Maple Syrup

adventure · **Posted:** Mon Feb 21, 2011 9:21 pm

Not really hunting, but I started cutting up my firewood for maple syrup this weekend. I was going to start tapping this week to see if the maples are running. Anyone else make their own?

prinyers cove man · **Joined:** Fri Sep 11, 2009 3:47 pm **Posts:** 64

Ive always wanted to....but wouldnt know where or when to start!

Whats the process? Does the maturity of the maple make a difference? And does it have to be a sugar maple?

catcher · **Joined:** Fri Dec 31, 2004 1:12 pm **Posts:** 393

I was thinking about starting on Thursday. But the long run forecast looks like not the best for later on next week. Still a lot of snow in the woods yet, I punched a trail with the four-wheeler on the weekend but pulling a trailer with 40 gallons of sap might be an issue. A little later than last year , although I missed a the first real good runs. I am not going to miss them this year I hope.

adventure · **Posted:** Tue Feb 22, 2011 10:05 pm

Depending on how much you want to make, and how serious you are about it,
Things needed for collecting sap:
Spiles
Cordless drill with 1/2" spade bit
Hammer
Buckets with lids
Understanding wife

Things needed for boiling sap:
Boiling stove
Lots of fuel or wood
5 gal. Stainless steel pot with lid
candy thermometer
favorite beverage and outdoor chair
Understanding wife

Things needed for finishing sap:
sieve llined with new J-cloth, cheese cloth or other staining device
Two clean pots
candy thermometer
mason jars
Understanding wife

I usually make about 10-15 mason jars, 500 ml each and that lasts us the year for our pancakes. I start sometime around now until mid-late march depending on the year.
I tap 6-7 maples about 15-20" in diameter with 2-3 spiles each. A 1/2" spade bit in the cordless drill works great for this and drill about 2.5" deep. Seat spile into hole with hammer. After it drips for a minute, if you have a kid around, they can test if it is sap by sticking their tongues under the drips. A big smile means it's good to go.
I have a 45 gallon steel drum that I cut a door in the side of and welded on a hinged door. I drilled a few 1/2" holes in the top on center and have a grate to keep the pot off the flat top drum steel and centered over the holes. These holes help to boil the sap rapidly. I have a 6" stove pipe out the back about 4" below the top and extends out about 12- 15 feet. It's inside a lean-to shack on the back of the garage to keep the rain and snow off and keep the wood under.
I boil in a 5 gallon stainless steel pot with a lid. And boil and boil and boil. Consider 40 liters of sap for 1 liter of syrup. I burn the trees that died in my woods over the year to burn and boil and boil and boil. A few rum and cokes help this process...
I usually boil down about 3 pots worth and when it is boils at about 217-218 degrees F, then I take it in the house for finishing. If it boils too hot, it's hard to strain. Pour the sap into a clean pot to take in the house.
Once inside, I strain it through a seive lined with a J-cloth about 3-4 times into another clean pot, washing the cloth and pot after each strain. Then boil on the stove until it reaches 223-224 F. You will find a lot saying 219 F but personally I find that too runny and like it thicker. That or my candy thermometer is off. It will be very bubbly at this point and you have to be careful not to get it too hot or you'll have taffy. Before boiling on the stove, I take the filter out of the range hood above ther stove and turn it on full speed. Otherwise everything gets sticky. Finishing on an old stove outside would be better I suppose, especially if you asked my wife.
While it is boiling I get the mason jar ready by pouring hot water into them and soak the lids in hot water as well.
Once it hits 223-224 I empty the water out of the mason jars and pour in the syrup to about 1/2" from the top. Screw the lid on and let it cool. The lid will pop down when it cools. Repeat.

Things to remember:
-Work and Time, and lots of it - You may come to realize why one liter costs $20, and now think it is worth it.
-If applicable, your kids to help drill holes, gather sap, chop wood, start fires, cook marshmellows and hotdogs over the fire
-After a week of tapping and the sap slows, I find drilling new holes helps keep it running.
-When it rains, make sure the lids keep water out of the buckets on trees
When in house and you spill some, try to spill as little as possible as it sticks to everything and it's HOT - Note: "understanding" wife will be watching
When outside, rum and coke or other preferred beverage helps the boiling stage work properly while sitting in your favorite outdoor chair - Note: best if understanding wife is not watching

catcher · **Joined:** Fri Dec 31, 2004 1:12 pm **Posts:** 393

Adventure you nailed it. ......... It is definetly not cheaper to do it yourself that is fore sure , but the pancakes do taste a little better when you are pouring your own maple syrup on them. MMMMMM..

I tap about 10 to 12 trees and usually make about 2 gallons of syrup a year depending on the runs. I use propane and stainless steel pots ( 5 gallons) and I finish outside as well due to evaporating sap in house was a big no no from understanding wife. I finish in a 2 gallon stainless pot and I use a hydrometer it is the simple way to do it I think. When the sap floats the hydrometer between the 2 lines you have syrup , works perfect everytime.

I use culligan water bottles and plastic spiles with hose and run it directly into the water bottles. I have a hundred gallon water tank on a little yard trailer that I pull behind my four-wheeler and dump the bottles in there to transport back to garage. I keep the lid on the water bottles and the hose just fits through that little hole on top so it keeps it water tight in case of rain and the lids also keep stuff from falling in there. works for me . I have a valve at the bottom of the 100 gallon tank and pour it out of there to the boiling station. I use 2 propane turkey deep fryers burners and 2 stainless steel 5 gallon pots and usually fill those three times before I am ready to finish that particular boil.

the propane way is expensive and you are always filling the tanks with fuel. Like adventure said , this is not cheap. But his way is far more economical with burning wood. There is a lot of sit around and wait with doing it yourself , but is fun to do the whole process with the kids.

Sheldon · **Posted:** Wed Feb 23, 2011 10:04 pm

My father and I use to tap about 100 trees per year. We noticed the best run was when the snow started to move away from the trees( create a circle around the tree). But that was 15 years ago. My cousin taps about 800 trees and goes at it pretty hard. Everyone I spoke to said last year was real tough. Good luck this year guys. Hopefully the buckets run over for you and the sugar is high. Best year we had was 29 gallons sap per 1 gallon of syrup. The worst was 58 gallons sap to 1 gallon syrup. Same trees, crazy weather.
It sure is fun.LOL.
Sheldon

Grizzly · **Posted:** Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:47 am

Also a really good rule of thumb is to look at the bottom of the tree where it meets the ground, you want to put your taps about 3 foot right above the root (toe) thats where you will get the best sap run from the tree, in my area sappers are lucky its alot of side hill so they run hoses from the tree right to the sap house. no collecting the sap comes right to them lol . also protect the trees when yer done its good to drive a wooden dowl into the hole you made this helps heel the wound and keep bugs out of the wood

'eye chaser · **Posted:** Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:04 pm

Im a fair bit southwest of quinte , i popped some spials in yesterday, ran excellent , 2day ,due to overcast, not so good' .best syrup is the early run , i usually take spials out in about 10 days , or whenever we no longer have nite time minus temps.

blackriverfisherman · **Joined:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 6:20 pm **Posts:** 342

tap the south side of the tree, if possible, seems to run better, early in the morning,when the sun hits the tree tops, learned this from a major producer in the county. Made a lot of my own to, tastes better. Producers put a defoaming agent in it, something like bakeing soda, even tho it is all filtered out, home made is better yumm

adventure · **Posted:** Sat Feb 26, 2011 5:59 pm

Popped spiles in today and continued chopping up a big dead ash tree for burning. Now just need some sun to get the sap running. Homemade sure is better. And you get to try different things.
Anyone ever try a maple syrup totty? Boil the sap to 219 F, filter, mix 2/3 maple syrup with 1/3 of your favorite whiskey. Adjust ratio to suit as preferred. Seems to taste even better while watching the sap boil on a Saturday night. Might jusht shurprish ya how gud it ish.
Another of my favorite's is to pour it on my cereal in the morning.

blackriverfisherman · **Joined:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 6:20 pm **Posts:** 342

Try it in your morning coffee,

catcher · **Joined:** Fri Dec 31, 2004 1:12 pm **Posts:** 393

I usually over boil at least batch by mistake and make it too sugary and I usually keep that for putting in Tea ans Coffee. Good stuff............. And I always make some maple toffee for the kids.

My spiles went in on Sunday. I will add some more once it starts to run good.

traveller · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2011 3:00 pm

I have a friend who usually over boils a batch every year. When I smoke salmon I use a cup of salt, cup of maple syrup, cup of brown sugar.

When it is about an hour before done will brush more maple syrup on the outer part of the salmon.

My problem is I never do enough, the fellows at the hunting camp pretty much clean me out every year.

Their always asking did I bring any Salmon candy.

catcher · **Joined:** Fri Dec 31, 2004 1:12 pm **Posts:** 393

I had a not bad run today , got half full buckets. I might have enough sap on the weekend for a boil. Anybody else getten any sap.?

adventure · **Posted:** Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:53 pm

Nothing on the weekend. I figured it would have ran today with the sun out the way it was. I'm putting buckets on tomorrow.

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Maple Syrup

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