126 



AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK 134, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



I iH-rcasinf! Returns 



Use of central plant facilities need not be 

 limited to the 6 or 8 weeks of sap evafwration. 

 Instead, the facilities can be put to a number of 

 other uses that not only produce more income 

 from the invested capital but also furnish prof- 

 itable employment. 



Additional uses for the plant~are: (1) Mixing 

 of sirups to obtain a standard grade and den- 

 sity; (2) custom packaging of sirup; (3) prepar- 

 ing gift packages; (4) reprocessing sirup to re- 

 move buddy flavor; (5) making high-flavor sir- 

 up; (6) preparing high-density sirup; and (7) 

 manufacturing confections. 



Some additional equipment would be re- 

 quired. This includes a steam kettle for use in 

 processing sirup and in manufacturing confec- 

 tions and a candy machine and facilities for 

 manufacturing confections. 



Standardizing Sirup for Color 

 and Density 



Today, the consumer exjjects uniformity in 

 food products. The public, therefore, expects 

 uniformity (year after year) in the color (gi-ade) 

 and density of maple sirup. The color and den- 

 sity can easily be adjusted to meet specific 

 customer demands by mixing sirup of different 

 grades and different densities. This must be 

 done after the sirupmaking season so that the 

 amount of different sirup stocks will be known. 



Adjiisliiif: Color 



To adjust the color, measure 1 cup of either 

 the lighter sirup or the darker sirup in a 2-cup 

 measurer. Then add the other with constant 

 mixing until the desired color (grade) is 

 reached. Note the amount of sirup added in 

 ounces. This will give the ratio of the light and 

 dark sirups to be mixed to produce the desired 

 grade. 



Stirring sirup in .5-gallon tins makes it easier 

 to select different gi-ades for mixing. 



Adjiisling Ih'iisilY 



To adjust the density, preferably to between 

 66^ and 67° Brix, the method of Pearson's 

 Square can be used. Considerable time can be 

 saved by calculating the number of parts (by 

 weight) of the heavy sirup to mix with sap or 

 thin sirup to obtain standard-density sirup. 



Example 1. If a dense sirup of 70^ Brix is to be 

 mixed with a thin sirup of 64.4' Brix to make a 

 standard-density sirup of 66.0^ Brix, the quan- 

 tity of each sirup to be used can be determined 

 by alligation as follows: 



A = 70 



D = 1.6 (calculated) 



C = 66.0 



B = 64.4 



4.0 (calculated) 



where A = density of heavy sirup in ° Brix 

 B = density of light sirup in ° Brix 

 C = density desired as the result of mix- 

 ing A and B 



This is always the center figure. D = the 

 difference between C and B, which in this case 

 = 1.6. E = the difference between A and C, 

 which in this case = 4.0. D and E give the ratios 

 of sirup A and B to mix to produce standard- 

 density sirup (66.0P Brix), which in this case 

 would be 1.6 parts of A (heavy sirup) to 4.0 

 parts of B (light sirup). 



Example 2. If sirup with a density of 66.5^ 

 Brix is desired (it will feel better to the tongue) 

 using the same two sirups, the Pearson Square 

 would become 



70 



D = 2.1 



C = 66.5 



B = 64.4 



E = 3.5 



The ratio of these two sirups mixed to give a 

 sirup having a density of 66.5" Brix (C) would be 

 2.1 parts of A (hea\y sirup) to 3.5 parts of B 



(light sirup). 



rii<<loiii l'a<-kafiiiiji and (.ill l'a«'ka}>;«'.s 



Many customers want sirup packaged in con- 

 tainers of special design and shape. This re- 

 quires special handling, and is usually done 

 after the. sap season. 



