Time to Start Thinking About Maple Syrup

While it may seem like the season for producing maple syrup is a long way off, now is the time to thinking about what will need done before sugar season gets here so you are prepared to take advantage of the opportunity when it arrives.

If you are just starting out in maple syrup production, Autumn is a great time to begin identifying the trees that will be tapped.  The leaves are still on the trees which can make identifying them much easier, especially for beginners.  Getting an accurate count of how many trees will be tapped and getting spiles purchased well ahead of time will ensure that tapping can take place as soon as the weather allows the sap to start flowing. 

How will the sap be collected from the spiles?  Will containers such as jugs or buckets need to be acquired or will a tubing system be used to collect the sap?  How many containers or how much tubing will be needed?  Planning ahead will allow time to either purchase or otherwise acquire food safe containers for collecting sap.  If tubing is to be used, there will be plenty of time to get it installed before the sap flows.

How will the sap be boiled?  Does an evaporator pan need to be built or purchased?  Does an arch need to be constructed or purchased to hold the pan?   Especially for beginners, thinking about how the process of evaporating water from the sap will be conducted should not be a last-minute decision.  There are many different set-ups that can be used to make maple syrup but spending some time researching the various options well in advance of the season allows ample time to get one built or purchased in time for making maple syrup. 

What type of fuel will be used to fire the evaporator?  If wood will be the fuel of choice in the evaporator, make sure there is an ample supply of wood on hand.  Wood should be dry and split relatively small, about the size of your wrist.  When boiling sap, the name of the game is flame, not hot coals.  Hot coals are great for cooking food or keeping your house warm but not so good for boiling sap.  The smaller sized wood will provide for more flame which will in turn create a better boil and increase the rate of evaporation. 

How do you determine when the syrup is done?  There are 2 ways this can be accomplished.  One is to use a thermometer.  As the sugar gets more and more concentrated, the boiling point begins to increase.  When the boiling point gets 7.25 degrees above the boiling point of water the sap is officially syrup.  A good digital thermometer is recommended if this method is to be used.  The other method involves purchasing a hydrometer that measures the density (usually measured in Brix) of the liquid.  When it reaches 66 Brix it is officially syrup in Pennsylvania. 

Once the syrup is done the next step is optional for syrup that will not be sold… filtering.  Some people that make syrup for their own consumption will filter the syrup and some do not.  Unfiltered syrup will tend have concentrated minerals, called sugar sand, deposit on the bottom of the container after it cools down.  The sugar sand poses no harm to the syrup other than it may be less than pleasing to the eye to see gritty minerals on the bottom of the container. 

There are various pieces of equipment that can be used to filter the finished syrup.  The most common method for beginners is to use a cone filter with several pre-filters inside.  These are relatively inexpensive to purchase and can be used multiple times.  The key to using this type of filter is to make sure the syrup is hot when it is filtered.  If it is allowed to cool down, the filtering process will be very slow.  There are also various types of filter presses that can be purchased to filter the syrup as well.  The cone filters will remove most of the particles except for some of the very fine minerals.  A purchased filter press should remove even the very fine particles if it is used correctly.

When the filtering is done the only thing left to do is bottle the syrup.  Regular canning jars are used by many people or fancier bottles can be purchased and used.  A mixture of each type is often used and the fancier bottles are given away as gifts.  No matter what type of bottle is used, make sure the syrup is at least 180 degrees going into the jar.  Once it is full put the lid on and lay the bottle on its side for 30 seconds and then return to the upright position and let it sit until the lids are sealed and the syrup is cooled down.

The maple syrup season depends on the weather and Mother Nature is unpredictable.  That's one reason why it's important to plan ahead, whether you are a beginner or a more experienced producer.  With proper planning you can be ready to start tapping without worrying about having to find or purchase supplies and equipment at the last minute.

There are many resources available online for folks who are looking to start making their own maple syrup.  Beginners can start researching proper techniques now and still have plenty of time to gather the necessary equipment needed to produce maple syrup.  A good place to start is with some of the resources that Penn State Extension has available:  Maple Syrup Production for the Beginner