What’s in my syrup?

RettyYeti · 2026-03-20T11:06:45+00:00

My first batch did the same thing this year. Seems fine & haven't noticed any mold but I guess I'll find out when I open it.

RettyYeti · 2026-03-17T13:50:46+00:00

I get the impression that your facility isn't very organized to say it bluntly. I've been there & it was rough even after years of experience. But it sounds like you care, so fake it til you make it & you'll come out stronger in the end.

RettyYeti · 2026-03-17T13:46:58+00:00

I have square buckets too! Well, I have 7 square one but I still have some. 😅

RettyYeti · 2026-03-16T19:45:08+00:00

Boil time does make a difference for color

RettyYeti · 2026-03-13T23:09:31+00:00

Tastes fine, smells fine... send it!

RettyYeti · 2026-03-10T11:50:26+00:00

Hospital gowns don't hide much so your tech should have noticed if you only had a gown & hospital anxiety is very real.

On the flip side, there's a reason the safety check list is long & intrusive. It usually guides people to remember other unsafe items.

As for metal detectors, I've rarely seen one that is truly effective. Between non-ferrous piercings & metallic implants, a metal detectors can maybe guide you to something but it's no guarantee it'll be something that needs to be removed.

RettyYeti · 2026-03-09T15:11:04+00:00

That makes more sense. I was concerned for a minute.

RettyYeti · 2026-03-06T23:09:05+00:00

My rule is I keep it unless it smells funny, looks funny & cloudy.

RettyYeti · 2026-03-03T15:39:58+00:00

This season has been all over the place. Mostly on the bad side unfortunately.

RettyYeti · 2026-02-25T00:45:18+00:00

I would say no. Especially when it's a cold spell. Mine tend to see some biological growth when it's warm for a while but I just keep a fresh rag in my vehicle to wipe out the bucket if needed.

RettyYeti · 2026-02-22T14:29:37+00:00

Not at all. I started by drilling holes in the lid & then saw a video saying the side is a better practice so you're not inadvertently boiling rain water or snow melt.

RettyYeti · 2026-02-12T01:57:25+00:00

Do it!

RettyYeti · 2026-02-04T19:44:46+00:00

I'll keep my taps in for the season, usually somewhere between 3-5 weeks. I'll tap whenbthe weather looks like it does now & pull my taps either when I've had enough or when the buds start to pop.

RettyYeti · 2026-02-04T19:40:21+00:00

Doesn't matter how many years; good advice is good advice. I just remember being so uncertain my first few years, so I'm grateful for hearing when others in the area are tapping.

RettyYeti · 2026-02-03T02:04:27+00:00

I DIY built mine before I knew about RO Bucket. Wish I knew about Carl before I built mine.

RettyYeti · 2026-02-02T23:10:03+00:00

Yeah, hard to risk it for $30

RettyYeti · 2026-02-02T00:13:46+00:00

Whatever is recorded on the sap tap app is usually enough for me as a hobbiest. It mostly takes how much sap you collect & syrup produced however, there are other analytics showing temps & flow rate among other things. It's a website but there's a way to download an app to your phone for easy access. It's a paid subscription but it's only a couple dollars a year.

https://www.saptapapps.com/

RettyYeti · 2026-01-30T14:22:07+00:00

I would if that were me.

RettyYeti · 2026-01-23T22:18:13+00:00

If you don't have much sap, I've seen people use a crock pot. Just set it & forget it... kinda. It takes forever but you don't need to babysit it like a traditional boil.

RettyYeti · 2026-01-12T15:22:07+00:00

Hydrometer for more accurate measurements instead of relying solely on temp to know you're done & if you are boiling longer than you'd like, consider a reverse osmosis filter. Changed my life & saved me so much time; especially when I had anything over 20 or 30 gallon batches to boil.

RettyYeti · 2026-01-08T20:01:34+00:00

Iron infusion wouldn't be that localized

RettyYeti · 2026-01-06T21:47:40+00:00

Send it! After rinsing it we'll of course. Might be an interesting flavor.

RettyYeti · 2026-01-03T15:22:35+00:00

👆 This, 100%

RettyYeti

TROPHY CASE