Sugarin'

RCW · Mar 30, 2015

Finally in the northeast we got some temps over 40.

I do just enough for the house and for some trading. 4 or 5 gallons. Takes about 200 gallons of sap to get 5 gallons of maple syrup.

Made 3 quarts of light stuff other day - normally done by now.

buckaroo · Mar 30, 2015

looks sooooo good... nothing like pure fresh syrup is it medium amber?

RCW · Mar 30, 2015

buckaroo said:
looks sooooo good... nothing like pure fresh syrup is it medium amber?

I'm guessing light amber, but not sure. I grade by my tastebuds!

I'm low-tech and very inefficient the way I make it, but really enjoy doing some. Raised around it, and am a forester by education.

Really, I like the darker stuff better. Has better maple flavor.

Daren Todd · Mar 30, 2015

RCW said:
.

Really, I like the darker stuff better. Has better maple flavor.

I agree with that 100 percent. A few folks think I'm nuts when I call up to order more syrup and will clean them out of the "b" grade

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OldeEnglish · Mar 30, 2015

Love the fresh stuff, I'm not too picky on the grades, I like them all. It seems like winter is never going to end here, it's been still spitting snow the last few days. I was out on the south coast today near the ocean and it was snowing too! Still have a good foot or more on the ground here, 2' up on the mountains.

OnE of my nephews learning the ropes. Nice old man taps the trees in my bro's yard and teaches the boys the process, they love it! Always going out and checking the lines and tanks. At the end he gives us some syrup and gives the boys their own "polish gallon" (the little mini jugs)

they think it's the coolest thing since sliced bread. super nice guy!

RCW · Mar 30, 2015

Nice - but why is he tapping an ash??

Just kidding!!

It's great they have someone to show them....its something I hope they retain. I remember dumping buckets for my anciently old neighbors for years with a gathering tank behind a D-17.

You can NEVER forget the smell of a sugarhouse boiling, and the sweet smell coming off those pans!!

That's probably part of the reason I make syrup today...

bmblank · Mar 30, 2015

I can't wait to show my daughter the process. she's less than a year old, so I have a little bit to go, but it'll happen.

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OldeEnglish · Mar 30, 2015

They love it so I think it's something they will continue doing. Some day I'll build them their own shack on our property. We hope he's around for a very long time so they can learn everything he knows. Some consider it liquid gold, and for what it costs I can see why they call it that!

I recall watching shark tank where they were pitching a natural energy drink that was just straight sap.... Never tried it myself, but it must taste better than that sugar crack in a can the kids drink these days!

Grouse Feathers · Mar 30, 2015

What does it take to boil down 200 gallons? We live in the Jack Pines and have about a dozen maple trees of which five are marginally large enough to tap, maybe 30 gallons of sap total. Oh well its time outside, producing our own syrup from our own trees. Plus the grandkids have decided our syrup is better than anything in the store, inherited good tastes’ I guess. Not sure we will get to 30 gallons of sap this year as the temperatures have been erratic. One week it never gets above freezing during the day the next week it never gets below freezing at night.

Corney · Mar 30, 2015

Thanks for sharing that with us!

We have Maples here but not those Maples. Great to see the generations working together for such a great result. I have been to Quebec and the Maritimes in Canada and enjoyed the rewards of the labour.

bmblank · Mar 31, 2015

at my parents house we just tapped the red maples. that's all we had. needed slot more sap, but it was still good. not that clear super fancy stuff, but some good ol' smokey flavored syrup. to be honest, I think I like that stuff better than the clear stuff.

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RCW · Mar 31, 2015

Any maple will produce sap that can be made into syrup - even the Norway's common in cities/villages. Some just have more sugar content and different flavors.

For me, it takes A LOT of propane to boil down sap to syrup. My setup is not very efficient, but it does make syrup. I'm guessing I run about a half-pound per gallon of sap - so a gallon of syrup probably takes 20 lbs + of propane. And you wonder why its expensive???

skeets · Mar 31, 2015

Well somebody has to say it,,,, SWEEEEET

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