Sugar Shack

Don P · January 25, 2002, 12:26:33 PM

Does anyone know the final specific gravity of Maple Syrup?
I've run off the high end of my hydrometer at 1.170,and am guesstimating its about 1.250, but even the neck is above level :-/. We have mixed maple sap at 1.005. For a reference point I normally brew barleypop at 1.040-1.050. Trying to figger yield and if our guess is right it should come in at 50:1

Jeff · January 25, 2002, 12:33:54 PM

When a spatula is placed in the syrup it should run off with an aproning effect, rather than by drops. It can also be checked with a thermometer and heated precisely to 7 to 7 1/2 degrees above the boiling point of water (dependant on elevation), or tested with a hydrometer until it reaches a specific gravity of 32.

I like mine cooked until its candy

DanG · January 25, 2002, 08:30:03 PM

WHAT?? HUH? Ya can make syrup without sugar cane? Now, I've heard everything!!
Down here, we make paint thinner outta our tree squeezin's. :D

Don P · January 28, 2002, 09:46:00 AM

8) 8) 8)
Yay, Couldn't get on for awhile. Syrup's on the boil since early,12 gallons down to about 3 so far...figgering on between a quart and a half gallon. I was told also to go till it rolls foam and pull it off.
If not we'll get Jeff's favorite I guess :D

Eggsander · January 28, 2002, 02:41:12 PM

Don, figure about 40:1 for yield, but that can vary some. At the rate you're goin' you probably know this already, be careful when you start getting close (when the temp starts to rise above 212d F) it can scorch pretty easy. I use to bring it in and finish it on the stove at that point (can get the walls in the kitchen a little sticky). Now I use the LP turkey frier outside. ;)
We're (hopefully) a month or so away from sappin' yet here.

Frank_Pender · January 29, 2002, 06:53:15 AM

Gee, you guys, that is not fair. My trees are not large enough for syrup yet and doubt they will ever produce out here in Oregon. I planted 5 Sugar Maple 7 years ago and they are only 4" in diam. :'(

Don P · January 29, 2002, 01:42:24 PM

8) 8)
Hooo- Weee That is good. We've done side by side blind finger dipping elbow dripping lip smacking taste tests....Homemade hands down,no comparison ;D. Very light amber. It did work out at pretty close to 50:1.
The cutoff I read was when the buds start to swell it affects the flavor..?
I'm thinking, Michelle's crepes in the morning 8) 8)

It was 65 today, I had dropped a nice whack of red yesterday evening and bucked it. This afternoon when I was "letting the saw cool" I counted 24 honeybees working 1 butt end. I'd say 90% of them were lined up on the sapwood. There were hundreds if not more all over the area. I had to swish 3 away when I was refueling for fear of having to dip em out. They have been afraid the varroa mite was going to wreck the native population...not yet anyway.

Ron Wenrich · January 30, 2002, 02:37:50 PM

Frank

Did you ever try to tap any of the big leaf maple out your way? I've read that you can get maple syrup from any type of maple, and that includes box elder. Sugar maple has a higher sugar content and will take less sap to reduce.

Frank_Pender · January 31, 2002, 07:30:43 AM

Ron,

Now that you mention it I do recall some talk about that. I do have some nice large Western Big Leaf Maple here on the place. I will have to look into the idea. Thank You for the reminder. ;)

L. Wakefield · February 01, 2002, 06:03:41 PM

We used to figure anywhere between 32:1 and 50:1. 'It all depends'. 40:1 is right in that range. All I can say is- don't burn it, and don't burn a hole in the pan. I used to have the sap cooker down in the trees (free natural gas down in WV and the well was right in the trees)- and that was about 1/3 mile away from the house. If I smelled char when I opened the door, I'd know I screwed up. The regulator was used, old, and funky- so the times were somewhat uncertain. I can't remember how I got quality control- but I finally used to figure it in hours per inch. Got good leg muscles that way, walking up and down the hill. lw

Ron Scott · March 31, 2002, 01:06:12 PM

Sugar Shack at Work

timberbeast · April 01, 2002, 01:44:13 AM

When I was a kid, my Pop used to tap the Silver Maples all around the house and the woods in back. He'd cut a "notch" in a 4" by 1/2" galvanized pipe nipple to hang the bucket on and use a brace and bit to make the hole. Mom boiled sap down for hours and hours, and we had some great syrup. I always got "spoken to" for drinking the sap when I picked up the buckets!
One year, Pop tapped White Birches as well, and it was less sweet, but syrup it did make!!

Ron Scott · April 09, 2002, 06:46:21 PM

Tapping Red Maple Trees . At the Witte Sugar Bush.

KiwiCharlie · April 09, 2002, 08:03:31 PM

G'day Guys,

Is this the making of Maple Syrup youre all talking about?? If so Im so jealous! I have to get my stepmother to send me down a 1/2 litre tin of Clearys medium, once a year. The syrup you buy here is not the real thing, has all sorts of padding in it I guess.
Facinating, yet another difference with our countries!
What sort of climate does the tree like? Do all varieties produce syrup? Maybe I could grow some for the long term source of syrup, although then I have to learn how to process it, by the sounds of it!
Cheers
Charlie.

Cedar Eater · April 09, 2002, 09:25:08 PM

I'm not an expert on maple syrup, but sugar maple has the sweetest sap and has fewer unpleasant components than other maples. You can also make syrup from red and silver maple, but to get the same sweetness, you need a lot more sap. Some conosewers claim red maple is better, but that's like comparing scotch whiskey to irish whiskey as far as I'm concerned (if you're not Scottish or Irish it's best just to sit back and let them duke it out :D :D :D).

The trees do well in Michigan, Ontario, Quebec, the New England states, New York, Pennsylvania and I've heard there's some in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Much further north and deciduous trees can't tolerate the Winters. Much further south and you need altitude to get cold enough winters.

Ron Scott · April 10, 2002, 05:11:23 PM

Witte's Sugar Shack at Work. Boiling red maple sap, 50 gallons sap=1gallon syrup. Health Department requires inside of Sugar Shack to now be painted white.

Excellent tasting syrup from red maple.

Ron Scott · April 11, 2002, 01:36:48 PM

Witte's Sugar Shack. Sap boiling; putting more wood on the fire.

marc · April 11, 2002, 08:09:21 PM

did you all know you could tap birch trees and it is good!!!

the down side is you get about 100:1

Tom · April 11, 2002, 08:14:51 PM

Hey Marc !

Where you been boy?

CHARLIE · April 12, 2002, 03:50:59 PM

Hey marc! We've been missing you. I almost started thinking that you might have been impounded. :D Whatcha been doing?, Tapping Birch?

marc · April 19, 2002, 02:28:42 PM

cabnet

marc · April 19, 2002, 02:34:02 PM

Hi all, I got a new job working for a custom cabinet company for the last few months and long hours at that so I do not get a lot of spare time and when I do I mostly do a lot of my own woodworking, but I did not forget about you all and do drop in from time to time.