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Filtering Homemade Maple Syrup

Mar 1, 2024 | DIY Maple Syrup

Maple syrup in foreground with sapling evaporator in the background

You’ve decided to make your own maple syrup this year. You’re either researching if you should filter your final product, or you are boiling as we speak! Either way, you’re figuring out if you should filter your finished syrup. Here is the lowdown on filtering your homemade maple syrup.

Making Homemade Maple Syrup with a Barrel Evaporator

Making Maple Syrup is Simple

Making maple syrup is a simple process that involves removing most of the water from maple sap. First, you need to collect maple sap from any type of maple tree. Learn more about how to identify your maple trees and how to tap your maple trees here. The maple sap you’ll collect is a weak sugar solution with a unique mix of minerals. Once the nights are freezing and the days are above freezing (about 40 °F) the sap will start running! You’ll then collect and store your sap. Once you have enough to process, you’ll remove the water from maple sap by boiling it. You can read about how to boil your maple sap here.

To Filter or Not to Filter?

And now you’re here! To filter or not to filter, that is the question! Not everyone filters their homemade maple syrup. If you are making syrup for yourself and don’t mind finding sugar sand at the bottom of your jars, you can skip this step! Easy as that and no harm done! Sugar sand is concentrated minerals from the syrup that settles to the bottom of your maple syrup jar. The sugar sand or concentrated minerals won’t hurt you or your syrup! This is the easiest solution to the filter or not to filter problem. So if simplicity is what you’re looking for, you can proceed to storing your syrup!

How to Filter Homemade Maple Syrup

If you intend to gift syrup, are a perfectionist, or are otherwise inclined to filter, let’s talk filtering. Firstly, having the right supplies really helps. If you intend to filter and buy nothing else your first time around, we recommend a syrup filter and two pre-filters. Take it from us: this will be a giant improvement on using coffee filters (slower than slow), cheesecloth (lets everything through), or something you’ve rigged up using dish towels and your applesauce maker (mess, trauma, disaster).

Filters and Prefilters

To use the syrup filter and pre-filters, simply Layer the two pre-filters inside the filter. Then, place them in a large, food-safe receptacle (stock pot, brew pot, pitcher). Pour your syrup through the layers, taking each pre-filter out as it gets hopelessly gunked up. Don’t throw the prefilters away! Pre-filters can be rinsed out and used multiple times, as well as the filters!

Make Sure the Syrup is HOT!

Another tip to make filtering easier is that the hotter the syrup is the faster filtering goes. It’s a tricky balance to keep the syrup hot enough, and your fingers from getting burned. But practice makes perfect!

Processing your Homemade Maple Syrup

Have your jars clean and at the ready, just as you would if canning. There are plenty of fancier options out there, but glass canning jars with new lids work fine. No matter what you choose, make sure that your syrup is at least 180 degrees going into the jar. If it isn’t, heat it up to between 180 and 200 again before canning. Once the jar or bottle is full (with 1/4 inch headroom) and the lid secure, let cool and store for up to two years on the shelf.

Don’t Put Your Maple in A Hot Water Bath!

Resist the temptation to can your syrup by boiling in a hot water bath. It is unnecessary and you may end up with intractable rock candy at the bottom of your jar. Trust us, we’ve made all the mistakes!

ENJOY YOUR HOBBY!

Now that you are armed with the knowledge of filtering maple syrup, its time to choose. Both options are good choices, and remember that you are doing this for fun, so enjoy yourself! There are loads of reasons making maple syrup is good for your health. Take some time to see, hear, and smell the sounds of spring. Your body and mind will thank you for it!

Happy sugaring, from our family to yours!