Multiple maple sap taps on a large silver maple tree.
For those of you who’ve made it through one season, the natural second season question is: how can I get more syrup? Well, as you’ve probably already guessed, you can only get more syrup by collecting more sap. So, now what? Before you run out and buy 40 acres, here’s a few suggestions that you might be able to put into use this year:
#1. Put more taps in each tree. Most mature trees can handle more than one tap – see the chart below for size needs – measure the diameter at about 4 ½’ above ground level to determine how many taps to use but never use more than 6 taps per tree. Using tubing is a great time saver as you can thread more than one tube into each bucket. (Our Deluxe Kit comes with 20 taps and tubes which should help out with this step! Order here, shipping is free!)
#2. Try other non-sugar maple trees. Every tree has some “sugar” in its sap but not all of this sap is as delicious or as high in sugar content as maple sap. Favorites include birch, black walnut, sycamore, and other maple family trees such as box elder, silver maple, or red maple. Because the sugar content is lower, it takes a lot more sap to make equivalent syrup amounts (for instance, with birch you can expect a nearly 100 to 1 sap-to-syrup yield).
Non-sugar maple syrup can be an acquired taste with descriptions ranging from wild-tasting to bitter to earthy, expect something different if you decide to try making syrup from one of these trees. Of course if it tastes good to you and you’re willing to put in the time, then it’s a worthwhile endeavor! Each variety will have a different flavor, color, and sweetness; the seasons are generally the same; and the process of tapping, collecting, filtering, and syrup making is similar to maple tapping. Our book included with every kit thoroughly explains the intricacies of each tree (or you can order the book separately through our website).
#3 Pool your efforts with other sugarmakers. This may not net you a lot more syrup but we firmly believe that many hands make light work especially when it comes to boiling sap. Maybe you have a great evaporator set up with lots of fuel but not as many trees as you’d like and your neighbor has tons of trees but no cooker. If you pool your resources you’ll save time cooking and probably end up with a little more syrup than if you worked alone. Plus it’s just fun to have a partner in crime!
Have you been wondering if it would be faster to freeze the water in your sap instead of boiling it down? We’ve all found our sap buckets with chunks of ice after a really cold night and we know that ice is mostly water, so why not just toss it out and save time evaporating it during boiling? Early sugarmakers did just that mostly because they didn’t have access to heavy-duty tools that would stand up to high heat. Large modern day sugarmakers are using freeze concentration in their operations to save time. If you’d like to try it out this season, this article will highlight the hows and whys of freezing sap and we’ll begin with this author’s unscientific freeze experiment.
Because necessity is the mother of invention . . .
I tried my very own freeze experiment in 2015 mostly because it was an abysmal sap year and I wanted to boil all my sap at once at the end of the season. I only gathered about 20 gallons of sap in 2015 so as I collected it, I filtered it, and froze it in five-gallon-buckets. It was cold enough outside that we just put the buckets in the shade and banked them with snow. Sure enough a big block of ice formed in each bucket. When I was ready to cook, I let the buckets thaw a bit and poured the liquid into my pot. As you can see from these pictures this left a lot of ice in the bucket. I boiled my syrup as usual and ended up with the standard yield of about 40-to-1.
But while I was boiling my first batch of sap, those big chunks of ice melted. I just couldn’t help myself so I boiled these former ice chunks down and do you know what? I ended up with more syrup but it was probably closer to a 50-to-1 yield. So in my unscientific judgment, freezing did work somewhat to concentrate the sap but if I would have thrown out that ice, I would have lost about a half-quart of syrup!
Now I’m not saying it doesn’t have merit and if you can freeze your sap outside, you would use zero energy for at least part of your concentrating steps. One way to try this would be to use a multi-stage freeze/thaw method where you let the ice chunks melt, then pour off the liquid to boil, and then start the freeze/thaw/cook method over again.
One thing everyone agrees on, though, is you still must boil your sap to achieve the caramelized color and flavor we all love. Besides it has to be heated up for bottling anyway and there’s no way around that!
A more proven freeze method.
Beyond this backyard trial and error, the professionals have been working out a way to freeze the water in sap as it flows through the lines into the sugar shack. The upfront cost and set up of these systems is not really feasible for the hobbyist but it’s interesting to take a look at the method. Typically at the end of the mainline but before the storage tank, the sap is run through a refrigerated pipe. The water freezes, concentrating the sap which continues to flow through into the storage tank for boiling. The ice is melted and drained off.
There are three simple ways to tell when the oh-so-short maple tapping season is done.
Sign #1: You Have Enough Maple Syrup!
We sincerely hope you reach your personal goal of maple syrup production before the season officially ends. This is usually indicated when your shelves are overflowing with maple syrup and your family is begging you to stop boiling sap and go get some groceries already because they are tired of pancakes!
But we all know you really can never have enough pure maple syrup so most of us rely on the next signs to know when to stop.
Sign #2: Weather Warms Up and Sap Slows Down
The forecast says it all . . . as nighttime temperatures warm up past freezing (and stay there), sap runs to the top branches which causes the tree to bloom or bud out. Also, the warmer the weather, the more energy the tree has to heal the taphole you’ve drilled which cuts off the sap flow from that spile (this is sometimes referred to as “drying out” but it really is just sealed over). Anyway, once you see buds, you’ve moved onto Sign #3.
Sign #3: Buds Open Up
As the warm weather and Spring Fever grips us with dreams of gardening, it also encourages the tree to open up its little buds and start growing leaves. But once those buds open up, the sap takes on an off-flavor and makes for odd-tasting syrup and the sugaring season has come to its end.
When You’re Done: Pulling the Taps
Once you’ve decided to stop collecting sap, gently pry your spiles from the trees. Just leave the taphole as is and it will naturally heal over the summer. Thoroughly rinse your equipment in hot water but do not use dish soap. Some folks use a mild bleach and water solution (especially for tubing) but you must thoroughly rinse all equipment so no traces of bleach remain. After everything is dried, pack it away for next year.
If you’re really adventurous, you can find a way to extend your season by tapping other varieties of trees such as birch or black walnut. Their seasons last a bit longer than sugar maples, read more on our blog here . . .
Every tree has some “sugar” in its sap but not all of this sap is as delicious or as concentrated as sugar maple sap. Many regions, though, without abundant sugar maples tap other trees to collect sap water, boil into syrup, and further cook into candy or sugar. Each variety of tree sap will have a different flavor, color, and even sweetness but this non-sugar maple syrup can be an acquired taste!
Editor’s Note: Please forgive this long article but I wanted to cover this topic in full! If you’d like to skip ahead, sections include: Maple Family Trees (i.e. soft maples); Birch trees (and their unique cooking needs); and other trees such as Black Walnut. This article has been excerpted from our newly updated Guide to Maple Tapping which is included with each kit and available separately for print or ebook here.
As with sugar maples, always select healthy trees, empty your buckets often, and remove taps as soon as buds appear. You can generally use the same equipment for all types of sap but some differences are needed in filtering and cooking equipment and those are mentioned in the following sections. Time and effort needed will be the biggest difference you notice with non-sugar maple sap. Because the sugar content is usually lower, you’ll need much more sap and longer boil times to produce the same quantity of finished syrup. For example, birch trees typically have a 100-to-1 sap to syrup yield so 100 gallons of sap yields one gallon of syrup. This is nearly three times that of sugar maple sap which usually falls in the 30- to 40-to-1 range. That difference makes for more work in the field in tapping trees and hauling sap and more fuel and time required for boiling.
The season for sugaring is generally the same – some trees start later such as birch and some last longer such as walnut. The freeze/thaw cycle does affect how well sap flows but in more temperate regions such as the Western United States, trees can be tapped all winter as long as they’re dormant. In all cases, sap will not produce good-tasting syrup if the tree is in bud or growing leaves.
Maple Family Trees
While most focus on sugar maples, there are many other trees within the maple family and many such as silver maple yield a sweet sap with relatively high sugar content. Here’s a quick list of trees to try:
Black Maple (Acer nigrum): This variety most closely resembles a sugar maple and the two are often confused. Black Maple trees have a more limited range but its sap is nearly as sweet and abundant as a sugar maple.
Red Maple (Acer rubrum): Widely spread throughout North America, Red Maple is recognized as America’s most common variety of tree and is known for its beautiful fall colors.This tree is also very suitable for tapping but the sap has a lower sugar content and the buds pop out sooner than sugar maple.
Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum):This fast-growing soft maple is also widely spread throughout North America. It, too, has lower sugar content (approximately 1.7% versus 2% of sugar maples) and the tree buds out earlier making for a shorter season. Finished syrup has a more earthy taste and will be lighter-colored and thinner.
Box Elder, also called Ash-Leaved Maple or Manitoba Maple (Acer negundo): Another hardy and fast-growing but short-lived maple variety, Box Elder sap has lower sugar content and syrup has a more sorghum-like flavor.
Norway Maple (Acer platanoides): Another tree similar to the sugar maple, the Norway Maple’s sap is less sweet. This tree tolerates poor growing conditions but and is now considered invasive in many part of the United States.
Canyon Maple, also known as Big Tooth Maple (Acer grandidentatum):This tree is closely related to the sugar maple and is native to interior western North America. Its range extends from Western Montana to northern Mexico. Sugar content is higher than most maples but sap yield is much lower than sugar maples.
Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum): Another western native, Bigleaf Maples grow mostly along the Pacific coast from Alaska all the way to southern California. Sap has lower sugar content and less sap yield compared to sugar maples.
Rocky Mountain Maple (Acer glabrum): Also native to western North America, Rocky Mountain Maple sap has been used for centuries by Native Americans as a medicinal treatment for swelling and other general ailments.
Birch Trees
Likely the most common non-maple tree used for syrup, birch is tapped in regions such as Alaska where maple trees are not abundant. The Alaskans really ramped up birch syrup production in response to World War I sugar shortages and they now have a thriving cottage industry, making everything from birch syrup to beer to wine to vinegar to soft drinks. Birch sap straight out of the tree is valued by many as a sweet spring tonic (much like mineral water) or as base for tea and coffee. It’s also bottled and sold commercially in Europe, China, Korea, Finland, and Russia. Finished birch syrup tastes more savory than sweet with rich body and hints of caramel, sorghum, honey, and even balsamic. These flavors may not pair well with pancakes but are great for marinades, dressings, meats, and veggies.
Birch sugarmaking differs in a few ways from maple sugaring. The sap run usually begins later in the year in early April, often at the end of the maple sugaring season. Daytime temperatures need to get into high 40°s and low 50°s with cold nights to get the sap flowing. Because of this late-season harvest and warmer weather, the sap spoils more quickly if left sitting all day in the buckets so birch sugarmakers often must collect sap twice per day. The season, too, is shorter and typically lasts for only two to three weeks. You can only use one tap per tree no matter what size the tree but choose a tree at least 10” in diameter. The sap itself is more acidic which can eat away at metal containers, leaving behind an unpleasant taste. So, you should only use plastic, nylon, stainless steel, or glass during tapping, collecting, cooking, and storage.
Cooking Birch Sap is a Bit Different
The predominant sugar in birch sap is fructose (as opposed to sucrose in maple sap) which gives it the lowest glycemic index of all sugars. The fructose, though, also means birch syrup scorches more easily and will darken more with boiling. For this reason, the cooking process is a bit more labor intensive than maple syrup cooking. Almost the exact opposite of how we make maple syrup, the birch sugarmaker has to go by sight to tell when the syrup is close to done. The thermometer does still matter – only because your goal is to keep the temperature under 200°F. Anything above that and your batch will burn and that’s the end of it!
Because it’s so finicky, most commercial producers use reverse osmosis for the majority of processing and only boil it at the end for flavor. You can cook it at home with your evaporator but it needs to cook at a lower temperature and at a much less aggressive boil. Most birch sugarmakers cook birch sap using a three step process:
1. Boil in a traditional evaporator until volume is reduced by half. Do not add sap to the batch as it cooks, though, as it can cause scorching of already-boiling sap.
2. Transfer this reduced sap to a smaller pan and cook at a low simmer. Keep the temperature below 200°F and do not let it boil. If it starts turning dark brown, remove from heat immediately. Continue this simmer until sap is reduced to about 25% of the original volume.
3. Transfer this sap to a crockpot and set temperature on low but leave the lid off so water can continue evaporation. This can also be done in a double boiler. Again, make sure the temperature does not go above 200°F. Continue cooking until syrup starts to thicken and turn golden amber. Finished birch syrup will not be as thick as pure maple syrup but should read between 66 and 67 on the Brix scale. Be sure to filter it as you would with maple syrup and seal while hot in glass jars.
Any tree in the Betula family will produce birch sap but most prefer Paper Birch:
White Birch, also called Paper Birch or Canoe Birch (Betula papyrifera): The provincial tree of Saskatchewan and the state tree of New Hampshire, the white birch has half the sugar content of sugar maple sap but is considered the sweetest sap of all birches.
Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis): The sap from this variety of birch has been found to have higher mineral composition and higher antioxidant value than sugar maple. Sap from the yellow birch is much lower in sugar content and the tree buds out sooner making for a shorter season. Finished syrup has a caramel-like flavor.
Black Birch, sometimes called Sweet Birch (Betula lenta): This tree is native to eastern North America and grows from Ontario to Georgia. The sap is most commonly used to make birch beer.
Other Trees to Try
Call it desperation or ingenuity, the sugarmaking community is filled with tales of surprisingly tasty syrup made from unusual sources. Trees, such as Black Walnut, have been overshadowed by Maple but are now getting serious study as another valuable source of sap and syrup. Researchers are finding promise not only in a tasty end product but in another avenue for small agricultural markets. Because so little research exists, tapping these non-traditional trees is still somewhat of a trial-and-error experience. As a home hobbyist, it’s an opportunity to be adventurous and try something new. Follow the same tapping and boiling process as you would with maple syrup. Note: anyone with nut allergies should avoid syrup made from nut-producing trees such as walnut or butternut.
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) or Butternut (Juglans cinerea): Most commonly found in the Midwest and northeastern U.S., walnut and butternut tree syrup is darker than maple syrup with a more earthy, nutty flavor. The sap flow depends on the same freeze/thaw cycle and the season begins at the same time. The length of the season, though, is sometimes a bit longer as these trees are often the last to bud out. You will notice that the color of the sap will darken over the season and the darker it gets, the more robust the finished syrup will taste.
Sugar content is similar to maple trees and you can expect a 40-to-1 sap to syrup yield. However, the amount of sap produced by the tree is typically about one-third less than sugar maple. The sap also contains more pectin than maple sap – the same type used to make jams and jellies so the sap is thicker and harder to filter and traditional thick, wool filters will not work. Try cheesecloth or a clean thin cotton dish towel. Walnut trees also have thicker bark which can be harder to drill through but trees can be tapped at a smaller diameter (8” versus 12”). The cooking process is exactly the same as maple syrup.
Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis): Found in southern Ontario and much of northern and eastern America, Sycamore tree sap has long been collected as drinking water and for syrup making. The tapping season and sugarmaking process are identical to maple trees and the sap-to-syrup ratio is similar. The flavor, though, is not the greatest and many considered this a “syrup of last resort” due to its almost-scorched taste. It can, though, be blended with other saps and will add a bit of butterscotch flavor when mixed with maple or other syrups.
Hickory (Carya genus): The Pecan tree is also part of this family and old-timers have tapped both types for their sap which is cooked down just like maple syrup. However, most “Hickory Syrups” sold today are not made from tree sap but instead from an extract taken from the bark and nut shells which is then combined with sugar and water to make syrup.
Good luck and let us know how you’re sugarmaking goes with these non-traditional trees!
After a few seasons of sloshing buckets around the woods, every sugarmaker starts to think about connecting all these lines into one main bucket. Wouldn’t that be a huge timesaver? That’s why tubing systems are becoming the first choice of most expert sugarmakers and this article will give you a mini-guide on using droplines, mainlines, and large storage tanks (also called an Aerial Tubing System). If you’re serious about implementing one of these systems, we highly recommend visiting one of the helpful Extension Service sites listed at the end of this article. These really smart folks have done the research and offer detailed instructions for setting up, maintaining, and getting the most out an aerial tubing system. Don’t forget to check with your local Extension Service, too, or stop by another sugarmaker in your area and ask questions. Most folks love to show off their operation!
Order 50′ and 500′ coils of BPA-free, food-grade tubinghere. Easily connects to our regular tubes.
Typical Maple Tapping Dropline System Parts
(You can create a smaller version with three or four trees that would use droplines connected to a larger line that ends at a central bucket.)
Standard spiles (to go in the tree)
Droplines – tubing that connects to the spiles and runs to the lateral lines
Laterals tubing – this part of the system connects multiple trees to the mainline (Penn State recommends no more than 10 trees per lateral). The laterals are stretched from tree to tree to create a tight structure and then connected to each dropline through a special tee connector.
Mainline (often called conduit) – typically larger than the tubing because it will carry sap from multiple trees. Laterals feed sap into the mainline which runs through the sugarbush to the storage tank.
Large storage tank – placed at the end of the mainlines to collect all the sap. Preferably this tank is near your sugar shack where it can be further run into your filtering and cooking areas.
Most Important Rule of Using a Multiple Line System: The overall flow of these systems must be downhill because you are creating a gravity system to pull the sap through long stretches of tubing. If parts of the tubing sag or dip, sap flow will decrease. Sags in the line also can cause bacterial growth if sap is left sitting in the tubing. Many large scale producers also incorporate a vacuum system to keep sap flowing.
After you’ve set up your system, don’t be afraid to tweak it. Maybe a line needs to be shortened a bit or maybe you need to set up a collection bucket midway through your planned route. As with all sugarmaking, trial and error creates the best product!
It’s also important to use food-grade tubing and containers at all points in collection. This ensures the taste and quality of your finished syrup. And, yes, you can freeze maple sap!
Because the syrup-making process relies so heavily on an accurate temperature reading, it’s best to calibrate your thermometer before each day’s boiling session. Readings can be affected by barometric pressure, by altitude, by mishandling of the thermometer (yes, we’ve all dropped ours!), or even if you’re using a brand new thermometer.
The purpose of calibrating it is to find the temperature at which water begins to boil — normally this is at 212°F for most maple tapping altitudes. (If you live at higher altitudes check online for your normal water boiling temperature.) Once you know your thermometer’s reading, you can then add 7° to determine your syrup’s finish point of 219°F. For instance, if your thermometer shows a temperature of 213°F when water boils, you’ll know it is off by +1°F, so you’ll know to boil the sap to 220°F (as shown on your thermometer). Don’t worry, you’ll figure it out!
How to calibrate a thermometer:
1. Place your thermometer in a pan of distilled water making sure to have 2-inches of room on all sides and up from the bottom of the pan. Make sure you start with enough water to keep your thermometer’s bulb or reading tip submerged for five minutes even as water evaporates.
2. Heat distilled water to a rolling boil. Leave thermometer in boiling water for five minutes, remove from water, and hold at eye level to read temperature.
3. Take note of temperature in relation to baseline: If it is +/- 212°F, add or subtract this range to your finish boil target temperature as described above.
If you get wildly different readings each time you calibrate your thermometer, you can safely assume this thermometer is no longer reliable you should buy a new one.
Our Ultimate Tapping Kit (order here) includes a thermometer like the one shown here — you can also use a digital one or a standard glass thermometer. Just make sure it has marking or readings to one-degrees.
If you’ve ever seen sediment, cloudiness, or even chunks of sugar in your pure maple syrup, you know what sugar sand (aka niter) is! This is a perfectly edible (and natural) component of syrup but it can easily be removed with filtering. Most sugarmakers filter sap and syrup three times and this article and video describes that quick and easy process. Be sure to use professional filters designed for syrup making (not coffee filters, cheesecloth, or dish towels).
Filters are inexpensive and reusable so it’s a one-time purchase as you get started. We use one-quart filters which are a more manageable size for the home sugarmaker. They fit perfectly into a standard sieve stand and have small slits in each side so you can thread a dowel through and easily balance on the sieve stand so you have both hands free for pouring hot syrup.
Filters are included with many of our kits but you can also buy them separately here.
Note: If you’re making black walnut syrup, don’t use the Orlon or a similarly thick filter. Walnut sap contains more pectin than maple sap so it’s too thick to run through this type of filter. Try cheesecloth or a thin strip of clean muslin.
This short video shows the entire process:
Filter #1: This step is done each day as you collect sap to remove debris that may have fallen into your sap bucket (one more reason to use a closed lid system!). Suspend the thinner prefilter over a clean bucket and slowly pour the sap through to seine out debris. When done, rinse this filter with plain hot water, air dry, and save for later. Refrigerate or freeze the sap until ready to boil.
Filter #2: This step occurs midway in the boiling process as sap reaches a temperature in the 215°F range. At this point, concentrated sap is moved from the larger pan or evaporator and poured through a thin prefilter into the finishing pot. This removes the majority of sugar sand which can make syrup cloudy.
Filter #3: The third and final filter is done after the sap has reached its finished temperature and is poured into bottles. For this filtering, put the thinner prefilter inside the thicker Orlon filter. Slowly pour the finished sap through these filters and into clean, hot bottles or jars. Syrup is now done!
Cleaning Filters. As mentioned earlier, these filters are reusable and should last for years if cared for properly. Never wash with detergent or dish soap as this can affect the flavor of finished syrup. After use, simply rinse well in hot water and hang to dry. Do not wring or twist the filters as this can tear them or alter their shape.
If you’d like to learn more about entire boiling process, click over to this helpful article, “How to Make Maple Syrup.”
Does your maple syrup have gritty sediment at the bottom of the jars or does it look cloudy? This is the result of sugar sand (also called niter) and every sugarmaker has dealt with it in their syrup-making career. While it’s not very appetizing and can sometimes affect taste, sugar sand is not a sign of spoilage or bad syrup. This article will explain what it is and how to avoid it.
What is sugar sand (or why is my syrup cloudy)?
The maple sap you started with is really the tree’s food and along with lots of water, it contains natural minerals. As you boil off the water, these minerals become concentrated and form into niter. Pouring hot sap and syrup through proper sugarmaking filters before bottling will keep sugar sand out of the syrup. The process is simple and quick but you have to use filters designed for syrup. Watch our quick filtering video here.
One issue we found when we first started making syrup was the big filters were difficult to manage on our own (especially when handling hot, sticky syrup!). But last year we added a smaller one-quart filter kit that also fits into traditional sieve stand holders. This makes for one-person handling and is super easy to fill the jars.
Don’t skip this step!
Syrup needs to be filtered three times: once right after you collect it to get out debris (use the thin pre-filter); again after the first boil and before you transfer it to the finish pan (also use the pre-filter); and finally at the finished 219-degree stage (this time use the prefilter nestled inside the thick filter). I usually just set everything up before I start boiling and keep it close to my bottling area. This keeps the temperature up while pouring and is a really seamless part of the process.
Just wash and reuse.
These filters are washable — just rinse in hot water (no soap or detergents, please) and then hang to dry for next use. Do not wring out or twist as that will damage the fibers. With proper care, these filters will last for many seasons.
Hydrometer and Pro Tips
Of course, cloudy syrup is not a big deal for the home hobbyist but if you’re selling syrup, it’s an absolute no-no. That’s why most large sugarmakers also use a hydrometer – not only does it guarantee the proper sugar content but allows for exact grading and eliminates sugar sand. Some maple syrup makers also let their syrup sit for awhile so the sugar sand sinks to the bottom. They then carefully pour off syrup from the top, reheat it, filter it, and bottle. The remaining bottom portion (with niter) is thrown out or also reheated, filtered, and bottled. This is somewhat wasteful and creates an additional step in the process.
Start your season out right with our professional one-quart sugarmaking filters! Designed for the home sugarmaker in mind, this quick step makes all the difference in clear syrup. Shop for filter kits here.
Pure maple syrup is one of nature’s sweetest treats and making it yourself is much simpler than you think! All you need is a maple tree, regular kitchen tools which you most likely already have, and some patience. The process is not complicated and you can easily learn everything you need to know in one season. This short article walks you through the boiling process but be sure to click over to How to Tap Trees to learn about that step (we promise, quick and easy with minimal tools!).
Step One: Sugar Shack Preparation
The boiling process can take many hours, lots of fuel, and everything around the pots will be covered in a sticky film. Even the steam coming off the sap has tiny bits of sugar! For this reason, most sugarmakers boil their sap outside and many create a separate “sugar shack” to house their cooking and bottling operations. As a hobbyist, it’s not essential to build an entire sugar shack but you will need a cooker, some kind of overhead shelter with lighting, an abundant source of fuel such a split firewood or a large propane tank, and a work surface for bottling. You can find pre-made hobbyist evaporator pans from large suppliers as well as many DIY “evaporator plans” if you’d like to build your own cooking stove. Our book, Guide to Maple Tapping, also includes much more information on the tools needed for a well-functioning sugar shack.
Step Two: First Filter
Sap is first filtered on the day it’s collected to remove debris or insects. Simply pour the sap through a piece of clean cotton cloth such as tee-shirt or a few layers of cheesecloth. Any materials used for filtering must not have been washed with detergent. The filtered sap is then either cooked immediately or chilled in a food-safe container until it’s time for boiling. Chilled sap will keep for up to five days but it’s best to cook it right away. Sap can also be frozen which might actually speed up the cooking process, click here for a short article on that.
Step Three: Beginning Boil
Filtered sap is poured into a shallow evaporator pan and cooked over high heat. Because sap will sometimes boil over, 3- to 6-inches of space must be left at the top of the pan. This means that all the day’s sap may not fit into the evaporator pan at once. In this instance, the additional sap is warmed separately and added to the main batch as it boils down. This process is continued until all the sap is boiling in one big batch. Sap is boiled as aggressively as possible until the temperature reaches approximately 216°F.
Step Four: Second Filter and Finish Boil
When sap reaches the 216°F range, remove it from the main heat source and filter through a thin prefilter designed for maple syrup making. This filtered sap is then boiled in a smaller pot on a cooker such as a regular kitchen stove or outside propane cooker. Watch carefully until the sap reaches 219°F (the temperature at which it becomes syrup).
Step Five: Final Filter and Bottling
After it reaches 219°F, remove syrup from the heat and run through a two-layered filter to remove sugar sand or niter. The outside filter is a thick filter, the inside filter is the same type of thin filter used in step four. [If you’re using a hydrometer, now is the time to test your syrup — more on that below.] Suspend your filter over a large kettle (or into a clean coffee maker as shown here) and bottle syrup immediately. Try to avoid touching the rim but it’s also wise to wipe each rim with a hot, clean cloth before sealing. Seal bottles making sure to tip upside down so the hot liquid helps ensure a good seal (Make sure and use standard kitchen food safety guidelines.) Place jars sit on their sides for 24 hours, turning after the first 12 hours.
Using a hydrometer: most professional sugarmakers and those selling syrup use a hydrometer to test sugar content and grade the finished product. It is not an essential step but can improve the quality of your syrup.
Step Six: Storage
After the jars have cooled, they are wiped clean and stored away in a cool, dry place. Properly bottled and sealed pure maple syrup will keep for up to one year. Maple syrup can also be frozen indefinitely – it will not harden, though, due to the high sugar content. Once opened, syrup should be stored in the refrigerator and used within six months of opening. If you notice any mold or discoloration, discard the contents as it may not be safe to eat. Also, do not store your syrup in plastic containers as the syrup may absorb odd flavors or odors from the plastic.
A Few Common Questions
Why is my syrup cloudy or crystallized?
This sugar sand, or niter, is sometimes left if your syrup was not filtered enough. It can also be created by boiling the sap too far past the finishing point. In either case, it does not affect the quality of your syrup and will usually sink to the bottom during storage. You can reheat your syrup and put it through another filtering to remove the sugar sand.
What makes sap into syrup?
Sap becomes syrup as the water is removed through evaporation and the sugars become concentrated. The flavor of your finished syrup is created by the caramelization of the sugars during the boiling process – the longer the sap is boiled in the pan, the darker and stronger the flavors become. Flavor can also be affected by the tree’s qualities and genetics; by the time of year and method through which sap is collected; and by the cleanliness of the boiling room and storage containers.
How long does it take to boil down the sap?
The rate at which your water will evaporate depends on numerous factors such as: pan size and construction; type of heat source; and even the temperature of sap being added to the evaporator. If using a shallow, rectangular pan with lots of surface area, it takes between 9 and 18 hours to produce one gallon of syrup. With a deep, circular pan, it can take as little as 28 hours and as long as 56 hours.
Can I use maple syrup instead of sugar in my cooking?
It is a good substitute but will impart a maple flavor to your dish. Generally, one cup of pure maple syrup equals one cup of sugar and can be swapped out in most recipes. For cookies and cakes that also use liquid ingredients, just reduce the liquids by three tablespoons for each cup of maple syrup used.
What kind of trees can I tap?
Hard maples, also called sugar maple, black maple, or rock maple, have the highest sugar content and produce the best tasting syrup. You can also tap the red or silver maple but the sugar content is lower so you’ll have lower syrup yields and longer boil times. Folks also tap the box elder tree and the finished product has a heavy, sorghum-like flavor. Refer to an illustrated tree guide for identification tips or look in our book, Guide to Maple Tapping, for more information.
What parts of the country produce maple sap?
Because the sap “run” is triggered by the freeze-thaw cycle, maple syrup is only produced in the Upper Midwest, the Northeastern U.S., and Canada.
When should I tap trees?
The tapping season varies from region to region but generally starts in early March and lasts until mid-April. When the sap starts and stops running depends greatly on day and nighttime temperature fluctuations. Watch the weather forecast – sap starts flowing when the temperatures are below freezing at night but climb to the 40°F and above range during the day. If this freeze/thaw pattern is predicted, get out and tap your trees! Remove your taps when you have enough sap or when the tree buds out as that can lead to an off or “buddy” flavor in the finished syrup.
How much sap or syrup will I get from each taphole?
The amount of sap each taphole yields varies greatly depending on the tree, the time of year, environmental conditions such as the weather and soil conditions, and even at what point you are in the tapping season. In a normal season, a single taphole produces approximately 10- to 12-gallons of sap. Your finished yield of syrup will depend on the sugar content of your sap. Generally, assume a 40-to-1 conversion – so 12 gallons of sap will boil down to 1 quart of syrup. With this ratio in mind, you’d need four tapholes to produce one gallon of syrup for the season.
Does tapping hurt the tree?
If the tree is healthy when tapped and proper tapping procedures are followed, the taphole will start healing within weeks of the spile’s removal. Many maple tree farms have been tapping the same trees for over 100 years. Each taphole, however, must be placed in a different spot on the tree from the previous year. One thing to note: the bottom 4- to 6-foot “tapping zone” will result in trees that are less valuable if cut down for lumber.
This is one great all-in-one kit that holds a lot of sap, is very lightweight, and is easy to handle. Plus the blue color really shows up well in the woods. Once you’ve drilled your taphole, putting this bucket in place is as easy as 1-2-3.
Step One: Insert the blue spile and gently tap on the upper knob. Do not tap on the spout end as it may crack.
Step Two: Thread the metal rod through the hole in the spile, making sure it goes through brackets in the bucket lid. Once in place turn the bent end so the rod is locked in place.
Step Three: Hang the bucket on the hook and close lid. For extra stability, bungee cord or tie the bucket loosely to the tree.
Now you just need to let nature take its course! Most likely the sap will already be running by the time you get the bucket hung up – just come back each day to empty your buckets. Again, this is quite simple. It’s best to bring a few food-grade “transfer” buckets with you to collect your sap. Carry this bucket to each tree – hopefully you’re using a sled attached to an ATV or snowmobile. Empty the full bucket into the transfer bucket. Don’t worry about bugs or debris as they’ll be filtered out when you get home. Replace your buckets and take your bounty home!
Once you’re done tapping for the season, inspect your equipment for damage. This system should last for many seasons but can suffer damage from normal wear and tear. Wash your buckets, spiles, and lids with warm water. Do not use dish soap as it may leave residue which can be absorbed by the sap and eventually make for bad-tasting syrup. Once thoroughly rinsed, let all your equipment air dry and store away for next season.
For more detailed info on collecting, cooking, and using maple sap and syrup, check out our downloadable ebook and other blogs.
