After we completed bottling and totaled up all the syrup we made 85 gallons of syrup for season 100.   A good season.  Above average crop in both quantity and quality.  We made mostly medium amber with just the last batch from today as dark amber.  The quality is also a function of the R/O and being able to process sap faster.  During our years without the R/O we made mostly dark amber and then into the real dark grade B syrup.

Into the woods by 9:00 AM to start bringing in buckets and covers.  They are all in off-season storage.  Finished this afternoon after bottling.

Put the last of the syrup on the finishing pan by 11:45 AM.  It was done by 3:00 PM.  Filtered and bottled it came to 16 quarts.

Doing the math:  we collected 3595 gallons of sap; we made 85 gallons of syrup.  That gives us a ratio of  42:1.  Running through the Rule of 86 means our sap averaged 2.03 °Bx for the season.  At exactly 2.00 °Bx the ratio is 43:1.  Given the low Brix readings we had, we need to replace our sap hydrometer.  Its calibration doesn’t seem accurate.

45 overnight.  55 today.  Partly cloudy this morning but the sun appeared around 2:00 PM.

Tomorrow we start cleaning the evaporator.  That’s the last big task remaining.

Back to the farmhouse by 5:00 PM.