When doing the cook you need to occasionly top off the container due to evaporation.

2 questions.

when you top off the pot with fresh solution does it work it's way into mix with the previous solution already simmering?

when you go to strain the bark and pour the mhrb/acid mix into the collection jar you basically get the amount collected as the amount ready to pour, you could pour a teaspoon OR, a whole pot full of solution. So how does this work? DO you understand what is trying to be asked here because i'm not sure i can explain it any better? Is what is strained full of what you need? When should you not top off? OR how much acid solution should be in the pot before your time is up and its time to strain?/how deep of solution?

SWIM had to top off the pot 3 times within an hr and half on low heat, before a strain.

If it's evaporating very quickly the heat's probably too high. I cook for around an hour, then pour of the solution, then add more water and keep adding to the collection pot. I start reducing the collection pot when I start my second cook.

well, damn me if I can understand what you try to convey here. You may consider attending some Composition Classes and pardon me for what I say in case you're dyslexic or challenged in any other way.

wasn't trying to sound like a dick in that question, but yes we are all challenged sorry i wasn't under the impression we were being graded on our journalism skillz.

So is it standard to throw out the bark after the cook, or is it alright to put it with the collected again?

thanks soulfood, SWIM will lower the time to an hour as well.

its not about grading in journalism skill, its just really hard to make any sense of what you are talking about, sorry.... I swear I tried!

Sure you're not graded here, don't take it personally! But just bear in mind that many people are also non-English speakers and even for those who do speak english your post is pretty confusing.


See, this sentence. I have hard time trying to understand. You ask whether it is standard to throw out (out where? you mean dispose?) the bark after the cook (of course you discard it after you're finished with it!) OR if it is alright to put it with the collected? So you ask here about mixing the spent bark with the previously filtered and collected acidic extracts? Why on earth would you do that if not to make the life more difficult? I hope you understand that the bark that has been boiled 3-4 times with fresh (acidic) water and filtered has no actives left; the actives are in the water (commonly called "pulls" )

I guess that's what makes it difficult to understand you; in your question the first option is intuitive and the second retarded (at least the way I interpret them) and I get the feeling that you might be asking for something else!

Essentially, don't throw anything out until you are happy with your yield.

thanks! sorry but i kinda have to laugh at myself, this was a pretty funny experience. I'll try harder to describe what I'm trying to describe.