Deep River Maple Syrup? Trust The Answer

Well, that depends on a few things including the weather conditions and the size, age and health of the tree. Most trees today have only one cone; Only those 80 inches in circumference or larger are generally given two roosters. On average, a tapped maple produces 10 to 20 gallons of sap per tap.

And as long as a tree stays healthy, it should produce sap for years, if not decades. In fact, some trees have been producing sap for more than 100 years! A healthy tree, when properly tapped, should have no adverse health effects and should be able to produce sap for many years.

Keep in mind that it takes about 40 gallons of juice to make just one delicious gallon of fresh maple syrup! We should note, however, that the juice’s sugar concentration can vary from 1 percent all the way up to 5 percent, and this will drastically affect how much juice it takes to make a gallon of syrup. For example, from 2 percent sap, it takes 40 gallons to make a gallon of syrup — but you rarely get a tree that makes that. It also tends to vary throughout the season, with the sugar concentration decreasing as the season progresses. Just something to think about!

Everyone knows the struggle of getting dinner on the table after a long day. If you’re looking for an easy recipe to simplify your weeknight dinner, look no further – simple dinners are our specialty. For an easy dinner you can count on, we’ve rounded up some of our tried-and-true favorites that have gotten us through even the busiest of days. Whether you’re cooking for yourself or for a family, these easy dinners are sure to leave everyone happy and stress-free.

Maple syrup disease (MSUD) is a rare but serious inherited disease. This means the body cannot process certain amino acids (the “building blocks” of proteins), resulting in harmful build-up of substances in the blood and urine. Normally, our body breaks down protein foods like meat and fish into amino acids. Unneeded amino acids are usually broken down and removed from the body. Babies with MSUD cannot break down the amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Very high levels of these amino acids are harmful. One of the hallmark symptoms of MSUD is sweet-smelling urine, which gives the condition its name.

At around 5 days of age, babies are offered a newborn blood spot screening to look for hereditary disorders such as MSUD. This involves pricking your baby’s heel to collect drops of blood for testing. If your baby is diagnosed with MSUD, treatment should be started immediately to reduce the risk of serious complications. With early diagnosis and the right treatment, the outcome can be significantly improved. However, treatment for MSUD must be continued for life. Without treatment, severe, life-threatening symptoms can develop, including seizures (fits) or a coma. Some children with untreated MSUD are also at risk of brain damage and developmental delays.

Symptoms of MSUD usually appear within the first few days or weeks after birth. More common symptoms are: sweet-smelling urine and sweat

poor diet or loss of appetite

Weight Loss Babies with MSUD can also have episodes known as “metabolic crises,” sometimes early in their lives. Symptoms of a metabolic crisis include: Lack of energy

Vomit

irritability

Difficulty breathing It’s important to get medical help right away if your baby develops symptoms of a metabolic crisis. Your doctor will advise you so you can recognize the signs. Some babies with MSUD may not develop symptoms of a metabolic crisis until later in the first year or later in childhood. The hospital will give you emergency treatment instructions to follow if your child is ill, which will help prevent these symptoms from occurring.

Nutrition Children diagnosed with MSUD are initially referred to a specialist in metabolic nutrition and placed on a low-protein diet. They may also need to take medication. The diet is designed to reduce the amount of amino acids ingested, particularly leucine, valine and isoleucine. Foods high in protein need to be limited, including: Meat

fishes

Cheese

eggs

impulses

Nuts Your nutritionist will provide you with extensive advice and guidance as your baby still needs some of these foods for healthy growth and development. Some children need to take isoleucine and valine supplements in addition to the prescribed diet. This helps maintain healthy blood levels of these amino acids without causing harm. Blood tests are needed to monitor these levels. Breast milk and baby formula also need to be monitored and measured before feeding your baby, as recommended by your nutritionist. Regular baby formula contains the amino acids that need to be restricted, so a special formula is used instead. This contains all the vitamins, minerals and other amino acids your baby needs. People with MSUD need to eat a low-protein diet for the rest of their lives to reduce their risk of developing a metabolic crisis. Eventually, as your child grows older, they will need to learn to control their diet and will remain in touch with a nutritionist for advice and monitoring. Emergency treatment If your child becomes ill, a metabolic crisis may occur. This can lead to serious illness and long-term brain damage and can be life-threatening. It is possible to reduce this risk by switching to an emergency diet while you are ill. Your nutritionist will provide you with detailed instructions for a low-protein diet and supplements. This may include replacing milk and protein foods with special high-sugar drinks and taking amino acid supplements. When to Go to the Hospital Take your child to the hospital if they are experiencing symptoms of a metabolic crisis, if they are unable to stick to their emergency diet and supplements, or if they have repeated diarrhea. Contact the hospital’s metabolic team to let them know you’re going straight to the Emergency Room (A&E). Take all the information you were given about MSUD with you in case of an emergency if doctors have never seen MSUD before. Once you are in the hospital, your child may be monitored and treated with fluids given directly into a vein (intravenous fluids). Liver transplant Liver transplant is sometimes an option to treat MSUD. When a person with MSUD receives a donor liver, they are no longer at risk of metabolic crisis and can eat normally. A liver transplant is a major procedure with its own risks. You’ll need to take immune-suppressing drugs (drugs that suppress the immune system) for the rest of your life to keep your body from rejecting the new liver. It is important to weigh all the pros and cons before deciding whether or not to have a liver transplant. Your doctor can discuss with you whether this is a suitable option.

The genetic change (mutation) responsible for MSUD is passed down from the parents, who usually have no symptoms of the disease. This is called autosomal recessive inheritance. This means that a baby must receive two copies of the altered genes to develop the condition – one from their mother and one from their father. If the baby receives only one mutated gene, then it is only a carrier of MSUD. If you are a carrier of the affected genes and are having a baby with a partner who is also a carrier, your baby has: a 1 in 4 chance of developing the condition

a 1 in 2 chance of being a carrier of MSUD

1 in 4 chance of getting a pair of normal genes Although there is no way to prevent MSUD, it’s important that you let your midwife and doctor know if you have a family history of the condition so that testing and treatment can begin as soon as possible be carried out as possible. You may also want to consider genetic and genomic testing. This may result in a referral to a genetic counseling service, which provides support, information, and advice about genetic disorders.

If your child has MSUD, your clinical team will share information about them with the National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Diseases Registration Service (NCARDRS). This helps scientists look for better ways to prevent and treat this condition. You can unsubscribe from registration at any time. GOV.UK: The National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Disease Registration Service patient brochure.

Maple syrup is a popular natural sweetener that is said to be healthier and more nutritious than sugar. However, it is important to look at the science behind some of these claims. This article explains whether maple syrup is healthy or unhealthy. Share on Pinterest

What is maple syrup? Maple syrup is made from the circulating liquid or sap of sugar maple trees. It has been consumed in North America for many centuries. Over 80% of the world’s supply is now produced in the province of Quebec in eastern Canada. There are two main steps in making maple syrup: A hole is drilled in a maple tree to allow its sap to flow into a container. The juice is boiled until most of the water has evaporated, leaving a thick, sugary syrup, which is then filtered to remove impurities. The end product can be used to sweeten many dishes. Summary Maple syrup is made by tapping sugar maple trees and then boiling the sap to create a thick syrup. Most maple syrup is made in eastern Canada.

Comes in Different Grades There are different grades of maple syrup, identified by color, although the classification may differ from country to country. In the US, maple syrup is classified as either Grade A or B, with Grade A being further broken down into three groups—light amber, medium amber, and dark amber—and Grade B being the darkest syrup available (1). The darker syrups are made from juice harvested later in the harvest season. These have a stronger maple flavor and are typically used in baking, while the lighter ones are drizzled directly onto foods like pancakes. When purchasing maple syrup, be sure to read the food labels carefully. That way, you get real maple syrup — not just maple-flavored syrup that can be loaded with refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Summary There are different types of maple syrup, depending on their color. Grade B is the darkest and has the strongest maple aroma.

Contains some vitamins and minerals – but is high in sugar What sets maple syrup apart from refined sugar are its minerals and antioxidants. About 1/3 cup (80 ml) of pure maple syrup contains (2): Calcium: 7% of the RDI

7% of the RDI Potassium: 6% of the RDI

6% of RDI Iron: 7% of RDI

7% of the RDI Zinc: 28% of the RDI

28% of the RDI Manganese: 165% of the RDI Although maple syrup provides a decent amount of some minerals, especially manganese and zinc, keep in mind that it’s also high in sugar. Maple syrup is about 2/3 sucrose or table sugar – 1/3 cup (80 ml) provides about 60 grams of sugar. Consumed in excess, sugar can be a leading contributor to some of the world’s biggest health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease (3, 4, 5). The fact that maple syrup contains some minerals is a very bad reason to eat it given its high sugar content. Most people already eat a lot of sugar. The best way to get these minerals is to eat whole foods. If you eat a balanced diet, the likelihood that you are deficient in any of these nutrients is very small. Additionally, the high sugar content can affect your blood sugar levels — although maple syrup may be a better option than regular sugar in this regard. The glycemic index of maple syrup is around 54. In comparison, table sugar has a glycemic index of around 65 (6). This implies that maple syrup raises blood sugar more slowly than regular sugar. Summary Maple syrup contains a small amount of minerals like manganese and zinc. However, it is very sugary.

Provides at least 24 Antioxidants Oxidative damage caused by free radicals is believed to be one of the mechanisms behind aging and many diseases. Antioxidants can neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative damage, potentially lowering your risk of some diseases. Studies show that maple syrup is a good source of antioxidants. One study found 24 different antioxidants in maple syrup (7). Darker syrups like Grade B provide more of these beneficial antioxidants than lighter ones (8). However, the total antioxidant content is still small compared to the large amounts of sugar. One study estimated that replacing all of the refined sugars in the average diet with alternative sweeteners like maple syrup would increase your total antioxidant intake as much as eating a single serving of nuts or berries ( 9Trusted Source ). If you’re looking to lose weight or improve your metabolic health, you’d be better off avoiding sweeteners instead of using maple syrup. Summary Although maple syrup contains a number of antioxidants, they don’t make up for the high dose of sugar.

Provides Other Compounds Numerous potentially beneficial compounds have been observed in maple syrup. Some of these compounds are not present in the maple tree and instead form when the sap is boiled into syrup. One of them is Quebec, named after the maple-producing province of Quebec. The active compounds in maple syrup have been shown to help reduce cancer cell growth and may slow the breakdown of carbohydrates in your digestive tract (10, 11, 12, 13, 14). However, human studies are lacking to confirm these health effects found in test-tube studies. Also, keep in mind that most maple syrup studies—often accompanied by misleading headlines—are sponsored by maple syrup manufacturers. Summary Maple syrup exhibits other compounds that may benefit health — but most studies are misleading and sponsored by the maple syrup industry.

In 2014, the state of Vermont, the largest producer of maple syrup in the United States, began using a new maple syrup classification system developed by the International Maple Syrup Institute.

It got rid of Grade B and Fancy and instead made all Grade A syrups and added flavor and color descriptions like delicate, rich and robust.

While the system was intended to put all growers on the same system, Vermont was still alone as the US Department of Agriculture had not adopted the system. Some states use the USDA grading system, others had agreed to make the change, but only after USDA rules changed.

The agency approved the rating system on Wednesday. That means U.S. producers are all using the same system, said Matt Gordon, executive director of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association, adding that New Hampshire introduced the system last December and Maine’s transition to the new system from the USDA and was dependent on the Canadian Food Safety Authority adopting it.

“Vermont has always been a leader in the maple industry, so in a way it was fitting that we were the first to adopt it,” said Gordon. “It would have been nice in a way if we all launched at the same time, but with so many regulators involved it was terribly difficult to align everything to the same date.”

Canada is the world leader in maple production and has yet to completely abandon its #1 and #2 grading system.

“Canada is very similar to the United States in that there is federal regulation through the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, like our USDA, and then several provinces have their own laws, similar to Vermont. Quebec and Ontario are currently working on this process. And I think they’re probably planning a two-year phase for the new grades,” Gordon said.

Credit International Maple Syrup Institute / International Maple Syrup Institute The change was driven in large part by taste. Consumers seem to prefer dark syrup, formerly known as Class B. It was a term expressing inferiority.

The change was driven in large part by taste. Consumers seem to prefer dark syrup, formerly known as Class B, a designation that expressed inferiority. “We saw a real interest in the dark, heavily flavored syrups with a system that downgraded that by calling it a Grade B, which just didn’t make sense anymore,” Gordon said, noting that the previous rating system was introduced at Maple became syrup was a substitute for cane sugar, which was rare in the Northeast.

Gordon believes the new flavor descriptions will help expand the maple syrup market as it now competes with table syrup or high fructose maple-flavored corn syrup.

“In an effort to get more people to use maple syrup, we found that consumers outside of the traditional maple belt were simply unfamiliar with what maple syrup is and specifically the qualities we use to describe it.” They didn’t know what a fancy or medium amber tasted like. It just didn’t mean anything to them,” he said. “So being able to just add a little description is really a big help, and we’ve had really positive feedback from consumers.”

The new names and a consistent grading system will help the industry sell maple syrup as a pure maple product based on its purity, Gordon said.

Gordon said the changes are the hardest for the industry and for producers to remember the new names. “We continue to develop the knowledge of generations here.”

Activate and hold the button to confirm you are human. Thanks!

Try another method

The downside of high production is a lower price. Vermont develops more than twice as many trees as any other state, but has one of the lowest average prices per gallon (after Maine) at about $35/gallon for bulk wholesale in recent years. However, retail is much more lucrative. We’ve seen local prices consistently in the $50-$60 per gallon range.

Vermont, in particular, is well suited for this, as it boasts the highest syrup yield per tap in the US, averaging about 25% higher than other New England states in 2014. Vermont produced one gallon of syrup for every 3.24 taps.

In the next few years we plan to include maple syrup in our farm products, so this topic is very important to us.

There’s a lot of nostalgia surrounding maple syrup production, especially in Vermont. Much of the maple available today is produced by large farmers using vacuum tube systems and oil-fired boilers. Is there still a way to make a profit as a small maple producer?

After a sugar bush survey, we estimate that we have about 150 mature sugar maples suitable for tapping a short distance from the proposed sugar shack site. Based on average Vermont yields, 150 trees tapped should result in gross retail sales of $2,300 to $2,800.

Now comes the fun part: figuring out the cost. Upfront costs include gathering gear, be it buckets and faucets or hoses, along with a sugar shack and bow.

That cost could be higher if you decide to go all out and invest in a fancy vacuum pump system or reverse osmosis filtration, but that’s hardly necessary on this scale. Running costs include fuel, labor and bottling.

Cost of Sugar Shack

The cost of a sugar shack can vary wildly, but for a 100-150 tap operation, our local extension recommends a basic 14×16 building plus additional wood storage space.

A similarly sized structure built on our land this year cost $2,500 in materials and $1,800 in labor. We will conservatively estimate $5,000 to build the sugar shack.

Cost of a vaporizer

The size of arch you need depends on the number of faucets and how much time you are willing to devote to cooking each day. On a good day, each tap produces about 4.5 liters of juice. So assuming we cook 6 hours a day, we need an evaporator sized to cook 25 gallons per hour.

That brings us to the largest “hobby” sized boiler at 2’x6′ for about $4,500.

Maple juice vaporizer costs (as of 2015)

Evaporator size 2’x33″ 2’x4′ 2’x6′

Gallons per hour 5 15 25

Vaporizer cost (approx.) $1,500 $3,800 $4,500

Cost of Maple Tapping Supplies

We have decided that hoses, plastic taps and plastic bags are not an option for us for a number of reasons. First, we want to limit both our exposure to plastic and the amount of plastic that enters the waste stream. Plastic bags need to be replaced every year and plastic hoses last 5 years, while stainless steel buckets and faucets last indefinitely with proper care.

While more convenient, tubing poses a problem in our mixed use sugar bush which is used extensively for woodland gardening and recreation and once the tubing has cured the tubing will remain at head height year round for the duration of its 5 year lifespan.

Stainless steel faucets bought in bulk are $1.85 each, or about $280 total for all 150. Bucket and lid are $23.80 each, or $3,570 total for all 150 considerably more expensive. All taps and buckets total $3,850.

Costs for wood or heating oil

Next comes the fuel selection. In general, wood is the cheapest fuel, although you have to buy it instead of cutting it down yourself. This year (2015), however, due to various international tensions, heating oil is remarkably cheap, while dry hardwood prices have averaged an outrageous $300 per cord (usually closer to $200).

Update 2018: Lumber prices have continued to rise locally, and a dry string of lumber often costs as much as $350. Green costs $275 to $300.

It takes 4 gallons of #2 heating oil to make 1 gallon of juice, which would cost $12 at this year’s prices.

A string of dry hardwood can yield 20-30 gallons of syrup, but 30 gallons requires high efficiency and very dry wood, so we’ll stick with 20 gallons for calculations here. The cost of a cord of wood divided by 20, so 300/20 equals a cost of $15/gallon of syrup this year.

Although I hate to admit it, it may currently be cheaper to burn oil than wood.

Anyone who decides to use wood-fired boilers is actually not buying the wood. Broadly speaking, they cut their own, which drastically lowers the cost per cable. They also typically burn wood that cannot be sold commercially because it is not suitable for use in home wood stoves (hemlock, pine, etc.).

In preparation for thinning out our sugar bush to allow more light for the maples, we cut about 10 strands of hemlock and white pine this summer. This amount of wood has barely affected our abundant hemlock supply, and a lot more pruning is required before our sugar bush is ready for use.

While we can burn hemlock in an external wood boiler, 10 strings per year is way more than we need. So hemlock is a by-product of our sugar bush tending and it only makes sense to put it to good use instead of buying heating oil.

However, hemlock and white pine contain fewer BTUs than hardwood. At 50% boiler efficiency and 20% moisture content in the wood, a string of hemlock and white pine can produce 18 gallons of syrup from 2% sugar content or 13 gallons from 1.5% sugar content. If we pessimistically assume 30% boiler efficiency, these numbers change to approximately 11 and 8 gallons.

We require between 2.5 and 6 strings of hemlock and white pine per year to support 150 faucets.

Labor required for Maple Syrup production

The labor of maintaining a bucket system and the lumber you cut yourself will add up to many hours in a year. Logging takes a lot of time, but when it comes to developing pastures, tending our forest patch, and thinning for permaculture plantings, we would be doing most of the same logging anyway. Hemlock is not generally considered salable, so our sugar operation will use the by-product of our other efforts.

The Ohio State Extension estimates that a 1,000-tap operation takes 120 hours to tap, collect, and clean in a tap-and-bucket operation. Our 150 taps will require a lot less work, but there are definitely economies of scale, so we’ll assume 1/4 the effort of 1000 taps and estimate 30 hours. On our 25 gallon per hour evaporator, we use about 80 hours of cook time per season.

Overall, an approximate order of hours worked brings us to 100-120 total hours.

Anyone who’s ever spent time in a sugar shack in Vermont in early spring knows that cook time can hardly be considered “work.” At this time of year, making syrup and snowshoeing are the main forms of recreation and social engagement. There is very little other farm work and quite frankly little else to do.

While recruiting help to collect juice buckets is sometimes a problem, there’s no shortage of volunteers around cook time. Hours of conversation, hot cider and tank top weather all around the Erzsauna late into the night attract all the neighbors. So in reality it would be difficult to attribute more than ~40 hours to the 100-120 of “work”.

As we will not be hiring help and this is work that we will enjoy at a time of year when there is not much else to do, labor costs are very difficult to pin down. At $10/hour, we could estimate our work at 40 hours ($400) or 120 hours ($1,200).

Cost of bottling maple syrup

While fancy maple leaf shaped glasses are pretty and attract the attention of tourists. Generally, fancy bottles more than make up for their cost when sold to the tourist market, but the problem is you need access to tourists.

Local Vermonters most often buy their syrup in pint or quart mason jars because they’re convenient and reusable. Both sizes of jar currently sell for about $1 each. Our packaging cost would be around $250-300 per year.

Total cost of a maple syrup operation

upfront investment

Sugar Shack: $5,000

Bow: $4,500

Buckets & Faucets: $3,800

Total: $13,300

Disclosure: We may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

You have a maple tree in your backyard and you’ve been thinking about tapping it to make syrup for years, but you have a concern: will tapping a maple tree hurt it? Don’t worry. We have researched and found the answers for you.

The simple answer is no; Tapping a maple tree will not harm it as long as it is tapped properly.

This naturally leads to the following question: How do you properly tap a maple tree? Read on and you’ll see that it’s not as difficult as you think!

Does it hurt to tap on a maple tree?

Using the wrong tools, the wrong approach, or lack of patience can result in injury to the tree. The best way to tap a maple tree is to be careful and precise. Use the correct method of tapping and your tree will not be damaged.

What does a maple tree look like?

There are 128 species of maple trees, and while you can make syrup from any maple tree, it’s the sugar maple that produces the best quality syrup. Because of this, we need to make sure the tree you tap into is a maple and not an oak!

The three ways to identify a maple tree are the leaves, the bark, and the seed pods.

The leaves are the easiest to spot. They are lobed, having between 3-9 lobes with serrated edges and prominent veins. The sugar maple is 3-5 inches wide with five lobes. If you’re not sure if you’re seeing a maple leaf, take a look at the Canadian flag for guidance.

Maple trunks have vertical stripes of thick, dark brown bark with narrow grooves in between. The seed pods (or “fruits”) are called samaras. They are winged so that the seeds can be carried far with the wind. You might also remember opening the sticky seed and sticking it on the tip of your nose as a kid.

How old should the tree be to tap it?

It takes about forty years for a maple tree to grow big enough to be tapped. Because a maple can be tapped indefinitely, some New England syrup comes from trees planted during the Civil War. In comparison, forty years is no time at all!

Is your drill clean and sharp?

Drilling is an essential part of tapping because doing it wrong can damage both the sap intake and the tree itself. It’s best to use a new bit that hasn’t come into contact with outside dirt or mold and is sharp enough to make a clean, smooth hole. Blunt bits can create ragged holes that can lead to the growth of bacteria that inhibit sap flow.

To see Liberty Supply Professional Maple Tree Tapping Drill Bit on Amazon, click here.

Drill into the tree about 1.5 inches past the bark and into the white wood that is slightly tilted upwards. The overall depth should be about 2.5 inches and less than 0.5 inches wide and should be perfectly round.

What is the best way to insert the faucet?

Now that you have the hole, use a clean maple branch to remove the shavings. Don’t try to blow out the chips as this will introduce bacteria into the hole.

Put your faucet in the hole and gently tap it in. Use a rubber or wooden mallet; Metal mallets can cause the tap to go too far and cause unnecessary damage to the tree. If you use plastic taps, it is best to push them in by hand.

How should the taps be removed?

Once juicing season is over, it’s time to turn off the taps.

Some experts say you shouldn’t use a hammer or pliers to take out the faucets because you could injure the tree. However, sometimes you need some leverage to pull the faucet out. Using the back of a standard hammer is fine, but don’t snap or twist the tap. It may take longer than you’d like, but going slow is far better than forcing it.

After carefully pulling out the faucets, clean them well and store them until next year. Some sap may continue to drip from the tree while the tree works to heal itself; that is normal. Don’t try to tap the tree again or stop the flow.

Can the tree be tapped again?

Trees can be tapped again and again. Just make sure the new tap hole is twelve inches across and six inches from any previous holes. You won’t run out of space; Remember that as the tree grows, it gives you more surface area to tap into over the years.

While we’ve covered all the basics, here are a few other things to keep in mind when tapping your maple trees.

How small of a maple tree can I type?

If you don’t know the age of your maple tree, you can always use its size to determine if it is old enough to tap. Do not tap if the tree is less than ten inches in diameter (31 inches in circumference).

To find the girth, which is easier to measure, wrap a tape measure around the tree about four feet from the base of the tree. Do not wrap the tape too tightly; it is better to have the tree too small and wait until next year than to tap a tree that is too small.

Should You Plug Maple Tap Holes?

At the end of the maple season, there is no need to plug the tap hole with twigs, sawdust, or other commercial products.

Trees know how to heal their wounds all by themselves. If you remove the spout, the tree will already repair itself. New wood will grow back, completely enclosing the faucet hole within a few years.

How many times can you tap a maple tree?

A tree whose trunk is more than 31 inches in circumference and less than 44 inches in circumference can only be tapped once per season. You can damage a tree if you tap more than that, which can affect sap production.

If it’s over 44 inches in circumference and less than 60 inches, you can drill two holes. Make sure the holes are as far apart as possible.

If the tree is over 61 inches long, you can triple tap the tree. Again, keep the taps as far apart as possible, and three is the limit.

How long can you leave a faucet in a maple tree?

A cone should remain in the maple throughout the sap season, about 4-5 weeks. Above freezing days followed by below freezing nights are the best conditions for sap flow. This usually happens in February and ends in mid-March.

Once the trees begin to bud, the sugar content in the sap drops and begins to turn cloudy, making it unsuitable for syrup. This, along with empty buckets, is a good sign to pull the faucets.

Sometimes a few taps are usually forgotten or left in the trees on purpose. As much as the tree seems to want to help you get the sap, that faucet is undesirable, something of a needle in your arm.

When the faucet is permanently installed – which it should be if you’ve followed the steps in this post – the tree will grow around it. Then the opening left by a faucet becomes a gateway for insects and diseases that can end your maple’s sap career or life.

remember

It will take a lot of time and patience to properly tap a tree, starting with waiting for the tree to grow big enough to properly take out the faucets at the end of the season. But in the end, when you taste your homemade maple creations like butter, cotton candy, toffee, and of course, syrup, you’ll find the wait was worth it.

For more information on maples and other trees, see the following posts:

How to get rid of gall mites [Inc. On maples and on fuchsias]

15 Gorgeous White Bark Trees [And Where To Grow Them]

11 beautiful trees under 10 feet

How many taps could a tapper tap if a tapper could tap well? (repeat 3 times – fast)

500 on a good day with optimal weather conditions.

What’s the Difference in Vermont Maple Syrup Varieties?

All of Vermont’s pure maple syrups are made exclusively from pure maple sap harvested from the sugar maple trees in the spring. Each variety is tested and comes out of the vaporizer with the same density and sweetness. Generally, the lighter, more delicately flavored maple syrup is made earlier in the season when the weather is colder – and the darker, more flavorful varieties are made later in the season when the weather is warmer.

2015 brought new maple syrup varieties to the state of Vermont, making our varieties consistent with all other states and provinces using the International Grading System.

How many years does it take for a maple tree to grow big enough to be tapped?

It takes at least forty years for a maple tree to grow before it is big enough to be tapped. In a good location and with good treatment, a maple tree can be tapped indefinitely. Some of the maple trees we tap were saplings during the Civil War.

How much juice does it take to make a gallon of maple syrup?

In our forests, it takes between 40 and 50 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. On average, each of our trees produces 20-25 gallons of sap per season.

How long is the maple sugar season?

Our sugaring season can last as little as two weeks or two months. The average is between 4-6 weeks. Warm sunny days (above 40 degrees) after frosty nights (below freezing) are ideal for sap flow.

What is the meaning and meaning of the term “SINGLE SOURCE”?

Most of the pure maple syrup sold in the US was made by a sugar manufacturer – somewhere in the northeastern states or Canada. It is then sold in a keg to a middleman who then sells it to a syrup packer who sells it to a shop. The term “ALL FROM ONE SOURCE” means that all of our syrup has been carefully manufactured and packaged by us. We don’t buy anyone else’s juice or syrup. All our syrups are made by us – guaranteed.

You know exactly what you’re getting, who made it, and where it’s coming from. We believe that is an important difference in this era of mass production, mass procurement and mass marketing of food.

What is “Certified Organic” – isn’t it all really organic?

Pure maple syrup is a “wild plant” in the sense of the organic regulation, harvested and processed with sophisticated methods and equipment. It is no longer made on a commercial scale by primitive methods of heating a pan of juice with a wood fire. Sugarhouse practices have evolved into more energy efficient and labor saving processes involving some sophisticated equipment. This equipment must be cleaned and maintained in a manner that protects food safety and purity. And in order to be organically certified, these processes are controlled and documented.

Sugarbush practices have also evolved into techniques that are less damaging to the trees and soil. The picturesque image of teams of horses and buckets of juice has been replaced by nets made of plastic tubes. These nets are usually permanently installed and hung on the trees. Great care must be taken not to damage the support trees. A “wild plant” must be harvested in a manner that ensures that such harvesting is not harmful to the environment and sustains the growth and production of the “wild plant”. Organic inspections of the pipe network and tapping practices, as well as road maintenance, take place each year to ensure tree and soil health are protected.

In addition, accurate and strict records must be kept to document when and how much syrup was made and where it ended up. This audit trail assures the consumer that their syrup has indeed been made in accordance with good practices. So it’s not just about what materials were applied to the sugar bush, but also the long-term sustainable management of the sugar bush itself; Implementing practices that maintain tree health and work to ensure the long-term preservation of the forest ecosystem.

Can you use maple syrup as a sugar substitute?

Yes, maple syrup can replace the white sugar in cooking. Use ¾ cup Hillsboro Sugarworks maple syrup for 1 cup white sugar. Reduce the liquid in the recipe by 3 tablespoons for every cup of syrup used. There is a wide variety of great maple recipes available today, as well as tried and true recipes from generations ago. With all the health benefits of maple syrup, this is a great way to modernize those old favorites!

Should my maple syrup be refrigerated?

Yes, after opening and using your container. Maple syrup has an unlimited shelf life when unopened, whether in a jug, can, or jar. However, if you’ve kept it in your pantry or cupboard for a period of months or years, it can darken a note. The taste doesn’t change. If you forget your opened syrup and leave it on the shelf for a few days, mold can form on the top of the pot. This is completely harmless, but if this happens, simply skim off the top and discard, reheat the syrup to a boil, then refrigerate. You can also freeze your maple syrup for long-term storage.

What are the crystals that have formed at the bottom of my maple syrup can?

They are maple sugar crystals and are harmless. Our children loved to suck on it – much like rock candy from our childhood. If syrup is stored in the fridge for a long time, maple sugar crystals can form at the bottom of the pitcher. Adding a small amount of boiling water and shaking can reconstitute the crystals and syrup.

Do you use dairy products in processing?

No we don’t. In the olden days, before there was allergy awareness, butter was part of the boiling syrup defoaming process at most sugar manufacturers. We no longer follow this practice and now use a certified organic vegetable wax product. It’s also vegan friendly!

I’ve heard that using maple syrup has health benefits over sugar. Is that true?

Yes it is. Due to the refining process required to produce white sugar, no vitamins or minerals remain in the end product. However, maple syrup contains antioxidant properties, as well as a variety of trace elements in varying concentrations. It contains calcium, iron, magnesium, sodium phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and B6 are also found in maple syrup.

background

Although today’s commercial operations are very different from those of our ancestors, the basic process of turning maple sap into syrup still requires the removal of water from the raw sap to form the finished product. Most novice producers find the experience of making maple syrup rewarding well beyond the sweet product of their labor. After a few years of experience, many novice growers develop an enthusiasm that propels them to commercial sized maple production. This booklet provides instructions for those who are new to making maple syrup, primarily for home or family use. Remember that maple syrup is a food product and should only be made with equipment and materials approved for food use, although you may wish to innovate to minimize production costs.

ways to tap

Although several species of maple grow in the Northeast, the traditional species used for maple syrup production is the sugar maple (Acer saccharum). The sap of the sugar maple generally contains higher levels of sugar than that of other maples. Identify sugar maple by its bark, dark brownish sharp buds, and five-lobed leaves. Red maple (Acer rubrum) can also be tapped, but its sap is less sweet and the tree erupts in front of sugar maple. If the buds burst or expand in late spring, the juice loses its flavor and is undesirable for processing. The red maple has red-tinged, rounded buds and its three-lobed leaf is known for its brilliant bright red fall coloration. Another species, black maple, differs slightly in visual characteristics from the sugar maple but otherwise yields sap of similar quality to the sugar maple. Most syrup manufacturers treat the black and sugar maples as one species (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Maple species and leaves.

Trees grown along roadsides, on lawns, or in open environments where their canopies have grown tall without competition from other trees generally produce more and sweeter sap than trees grown in forests. Open-grown trees can produce half a gallon of syrup (15 to 20 gallons of sap) in a season, while trees growing in a woodland environment generally produce about a liter of syrup (about 10 gallons of sap). In addition to greater sap volume and sweetness, open-grown trees generally offer greater accessibility for sap collection.

gear

Most of the equipment required for tapping can be readily available in the home workshop or purchased with minimal investment. Buckets, covers, and skewers (also called spouts) are available from maple supply stores and many hardware stores. Other possible juice containers include clean plastic milk jugs or plastic containers with lids. Juice processing equipment requires major investment but will last for many years with proper maintenance. Used equipment can be purchased, but use your judgment and only purchase equipment that is rust free and made from food grade materials. The following is a suggested list of equipment and materials for making maple syrup for home use.

Carpenter’s hand rest or chest drill with 7/16 inch diameter drill bit

Spit (or spout), either metal or plastic, for each tap hole

Bucket with lid, plastic juice collection bag or plastic tubing (food grade materials)

Collection or storage containers, such as plastic or metal trash cans (multi-gallon capacity and leak-proof) for storing the juice prior to processing. A storage capacity of 1 to 2 gallons for each tap (e.g. 25 taps = 25 to 50 gallons of storage) should be sufficient.

Pan with high sides and a heat source for boiling juice. The pan size varies with the number of roosters. The heat source can be a wood fire, propane, or camp stove. Stainless steel pans with lead-free solder or welds are highly recommended.

Thermometer calibrated to be at least 30°F above the boiling point of water. Kitchen or candy thermometers may be sufficient, but must be legible above 200 oF.

F above the boiling point of water. Kitchen or candy thermometers may be sufficient, but must be clearly legible above 200 F. Food approved filter for filtering hot finished syrup

Containers for storing the finished product (mason jars, syrup jugs, etc.)

procedure

Beat

Tap maple trees in spring when daytime temperatures are above freezing while nighttime temperatures drop below freezing. The exact time depends on the height and location of your trees and your region. In Pennsylvania and the southern regions of New York, the first sap flow traditionally occurs in mid to late February. In northern regions and at higher elevations, the season often begins in early to mid-March. The sap usually flows for 4 to 6 weeks or as long as the freezing cold nights and warm days last. If you’re not sure when to tap, check with a maple producer in your area or contact your advisory office.

The recommended minimum tree diameter for tapping is 10 inches in diameter (note: not girth) measured at 4½ feet from the ground (see “Other Resources” for making a diameter gauge). A quick and easy way to determine the diameter of the tree is to use a household tape measure. This gives the girth of the tree, which can be converted to diameter from Table 1.

Table 1. Guideline for number of taps per tree diameter

(inches) Circumference

(inch) Number of Taps 10-17 31-53 1 18-24 57-75 2 >25 79 3

Tapholes should be drilled in temperatures above freezing to reduce the risk of damaging the tree. Use a 7/16 inch diameter drill bit (available at hardware or maple supply stores) in a hand rest or chest drill. Drill into the log in a spot that contains sound wood (no scars, wounds, or older puncture holes). When collecting sap in buckets, a height of two to three feet off the ground allows for easy collection. However, the height can vary depending on the preferences, age and size of the person tapping the tree. If the tree has been tapped in previous years, place the new taphole at least 6 inches laterally and 24 inches vertically from the old taphole to ensure good, productive sapwood is tapped.

For trees with more than one tap, space the tap holes around the perimeter of the tree. Drill 2 to 2½ inches into the tree at a slight upward angle to facilitate sap flow out of the hole.

When drilling, pay attention to the color of the drill chips. Shavings should be light or cream in color, indicating live, healthy sapwood. Dark brown shavings indicate wood undesirable for sap production and another taphole should be drilled in a new location.

After making sure the new tap hole is free of shavings, insert the skewer and use a light hammer to set it in place. Tap, not hammer, on the skewer in the taphole. Insert the skewer correctly so it can support the bucket. Forcing the stake can split the bark, delaying the closure of the taphole and causing significant wounding of the tree for many years (Figure 3). Do not treat the tap hole with disinfectants or other materials at the time of tapping. Do not plug the taphole after removing shavings from the tapholes at the end of the maple season. If tapping is done properly, the tapholes can close naturally (covered with bark) in about two years, and the tree can remain healthy and productive for generations.

Figure 3. Puncture wound.

Plastic tubing can be used in place of buckets, but their use is not discussed here. For more information on using maple cane, contact your maple equipment dealer, local maple grower, or advisory office.

collection

The volume of sap collected during a flow period varies from less than a liter to several gallons per tap, depending on the tree, weather conditions, and duration of the flow or run. The sugar content of the sap varies between trees, between runs within a season, and from year to year.

Collect juice every day if possible. It can be filtered through a clean cloth or paper filter to remove debris if desired. The juice can be stored in a clean tank for more convenient processing (a 30-gallon storage can works well). The storage jar should be in the shade to keep the juice as fresh and cool as possible. Because juice is a mixture of sugar and water, it’s a perfect medium for bacterial growth. Therefore, it should be collected and processed as soon as possible to ensure a higher quality product. Clean buckets, one for each hand to provide better balance, can be used to collect sap from the trees to transfer to the collection tank. When using buckets, make sure each bucket has a cover to prevent rainwater and other debris from contaminating the fresh juice (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Covered juice bucket.

Processing

It typically takes about 40 gallons of juice to make one gallon of finished syrup. In fact, this number can vary from 20 to 60 gallons or more, depending primarily on the juice sugar content. In order to produce the finished syrup with 66 to 67 percent sugar, a large amount of water has to be evaporated from the juice. Because the large amount of steam produced by the evaporation of the juice could damage interior wall surfaces, most of the cooking should be done outside the home.

For those with 50 or more faucets, hobby-size continuous-feed vaporizers are commercially available. However, most hobbyists cook the juice continuously in a pan over an open fire, camp stove, or discarded gas stove. Multiple pans (juice is added to the first pan, concentrated juice from the first pan is added to the next pan, etc.) provide more capacity with greater efficiency and are often used by more experienced producers. If wood fuel is used, a support (referred to as an “arch”) can be constructed with concrete blocks to support the cooking pan and provide a firebox. Good quality dry firewood is most desirable for a hot fire.

Before the fuel is ignited, fill the pan with a few inches of juice. During the cooking process, make sure the liquid level is high enough (about 1.5 inches) so the juice doesn’t burn and damage the pan. When the juice has evaporated (liquid level reduced), add more juice. The faster the juice boils, the greater the potential for producing a higher quality product. This “batch” method allows the juice to be processed to a point near the final stage of evaporation. The more concentrated juice can then be processed on the stovetop with controlled heat.

Juice becomes syrup (66-67% sugar content) at about 7¼oF above the boiling point of water (e.g. if water boils at 212oF, the correct density for syrup would be just over 219oF). Concentrations below 66% sugar content can become acidic over time. If the syrup is cooked above 67% syrup density, sugar crystals may form at the bottom of storage containers. The boiling point of water, which varies with altitude and daily changes in barometric pressure, is easily determined by noting the temperature in the raw juice as it boils hard. Finished syrup will often “curl up,” or form a broad layer, or drip onto the rim of a spoon if dipped into the boiling liquid and pulled out quickly. To keep the experience of cooking juice enjoyable, always practice safety.

Throughout the process, excess foam can be skimmed off the surface of the boiling juice and discarded. Many types of materials, such as butter or vegetable oil, have been used to reduce foaming. However, a commercial defoamer available in small containers from Maple Equipment dealers is recommended. The defoamer should be fresh and only a drop or two is needed. Used in small quantities, defoamers evaporate in the syrup without a trace.

Filter

When the syrup has reached its proper temperature and density, it should be filtered to remove a granular material called “sugar sand” or “niter” before being hot-packed in containers. The syrup should be filtered while hot through clean filter media such as wool or Orlon, available from Maple Equipment dealers. Syrup should be canned hot (180oF) and stored in a cool, dry place or refrigerated. After a container has been opened for use, it must be refrigerated. Should mold develop on syrup that has been stored for several months, simply bring the syrup to a near boil (190oF), skim off the mold and pack the syrup into a clean container.

The above procedure is for making maple syrup at home. If syrup is to be marketed, grading and labeling standards are required for retail sale in most maple-producing states. Contact your consulting office or the state Department of Agriculture for regulations on maple products.

cleanliness and quality control

Cloudy sap may appear in buckets or gathering devices after a period of warm weather. This is caused by bacterial growth and can negatively affect the color and flavor of the syrup. A mixture of 1 part unscented household bleach and 20 parts clean water can be used with a cloth or brush to clean the interior surfaces of juice collectors. Follow cleaning with a triple rinse with clean water to remove all traces of bleach use. Juice cookers can be cleaned with hot water or the product recommended by the appliance manufacturer. Do not use other cleaning products in all maple appliances. Household cleaners cannot be completely flushed from equipment and contaminate juice and syrup with undesirable tastes and odors. Use only hot water to wash juice or syrup filters. At the end of the season, after cleaning as described above, store equipment and supplies in a dry place.

equipment and supplies

Production supplies and materials are available from maple equipment vendors in the maple growing regions. Many local hardware stores carry a small range of implements such as buckets and skewers. Used equipment is often advertised for sale in sections of local newspapers and farm newsletters. You can find a maple equipment dealer or distributor near you by contacting your local consulting office, maple growers in your area, or through your county, state, or state maple organization.

Other sources of information

Guidelines for tapping and determining tree diameter. L.J. Staats and J.W. Kelley, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853.

North American Maple Syrup Manufacturers’ Handbook. Single copies are available from county, state, and state maple grower organizations or from; Ohio State University Extension, Publications Office, 385 Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, Ohio 43210-1044. Telephone: 614-292-1607.

instructional videos for maple producers; Sugarbush Management, Maple Sap Production, Maple Sap Processing, Produced by Cornell Cooperative Extension. Each video is approximately 25 minutes and can be ordered from: Cornell University Resource Center, 7 Business & Tech. Park, Ithaca, NY 14850. Phone 607-255-2090.

“Funding for this publication was provided in part by the New York Maple Producers Association and the Pennsylvania Ben Franklin Technology Center, the Pennsylvania Maple Producers Council and the Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Committee and is greatly appreciated.”

The authors thank the following for reviewing this bulletin: Jim Finley, Bob Hansen, H. Lee Hoar, Marianne Krasny, Paul Curtis, and Peter Smallidge.

Prepared by Anni L. Davenport, former educator, and Lewis J. Staats, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Late winter and early spring is maple season; this time of year when maple producers in Ohio and other parts of northeastern North America tap maple trees to collect sap. This juice is boiled down into maple syrup or processed into maple sugar, fudge, nougat, cream or other products. Maple syrup production is unique in North America and particularly in the area between Minnesota to the west, Kentucky to the south and the eastern Canadian provinces to the north. If you have access to a few maple trees growing in your yard or in a wooded area, you can make your own maple syrup and maybe even have enough of it as gifts for family or friends. It’s easy, lots of fun, and a very educational family activity.

To make maple syrup, the sap must be boiled until the sugar content of the sap reaches a desired level. While sap can be gathered from any maple species, sugar and black maples are preferred as the sugar content of their sap is higher than other maple species. Starting with a higher sugar content juice takes less time and energy to produce a desired product. That doesn’t mean red and silver maples can’t be tapped for syrup. Good syrup can be made from red or silver maple, but is more likely to be cloudy and the tap season may be shorter.

“Maple” syrup can also be made from the sap of boxwood, which is technically a maple (it belongs to the genus Maple), but the sap of boxwood should not normally be combined with the sap of other maples. Boxelder syrup can have a strong, almost sorghum-like flavor that can be perceived as slightly bitter compared to syrups made from other maple cultivars. However, good boxelder syrup is quite palatable and is manufactured and marketed in parts of North America where other maples are not common.

Figure 1. Opposite branching of the sugar maple.

maple identification

Before you start tapping trees, you need to be sure that the tree you want to tap is actually a maple. Many hobbyists have become frustrated with their sap collection efforts only to learn they tapped an oak or hickory. How can you tell the difference?

The maples belong to a small category of deciduous trees that are “opposite”—opposite branches, adherent leaves, and opposite buds (Figure 1). To identify your trees, start when the leaves are on the tree as this is much easier. Below is a summary of the characteristics for each of the native maples found in Ohio.

Black Maple – Acer nigrum

leaf: simple; three to five lobes, leaves appear withered

Habitat: Upland sites that are moist but well-drained

Syrup Use: Black maple has a similar sap sugar content to sugar maple. Black maples are not as common in Ohio as sugar maples.

Figure 2. Black maple bud and leaf.

Boxelder—Acer negundo

leaf: compound; three to five leaves

Habitat: lowland species

Use for Syrup: Makes a sorghum-like syrup.

Figure 3. Leaf and bud of boxwood.

Red Maple – Acer rubrum

leaf: simple; three to five lobes, leaf margins serrate

Habitat: Lowland to highland species

Syrup Use: The downside to using red maple is that the sap sugar content is typically between 1.5 and 2 percent. This means it takes more gallons of juice, more fuel, and a longer time frame to boil this down to a gallon of syrup.

Figure 4. Red maple leaf and bud.

Silver Maple – Acer saccharinum

leaf: simple; three to five lobes, dentate

Habitat: Lowland/wet site species

Use for Syrup: Silver maple is used to make syrup, but similar to red, it can be one of the first trees to start budding in spring, shortening the syrup season for the tree.

Figure 5. Silver maple leaf and bud.

Sugar Maple – Acer saccharum

leaf: simple; three to five lobes

Habitat: Upland species; moist but well-drained site

Syrup Use: Sugar maple is the tree of choice for making maple syrup. The sugar content of the juice can be 2 percent or more.

Figure 6. Sugar maple leaf and bud.

Norway Maple – Acer platanoides

leaf: simple; three to five lobes; secretes a milky sap from base of petiole when removed from branch

Habitat: typically a garden/landscape tree; moist but well-drained site. A non-native maple tree considered invasive in some states. Crimson King is a burgundy leaf variety of Norway maple.

Use for Syrup: Many report that sap has similar sugar levels to sugar and black maples.

Figure 7. Norway maple leaf and bud.

All of these maple species can be used to make syrup. For sugar maple, it takes about 43 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup. The lower the sugar content of the juice, the more gallons of juice it takes to make one gallon of syrup. The lower the sugar content, the more fuel and time it takes to boil down the juice. Today, commercial manufacturers can use technology to shorten that cooking time. A reverse osmosis machine removes 75 percent of the water content from the juice before the cooking process even begins.

The new drilling guidelines, developed at the University of Vermont Proctor Research Center, call for using one drilling bit for trees 10 to 12 inches in diameter, two drilling bits for trees larger than 24 inches in diameter, but no more than two spotters per tree. Consider these rates for vigorously growing trees. Use reduced rates for trees that are not in excellent health.

Get ready to type

Figure 8. Use only food grade containers.

After you’ve explored your yard and identified any potential trees to tap, the next step is to gather the equipment you’ll need to start your maple backyard adventure. If you’re just tapping a few trees, it’s no big deal, and for the most part, the gear you need is readily available. However, there are a few rules you must follow if you want to successfully create a jar of one of nature’s sweetest treasures.

First and foremost, you are producing a food product that you and your family will eat and enjoy. That means you need to be just as careful when making your syrup. You must use proper hygiene, process the juice as quickly as possible, and the equipment you use should be food safe. This means your collection and storage containers are made of material that can be used to store a food product. No oil or chemical containers should be used. Avoid using reclaimed plastic containers as you will not know what they were used for in your past life (Figure 8). Also note that maple syrup can take on the flavor of a container that has been used for products like pickles and spaghetti sauce. Juice can also absorb the taste of disinfectants. Do not use detergents, high-chlorine cleaners, or other soap products to wash or disinfect your equipment. The best way to disinfect equipment is to use only hot water and elbow grease.

You may already have some of the items needed for this endeavor on hand, or you may be able to purchase them from a local store. Others—such as metal and plastic collection chutes (called spiles), a hydrometer, collection buckets or bags, and final filters—are unique to maple production (Table 1). Depending on the item, it can be crafted, bought used from a maple producer, or bought from a maple equipment supplier. Check with your Ohio State University Extension district office, the forestry office of the ODNR Division of Forestry Service, or a local maple producer for the names of suppliers.

Table 1: List of required equipment. Portable drill

Gathering Spit (Spout)

Collection container for each tap

Storage tank, bucket or container for storing juice before cooking

Large pan and a heat source for cooking

thermometer

Hydrometer and hydrometer cup (optional)

Filter for filtering ready syrup

Container for finished syrup

When to tap?

Sap flow occurs during the dormant (leaves down) period when nighttime temperatures are below freezing, followed by days of rapid warming above freezing (ideally to around 40 degrees Fahrenheit). The higher sugar sap usually occurs in spring and therefore most extraction occurs in late winter to early spring.

Some producers tap by the calendar and routinely tap each year on or before a specific date such as President’s Day. Others watch the weather for predicted suitable conditions. Sap flow from a tapped tree does not occur every day throughout the tapping season, only when conditions are right.

Sap can be collected for syrup production until the tree buds open up, usually sometime in late March or early April, depending on the state’s weather and location. Juice collected and made into syrup after bud expansion has begun results in “buddy” syrup, which has a distinctly unpleasant flavor sometimes referred to as “bitter butterscotch.”

To get the sap out of the tree you need a spout (Figure 9). You want to buy a new 5/16 metal or plastic spout. The smaller diameter allows the tap hole to heal quickly, allowing the wound to heal when the spout is removed. If you choose plastic, make sure it’s sturdy enough to support a bucket or bag full of juice (about 20 pounds). If you place a bucket on the floor under the sink, you can purchase a pipe spout and a short piece of maple cane that runs from the spout to the bucket. The drill you choose should be the same diameter as the spout. In most cases this will be 5/16. Do not use the drill too big or too small as this may cause juice to leak out of the tap hole. You can buy a maple tap for less than $20.00 and it will last you a lifetime. It’s the right size and designed to drill straight and clean the hole.

Figure 9. Types of spouts.

The juice collection bucket should be made of plastic, aluminum or stainless steel (Figure 10). Old tin buckets should not be used as they contain lead. Many hobby producers find it more convenient and economical to purchase plastic bags from a maple gear supplier. Some of the bags can be washed out and reused, but if juice inside spoils, they must be discarded. The costs are minimal and they are really easy to use. Bags are held by a bag clip which has a hole to go over the spout and hold it in place. You can watch them fill up while the juice runs and you don’t need a cover. If you use buckets, consider buying a cover to keep the rain out. Many maple accessory suppliers have put together a starter kit that includes everything you need to tap a maple tree.

Figure 10. Buckets or plastic bags for collecting juice.

How to bet?

When you go to the tree, you must first determine the diameter of the tree and its general health. You want to make sure it’s at least 10 inches in diameter. The best way to determine this is to measure a piece of rope 33 inches long. Wrap the rope around the tree, and if the ends don’t touch, you have a tree that is at least 10 inches in diameter. If the ends overlap, the tree is too small and should not be tapped. A healthy maple has a large crown with very little damage to the branches. The bark looks healthy with no deadwood visible. When you tap, you kill a small area of ​​wood around the tap hole. This shows up as stained wood when a tree is felled and a cross-section of the base is examined. When a tree is tapped properly, there are areas of new growth around the tainted areas. Tapping will not harm the tree, but you must be careful not to overlap these areas of deadwood. This is what happens when you tap at the same height or side of the tree every year. Don’t believe the old wives tale that you have to tap on the sunny south side of the tree to get more sap. Always space your faucets evenly around the tree in consecutive years by tapping both high and low.

Figure 11. Drilled tap hole. Diagram courtesy of Randall B. Heiligmann.

The next step is to drill the hole (Figure 11). Using your cordless or hand-held drill (using the drill bit appropriate for the size of stake you are using), push the auger into the tree between 1.5 and 2 inches deep. If you have to press hard on the drill, the drill is dull and you need to find a new one. Keep the drill steady to avoid drilling a slotted hole that will leak. As you pull the drill out of the hole, run it to clear any shavings. Never blow into the hole to clean it as you are introducing bacteria from your mouth. You want to leave the tap hole open for at least three to four weeks before it heals. If you’re drilling a lot of holes, it’s a good idea to mark your drill bit at the 2-inch mark so you don’t over-drill the tree. Often old maples are hollow inside and you don’t want to hit any of these areas by drilling too deep.

Now it’s time to examine the chips. They should be the color of new wood, an off-white. If they are brown, you have hit dead wood. In this case, you should wait and see if the tap is running. If nothing comes out after 24 hours, tap again somewhere else. If you tap early and the tap dries up mid-season, never tap a tree again for more sap. For this reason, it is imperative that you observe your local weather patterns before you tap.

The next step is to place the faucet and set up the collection bucket or bag (Figure 12). Push the grommet into the hole until it is snug, then use a light mallet or rubber mallet to seat the grommet with a light tap. Don’t use a big hammer and overdo the grommet or you could crack the hole at the top and bottom, causing juice to spill out. Some puncture holes will naturally ooze sap showing moisture around the hole (Figure 13). These spouts may need to be driven in a little more later. This often happens when the wood is still frozen at the time of tapping. You will know if you did a good job after the first windy day. Your faucets won’t leak and all your buckets will hang where you put them. Put a cover over the bucket to keep out rain. If your area has a slope, you can tie multiple trees together into a larger container with a mini-piping system. You can set up a disposal station where you can empty your containers and pump out the juice from there. The only thing limiting your ability to collect juice is the limits of your imagination.

Figure 12. Bucket with lid. Figure 13. Leaking grommet.

Since the sap flow depends on the weather, it is not always constant. Some days no juice flows; on other days, as much as a liter or more of juice may flow during a flow period (several hours to a day or longer). During the season, an average tap produces 6 to 10 gallons of juice. It takes just over 10 gallons of juice with 2 percent sugar content to make 1 liter of syrup.

To empty or collect the sap from the containers hanging from the tree, you’ll need a couple of clean, 5-gallon, food-grade buckets. When it comes time to collect sap, you can do it by hand or use a cart, wagon, or ATV to bring the sap-filled buckets to where you will be boiling. Expect about 2 to 3 gallons of juice per tap during a good run. Although not strictly necessary, it is often desirable to filter juice through a cloth filter before boiling it. This filtration removes any debris such as twigs or bits of leaf or bark that may have fallen into the juice. Several layers of cheesecloth will act as a filter, or a reusable (cleanable) maple sap filter can be purchased.

To make high-quality syrup, the juice should be collected as soon as possible. Remember that as the juice heats up, bacteria will colonize and grow. The bacteria interact with the sugars in the juice, and after heating, the syrup turns dark. You need to cook your juice as soon as possible, especially in warm weather. In times of cold temperatures, juice can often be stored for a few days under the right storage conditions without seriously affecting the quality of the syrup produced. If you store your juice in a tank, it should be in a shady spot (perhaps on the shady side of your house). Put piles of snow around the tank to keep it cool. In warmer weather, you can add blocks of ice to chill the juice. These can be made from water or from frozen juice. Old chest freezers work well for storing juice containers and are a great place to store off-season equipment.

Boil down the juice

Sap is made into a syrup by boiling water, which increases the sugar content to 66 percent and causes chemical changes that result in maple syrup’s amber color and distinctive flavor. The amount of juice needed to make a gallon of syrup depends on the sugar content of the juice. In Ohio, juice averages about 2 percent sugar content, which requires 43 to 50 gallons of juice to make one gallon of finished syrup. When the sap sugar content is higher (it varies from tree to tree, with weather and other factors), less sap is needed to make a gallon of syrup; if lower, more juice is needed.

Figure 14. Boiling juice.

Most major commercial manufacturers use a continuous evaporation process to make syrup (Figure 14). An evaporating pan is designed so that juice is added to the pan at one end and syrup is removed at the other in a “continuous” process. Most hobbyists use a “batch” system, where the juice is added to a single pan and heated. As the water evaporates, more juice is then added until there is a suitable amount of concentrated juice. The vaporization process then continues without additional juice and the entire batch is “finished” to the desired density.

You might consider boiling your juice on the kitchen stove. Remember that you will boil a large amount of water to get to the syrup phase. Such steam in the house can have consequences. You can get a small batch ready in the kitchen, but it’s not recommended for the entire process.

You need a heat source and a pan for cooking. Plan to cook at least once a week. With high airflow, you may need to light more frequently. Many hobby producers start with a propane turkey fryer, but be careful not to leave oil residue in the fryer. You can also build a log fireplace and place a pan over a wood fire. Barrel ovens (Figure 15) can be modified to support a pan for cooking. You need enough dry wood to cook syrup. Wet wood only increases the time it takes to complete the process.

Evaporation rates from a flat-bottomed pan are highly variable. Depending on many factors, including the size of the heat source and the type, size, and construction of the pan, they can range from as little as 3/4 to more than 1½ gallons of water per square foot of liquid surface. A 12 inch square pan or a 14 inch round pan both have 1 square foot of liquid surface area. Remember that it takes 43 gallons of juice to make 1 gallon of syrup – 42 gallons of water to evaporate. It typically requires between 28 and 56 hours of continuous cooking (and topping up with juice) using a pan with 1 square foot of liquid surface. In comparison, a gallon of syrup can be made in nine to 18 hours using a 24 by 18 inch (3 square foot liquid surface) rectangular pan. Of course, the larger the pan, the faster the evaporation process is completed. Don’t overfill the pan, as boiling juice tends to roll and foam. To avoid burning or scorching, monitor the heat carefully (don’t let the heat get too high) and keep at least 1½ inches of liquid in the pan. The risk of scorching increases as the density of the liquid increases.

Figure 15. Boiling juice on a barrel stove

with a preheated pan. Figure 16. Candy thermometer.

One must have tool is a candy thermometer (Figure 16). This allows you to monitor the boiling point throughout the syrup making process.

Build your fire and bring the pan to a boil. The thermometer should read 212 degrees Fahrenheit, the boiling point of water. Because the boiling point of water varies with location (elevation) and weather (barometric pressure), you should determine the boiling point of water before making syrup. This is easily done by placing your thermometer in a pot of boiling water and noting the temperature reading. Once you’ve brought the liquid to a boil, use your thermometer and read. The thermometer can read 211 or 212.5 degrees Fahrenheit on any given day, depending on the air pressure. Keep in mind that finished syrup will always boil 7 degrees Fahrenheit above the boiling temperature of water.

The higher the sugar concentration in a sugar solution, the higher the temperature at which the solution boils. As soon as the liquid begins to condense, the thermometer reading rises to 213, or 1 degree above the boiling point of water. You now need to add more juice. If possible, the added juice should be preheated. You can achieve this by hanging a pan over the top of your operation and using the steam to preheat your juice. Putting cold juice in a simmering pan really kills the boiling and slows down the whole process. You’ll have to experiment with the amount of juice you add, every setup is different. Continue this process until you’ve cooked all of your saved juice. After the last raw juice is in the pan, watch your temperature and the level of juice in the pan very carefully. Remember, you have syrup when the temperature rises 7 degrees above the boiling point of water.

Siphon syrup

Trying to make syrup outside on the main pan can be very difficult. You never know exactly how much finished liquid you have. Note that once you’re past 215 degrees Fahrenheit, things happen very quickly. You can go over 219 degrees Fahrenheit in minutes. If the temperature rises above 219 degrees Fahrenheit, the risk of the pan burning increases.

Gather everything you need to quickly siphon off the finished liquid. Check your temperature and depth constantly. Once you have reached the desired temperature, reduce the heat to a simmer. Once the simmer has subsided to a simmer, siphon off the liquid into a drain pan or saucepan. Test the temperature of the liquid in the bucket. It should read no more than 215 to 216 degrees Fahrenheit. Once empty, quickly remove your syrup pan from the fire. Wear a good pair of gloves to protect your hands and forearms and a heavy apron to protect your body during this transition process. Remember, you’re dealing with hot pans, hot liquid, and a hot fire – all of which can burn you very badly if you’re not careful. Any time you’re making syrup, it’s a good idea to have a few buckets of water on hand to put out the fire or to flood the pan if something goes wrong. At this point, your unfinished syrup can be transferred to a pan and quickly finished on the kitchen stove or on a small camp stove in the backyard.

finishing syrup

Finishing syrup at the right temperature is critical to producing quality syrup that stores well. Make sure the temperature reaches the end point. If you exceed the end temperature by more than 7.5 degrees above the temperature of boiling water, add a little more juice and bring the syrup to the right end point.

Another useful tool is an areometer (Figure 17). This instrument is used to measure the density of syrup. There are two scales: one for hot syrup and one for cold syrup. The areometer is suspended in a cup or bucket of hot syrup. If the top line matches the syrup level in the hot syrup cup (211 degrees Fahrenheit), it’s 66 degrees Brix, or 66 percent sugar. They must be at or above 211 degrees Fahrenheit to get an accurate reading. Legal syrup at 66°Brix is ​​really ready. You can also cold test your syrup at room temperature (70 degrees F).

Figure 17. Reading of an areometer.

Once the syrup has reached the desired density, it can be filtered and packaged. If you have a hydrometer, now is the time to check and verify the syrup’s density. Density can be tested between 66°Brix (66 percent solids) and 68°Brix. Less than 66°Brix and it’s not legally maple syrup. It will be very thin and can spoil. Much more than 68°Brix sugar crystals are likely to form in the reservoir. For instructions on using a hydrometer, see the North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual referenced at the end of this datasheet.

Figure 18. Systems for filtering juice.

Filter hot syrup through clean wool or synthetic syrup filters to remove sugar sand and other suspended matter (Figure 18). Never use cloths or towels that have been washed in a detergent as this will bring a bad taste to the syrup. After filtering, syrup intended for immediate use can be chilled and refrigerated. The remainder of the syrup should be packed hot in tightly sealed, clean, and airtight containers. For safe storage, the syrup temperature for packaging should be at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit and preferably 185 degrees F. After filling and sealing, immediately invert the containers for a short time to fill the container neck and lid base with hot syrup. Hot-packed maple syrup will keep for months in an unopened container. After opening, it should be refrigerated. Syrup can be stored in the freezer for years.

A sweet conclusion

There are many steps to making maple syrup, but don’t let them overwhelm you. Start with a tree or two to see how things are going. It’s always easier to grow your business than to start too big, get overwhelmed and just throw your hands in the air. Tapping some trees can be a great late winter and early spring endeavor for the family. Try it. The reward for your diligence can be something your family enjoys year-round.

If you want to take your syrup to the next step and make confections, read the Maple Confections fact sheet or read the North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual available online here.

Original Author: Randall B. Heiligmann. (Originally published in 2002.)

references

Koelling, M.R., R.B. Heiligmann, T.D. Perkins. (2006) North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual. Columbus, OH: The Ohio State University.