This is really cool. I’ve always been a big fan of quality maple syrup, but knew zilch about the process. I really need to visit Minnesota! Thanks for explaining the process, and taking us along on this journey. Much appreciated!
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Yeah, for sure! We have a lotta Sweeds in Minnesota, so you would fit right in. You actually can make syrup from birch sap. I have never done it before, but it has different flavor. More of a Carmel flavor profile. Some folks up in northern MN make it. There are huge taiga and birch forests up north.
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This is fascinating. I’ve always wondered what the process actually entailed and am glad I finally found this thread!Comment
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Spinaker, I feel like it’s something I’d love to try, but it doesn’t sound like something that one just “tries” given the equipment needed and access to the right types of trees. I need to find someone closer that I can tag along with! I’m a hands on learner after all. -
Haha, we started by having a stock pot on an open fire. It is not that hard to get started. And it is a ton of fun. RickyBobby
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Low flow today....only about a gallon of sap across the sugar bush. Temps never got below freezing last night. Tonight looks better for sap flow tomorrow. However, it won't really warm up much. Thursday and Friday looks warm with no cold temps.
So it goes. This is just part of it. Next week looks more promising.Comment
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Things were flowing last night and this morning. We got about 25 gallons of raw sap in the sugar bush. Today should be high flow day as well. I will probably do a boil tomorrow, if I am lucky and I have time. Stay tuned.Comment
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Well temps are back up, but I was able to get another 20 gallons yesterday. Man…..these temps…..looks like we will hit our first 70 F day tomorrow.
If I get a pass to work from home tomorrow, I’m gonna boil. I do not have enough snow left to keep the sap cold! (I store collected sap in snow banks I’ve built up over the winter)
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The boil is on today! I have about 30 gallons to run through the evaporator.
We had a bit of a mishap. The.....a.....blower......might have caught fire. Whoops. Must have had some coal fall out of the stove and get under the blower. it did not take much time for this to happen. Now I have the new blower on an elevated concrete pad so this won't happen again. Live and learn.......and hopefully don't burn down your sugar bush.
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I feel like this is even worse than you being disappointed. LOL. CaptainMike -
I “Like” the fact that the only casualty was the blower.
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Hi everyone,
We had a great boil yesterday (despite one small incident).
This batch was made from sap that was exposed to higher temperatures after collection. Sap is similar to milk in that it can spoil if left in warm temperatures. This is why I boiled on Friday instead of waiting for the weekend—I needed to process it before it spoiled. We had almost 48 hours of temperatures in the 50s and even as high as 74°F!
Warmer temperatures lead to bacterial growth, which isn't always bad as long as the sap is boiled before it completely spoils. This explains the results we saw yesterday. The increased bacterial growth created a darker and more robust syrup, which is actually my personal favorite. Maple sap initially contains sucrose, a complex sugar. Normally, as the season progresses and temperatures warm, naturally occurring bacteria break down the sucrose into simpler sugars like glucose and fructose. How ever since this season has been soooo warm, we are already producing darker, robust syrup.
Here are a few shots of the boiling. I do love is when we get close to the end. I wish I could import the aroma!
Here is the sap in the main evaporating pan. The sap is not quite syrup yet. This is at about 216. I will draw this off and filter it before going to the stock pot for finishing on the stove.
Here is the sap being boiled down in the stock pot. It is getting frothy and close to being pure syrup.
Here is the finished product! Gorgeous amber color!
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Golder Color and Delicate Taste maple products are typically made early in the year and in colder areas. This is typically the first syrup we pull. This has a light golden color and a more delicate taste. This type of syrup is great for pancakes and waffles which is why you see it so much in stores. Typically darker syrups are too robust for the general public, they prefer a lighter more delicate syrup. Dark syrup is great for cocktails and cooking.
@RonB
Side note: Both can be "Grade A". -
I figured with the sugar content the water activity would be comprised but I guess the abundance of water gives the microbes just enough. Milk has a near neutral pH and high water activity, excellent conditions for dem bacteriams.
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Here is our first bottled batch of the year. It has a great golden color. These warmer temperatures have not yielded the usual light golden syrup we are used to this time of year. This syrup tested out at 66.8 Brix.....pure Maple Syrup!
You can see below where we are doing the second filtering. At this stage we are removing nitre (sugar sand) that is developed once the syrup hits 185 F. This creates small sugar crystals that cloud the syrup and can settle out into the bottom of the jars. Not good. We will cool this syrup, reheat it to 165 F to sanitize one more time, and then filter and bottle to remove any remaining nitre from the syrup.
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I would give it a blue ribbon!
The blue plastic drums on the patio are a nice touch. I bet they keep the neighbors from asking a lot of questions about what you are cooking. -
Those are our bulk tanks for the sap. They work well. I am sure they were curious at first though. mrichie1229
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Taps were flowing pretty well yesterday. We collected about 30 gallons. Thankfully a friend of mine has a drive cooler on his farm. He is going to let us store the sap in there until the end of the week when we can boil. (No sweet corn to be stored this time of year.
) This is a huge help. We should be able to collect more today before some really cold and nasty weather rolls in starting tomorrow. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday look promising for collection though. Freezing at night and mid 40's during the day.
Stay tuned for more boiling this weekend.Comment
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Well things are getting real. Looks like I am going to be doing another solo boil this weekend. All of the executives at Rutty Buck Syrup Company are going on spring break. Typical....executives have one boot on my head and one boot on the step of their private jet.
Just kidding....they all have families and they are all going on spring break this weekend or next. I am happy to boil alone and watch things develop. I love it. The whole process is so much fun. As many of you know making something from nature that you can share with people is something pretty special. Stay tuned for this weekends boil.
I collected another 15 gallons of raw sap yesterday. So we are up to 45 gallons for the weekend for far. We should get over a gallon of syrup this round.Comment
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That syrup looks delicious! I have what I hope isn't a dumb question!
Spinaker
Why is the water not allowed to run off as you boil the sap? Would the sap burn, or maybe not process completely if the water just ran off?
Or, did I completely miss the part where the water does run off ?
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No dumb questions here......Not sure what you mean by "run off" but the water evaporates from the sap to make the syrup. Sap is only about 2% sugar, so you have to remove a lot of water. PorkiesComment
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The boil was heavy today. I was burning all iron wood. We boiled down about 75 gallons sap today. All of it was concentrated through the RO before hitting the evaporator. Much lighter color than last week. She is still filtering through the Orlon now, we will have to wait until late tonight to see how much we have to bottle from this batch.
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Thank you Spinaker, for taking us along on this journey. Too many do not realize what is involved in food production.
My experience is more prosaic, grain and beef production in Nebraska, before I went off to school.
Don't ask about how to cram in a prolapsed uterus between contractions, and then sewing up with big overhand loops. She raised her calf, and went off to auction thereafter.Comment
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