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Quality Begins in the Sugarbush

WARNING! RUSTY OR CORRODED SPOUTS, BUCKETS, OR OTHER MAPLE UTENSILS SHOULD NOT BE USED. These defects may result in toxic metals and metallic off-flavors in syrup. 

Spouts
Prior to use, spouts should be cleaned and dip-rinsed in a chlorine bleach solution (one part of unscented chlorine bleach to twenty parts of water) and then rinsed thoroughly in hot water. As a substitute for the dip-rinse, metal spouts may be boiled in clean water. A sanitized spout will keep the tap hole open longer, increasing sap yield, and will help to keep tubing lines free of microorganisms.

Buckets and Pails
Hand or machine scrubbing of buckets and pails should be done thoroughly with HOT water. If a chlorine bleach is used (one part unscented household chlorine bleach to twenty parts water), care should be taken to rinse each bucket THOROUGHLY. This should be done promptly at the end of the season in order to make the work easier, and to prevent deterioration of the metal.

Pipelines, Tubing and Conduit

Installing Pipeline for High Quality Production
The function of pipeline, tubing and conduits is to help the sugarmaker to get the freshest possible sap to the sugarhouse. "DownHILL, straight and tight" is a slogan to keep in mind when installing tubing. Pipeline which sags, or is not adequately pitched may retain sap which can develop microorganisms as it ages, lowering the quality of syrup.

Sugarmakers should be certain to use pipeline of adequate size to move sap efficiently, maintaining high quality sap.

Choosing Tubing for High Quality Production
Tubing companies have designed products specifically intended to move large volumes of sap long distances under the most favorable conditions for high quality syrup production. Materials such as black plastic water pipe, which draws heat from the sun, should be used with care. Sap flowing long distances in dark pipeline exposed to the sun may reach temperatures as high as 80 degrees, even though air temperatures are much lower. Warm sap in lines, and later in storage tanks, encourages the growth of microorganisms, reducing the quality and grade of syrup. Dark colored pipe may be painted white with a non-toxic paint. Be certain that lines have NO SAGS; sags trap the sap, and permit bacteria growth. If pipe is used which is not produced specifically for sap collection it must be of high grade, the kind that is designed for drinking water. BE certain that all tubing is made of food-grade materials.

Clean Tubing and Quality
Clean tubing is essential if high quality and maximum production are to be achieved. Sanitation of tubing immediately after the last sap run is recommended. Most producers force a chlorine bleach solution through the tubing (one part unscented household chlorine bleach to twenty parts water); it is a common practice to let this solution remain in the lines for a day or two, after making certain that the lines are completely filled.

WARNING! Be sure all solution is THOROUGHLY RINSED FROM THE LINES. In addition to flushing with water after the use of a chlorine solution, many producers allow the first sap to run onto the ground, providing an added rinse at the beginning of the new season; this is done for two reasons: (1) even though most traces of chlorine which are in the sap will evaporate during the boiling process, the sodium or salt remains, and becomes concentrated in the syrup, ruining the flavor. (2) Some sugarmakers and researchers feel that rodents may be attracted by the salt, and the most thorough rinsing procedures at both the beginning and the end of the season will help us to reduce rodent damage.

 We recognized the value of rinsing with chlorine, but we cannot emphasize too strongly the danger of producing off-flavored syrup unless extreme caution is used to rinse all chlorine from lines and tanks. Make certain that chlorine solution is NOT PERMITTED TO ENTER THE LINES WHICH MAY END UP IN THE EVAPORATOR.

Alternatively, a hot water air-mixture can be forced through the sap lines. The turbulence of the air mixed with water is an effective cleaner and leaves no chlorine residue.

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