getting one next year I know Jim at Smokey lake.

[@dzl6848]

You should tighten that press as tight as you can get it. We have a 9 plate 12 in press and barely have a drop come out at 90 psi. I'll tighten it then 30 min later I'll retighten it causevthe papers will decompress. Then it's good to go. But nice little set up you have.

[@suvasammedia1366]

Are you have any oil filterpress machine?

[@ЕвгенийБонд-ц3в]

Hi, what is the white powder U use before filtering? Thanks

[@ryan05753]

The powder is called DE. It’s pretty much ground up sea shells. It’s mixed in and it bonds with the dirt partials and sugar sands. It is then caught by the papers that he installed. This gives the syrup a nice polished clean look.

[@greatnorthernviews3052]

How much does a unit like that cost?

[@mommymilestones]

I saw your temp. gauge at 190. How much is that batch cooling in the bottler by the time you are done filtering and the bottling tank is ready? Are you having someone help you bottle to maintain the high temp or are you reheating it on your burner stand? Also What burner stand are you using with the unfiltered syrup in the video?

[@flowercitymaple2533]

Now that I use a water jacketed bottler, the syrup does not cool much if at all. I would expect 10-20 degrees of cooling otherwise. You definitely want it 180F at least for jugs and 190F for glass and I preheat my glass containers in a hot water bath. Much hotter than 190F and you risk precipitating more sugar sand in the filtered syrup and negating your filtering efforts. Pictured here is a burner stand for a W.F. Mason finisher/canner unit. I no longer use that setup. I like water jacketed or steam pan style bottlers because burners directly under a canning unit create a hot spot and niter buildup which can flake off into your filtered syrup. Hope this helps.

[@larryreno8293]

Does the DE change the flavor?

[@flowercitymaple2533]

No Larry, it does not.

[@msefilterpressengmbh1589]

great! Greetings, MSE Filterpressen®. Your specialist from germany.

[@bw-qd5mz]

what is the waffle plate for? is it also a filter?

[@flowercitymaple2533]

It is not a filter. The waffle plates support the filter papers while providing a pathway for syrup to travel behind the papers to the discharge port. It's kind of hard to explain without actually looking at it. Syrup enters the window plate cavity, impurities and DE accumulate on the paper and then the syrup passes through to the waffle plate. By the time it exits the press, it is crystal clear.

[@katieblackman3548]

What kind of stock pot is that and what size? Is it aluminum or stainless? Thanks!

[@flowercitymaple2533]

It is aluminum and only use for syrup. I recommend stainless however. I think this one is 8 or 9 quarts and came from a restaurant supply store.

[@katieblackman3548]

Thanks! Just curious - why would you get stainless over aluminum?

[@trevorreiten349]

Katie Blackman I used a cheap aluminum turkey deep fryer pot for two years. The third year I tried to use it, I found that the bottom became porous and liquid would seep through the bottom. Stainless steel handles repeated heating and cooling better, hands down. Also easier to clean.

[@rzamudio8303]

How much is the filter and where can it be purchased?

[@dazhangfilterpressdorothy6344]

Add me whatsapp[phone], we have similar stainless steel made

[@joshuarheault1354]

Just so you know, you should wear goggle and a dust mask when handling DE. It's very bad for your lungs and eyes.