5
8. Allow the unit to cool and then drain the pan.
9. Rinse the pan thoroughly with clean water and dry.
NOTE:
It’s always best to use non-chlorinated water if possible (chlorinated water can eventually cause
corrosion of the pan).
Operating Your
Sapling!
CAUTION:
NEVER, EVER, EVER
fire the
Sapling
without liquid in the pan (or allow it to cool without
liquid). Otherwise, the operation of the unit is relatively simple! Basically, you add sap at one location and it
travels around the pan, becoming denser as it evaporates, until it gets to the valve. Here are the details:
1.
Add 2 inches of sap in the pan. This is about 5 gallons of sap.
2.
Start your fire.
3.
Get the sap boiling.
4.
After the sap has boiled down to half of its volume, gradually add more sap at the back, right corner of
the pan until the sap level is back up to 2 inches. Continue to add sap at this location gradually as needed
to keep the level at 2 inches. Do this for several hours.
5.
There are a number of ways to tell if your syrup is “done.” The most sophisticated is to use an
instrument called a syrup hydrometer to measure sugar content. Another is to measure temperature:
syrup boils at about 7 degrees F above the boiling point of water (so, approximately 219 degrees F).
Therefore, when the temperature of the liquid close to the exit valve measures 219 degrees F, you can
draw off syrup (this will take several hours). The syrup should have an amber color and have the
consistency of . . . syrup.
6.
Get a clean container and place it under the valve exit.
7.
Open the valve and watch your exit temperature.
8.
If possible, simultaneously add fresh sap at the introduction location. If not possible, add some before
you draw off and some more after.
9.
Continue to draw off syrup until your exit temperature drops below 219°. You will likely get less than a
pint of finished syrup per draw.
10.
You may also choose to draw off a bit early into another pot or pan and “finish” on, for example, a
propane burner outside, or on the kitchen stove inside, where it may be easier to control and monitor the
temperature.
Do not feel badly about choosing to go this route, especially at the beginning.
