Yesterday was our first really solid boiling day – approximately 70 gallons of sap. Our boiling pan is a flat metal rectangle, 2 feet by 4 feet by 8 inches deep, with a 40 gallon capacity and a drain spigot in the corner. Yes, that does mean it can double as a margarita dispenser in a pinch. If you’re planning a really, really big Cinco de Mayo party. The pan sits atop the wood stove, which has been carefully leveled to ensure even heating.
A pan with this surface area can evaporate off approximately 8-10 gallons of water per hour, but only after it reaches a full, rolling boil. Hence the fancy pre-warming contraption, which reduces the time it takes the sap to really get going. Once we start the fire and fill the pan, someone has to tend to the stove continuously, which is why we try to find willing friends & family to help keep us company or take over for a little while. Now accepting volunteers… we’ll pay you in syrup!
The temperature control on the boiling stove is simple. If the pan is boiling nicely, we stop putting wood in it. If the pan stops boiling or slows down, we add more wood; preferably smaller pieces that burn fast. As the water boils off and the sugar content in the pan rises, the bubbles get smaller – one of the first signs that we’re getting closer to the finishing stage. That, and the fabulous scent of syrup in the air that makes all the neighbors suddenly, inexplicably crave a tall stack of pancakes.