1 00:00:02,587 --> 00:00:04,100 - [Mark} Hello, this is Mark Isselhardt, 2 00:00:04,100 --> 00:00:07,490 Maple Specialist with UVM Extension. 3 00:00:07,490 --> 00:00:09,510 Most people know that to make maple syrup 4 00:00:09,510 --> 00:00:11,660 you have to do a lot of boiling. 5 00:00:11,660 --> 00:00:13,580 You collect the sap from the trees 6 00:00:13,580 --> 00:00:17,103 and you evaporate the water while concentrating the sugars. 7 00:00:18,490 --> 00:00:21,130 You might not know that in order to determine 8 00:00:21,130 --> 00:00:24,410 if you actually have correct density syrup, 9 00:00:24,410 --> 00:00:26,223 you need to do some measurements. 10 00:00:27,060 --> 00:00:27,893 In the old days, 11 00:00:27,893 --> 00:00:30,790 people would use their scoop from their evaporator 12 00:00:30,790 --> 00:00:33,840 and carefully look at how the syrup behaves 13 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:38,100 as it flows over the edge of the scoop. 14 00:00:38,100 --> 00:00:39,760 Correct density syrup will form 15 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:42,320 a bit of an apron or a thin film 16 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,563 and it'll look just right when the syrup is correct. 17 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:49,255 Most sugar makers now use a combination 18 00:00:49,255 --> 00:00:52,590 of thermometers and temperature measurements 19 00:00:52,590 --> 00:00:54,270 and what's called a hydrometer, 20 00:00:54,270 --> 00:00:56,743 which is a way of measuring density. 21 00:00:58,130 --> 00:01:00,600 In Vermont, legal syrup has to be 22 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:05,600 between 66.9 and 68.9% sugar. 23 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,780 To find out whether or not their batch of syrup is correct, 24 00:01:09,780 --> 00:01:12,150 sugar makers will use a hydrometer, 25 00:01:12,150 --> 00:01:17,150 which is a calibrated glass instrument 26 00:01:17,460 --> 00:01:21,930 that will float in syrup and it has precise graduations 27 00:01:21,930 --> 00:01:24,283 along the stem of the hydrometer. 28 00:01:25,660 --> 00:01:28,210 The hydrometer will float at the correct line 29 00:01:28,210 --> 00:01:31,030 when the syrup is correct density. 30 00:01:31,030 --> 00:01:32,310 It's important that sugar makers 31 00:01:32,310 --> 00:01:33,690 know the temperature of the syrup 32 00:01:33,690 --> 00:01:37,028 when they're using a hydrometer, because hot syrup, 33 00:01:37,028 --> 00:01:41,453 the hydrometer will float lower than if the syrup is cold. 34 00:01:42,500 --> 00:01:45,230 Assuming the sugar maker does all these things correctly, 35 00:01:45,230 --> 00:01:47,480 they'll have a very good idea 36 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:50,270 of the precise density of the syrup. 37 00:01:50,270 --> 00:01:52,890 And when it's correct, they will put it in a barrel 38 00:01:52,890 --> 00:01:54,720 or put it in a retail container 39 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:57,823 and it will be available for sale in the marketplace.