Marcus,
That does sound good; we`re still trying to fine-tune our setup for optimum output. Last fall; the Saturday after Thanksgiving, our normal start day, we found ourselves with an abundance of cane to cook and ended up with six 60-gallon batches. By starting very early we managed five cooking�s that first day and another Sunday morning. My folks think that is too much to do but I say the more the merrier. Heck I don`t live close by, about 30 miles so I just move my old girl motor home into the cow pasture next to the mill and stay for the duration. This is more fun than everclear but we won`t go there.
We have a good burner system and could possibly bring down the cooking time with a higher outer ring and that 1-inch higher inner one.
We had to move to a 250 gallon LP tank to stop the iceing.
Do you cook by hydrometer or temp? Details please.
You should know I am the newcomer in the family "cane grinding" and being an in-law must use finesse cradled with politics to change things. My finesse is best discribed as the bull in the china shop. I saw the ring setup at a county fair a few years back and had my buddy at the metal shop make the two rings. All this was before the Syrupmakers so I didn`t really know what dimensions the rings needed to be. I guesstimated. They have helped.
Also last fall I had been talking to Bill Outlaw and Charles Deese about invertase but did not have my Ducks in a row in time to use it. Luckily I was able to send it back and will try again next year. We had bad granulation.
Bill is invited for the 2003 grinding which should occur on Saturday, November the 29th. I hope you are reading this Bill and Charles.
Bill; if you want a sample for analysis just let me know.
I love the old things from our past but a little fine-tuning wouldn`t hurt too much; I hope.
Thanks for the details and if it looks like I know what I`m talking about when it comes to cane syrup then it may be a misconception. I WILL LEARN.
I read everything so keep it coming guys and gails.
Bob
-------Original Message-------
Date: Friday, March 14, 2003 09:06:38 PM
Subject: (syrupmakers) Re: Sediment
Bob,
We're basically on the same page with kettle rings. I do hand skim the first scum rising and the froth afterwards. I hand skim until the syrup begins to flow over the inner ring. Then I sit down. I was trying to outline the importance of not skimming impurities until it was time. Hopefully to limit sediment.
Also, I'm working on getting some pictures of various things together to be posted, including syrup ring set-up.
Here's some food for thought: With the drop of 1 1/2" from the rim of the kettle to the inside hole, the 2" inside ring is just 1/2" higher than your wash-back line. With a higher ring, you can cook at a more vigorous rate.
I have a more than adequate burner. With a 6" drop on my inside ring, I can turn the heat up to the point that the gas tank ices up and it will not rise to the top of the outer ring.
Marcus
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