Cool thnx for the reply and yes that sounds very labor intensive. Real maple syrup is like $8 for a 10oz bottle here where i live.
I considered doing a little small scale syrup making. Guess I'd need to get some trees marked out now for tapping so I could find them in the winter.
I grew up on the fake stuff, and I didn't Holy cow, you need to step up your game. I go thru a pint every month or so - and I don't even eat pancakes, waffles or French toast! I do love it on my scrambled eggs and sausage though.
Umm, the sugar maple. No, seriously, that is what makes the best. However, just about any maple tree, when tapped, makes much better maple syrup than the fake stuff! Red maples certainly have a nice sap to work with.
FatBoy85 . Yes, there's some calculations you can do to estimate the quantity of sap needed to make a specific quantity.. It depends on the sugar content of the sap. I used the 40 to 1 ratio as a generalization. It is sometimes more, and sometimes less. The few times I made mine, I didn't have the fancy tools to measure sugar content, and my syrup turned out fantastic!
That's great to know that there can be a good yield if its high as 40:1! Knowing that big vats are involved and especially these guys doing some freaking awesome work making their own...you know who you are! Im glad maple syrup still has a chance. Thanks bocefus78 Ive got a little backstory for this maple syrup thing. I walked into Denny's handful of years ago, maple syrup in hand and we were seated. I set it on the table and the waiter comes to check our order. He immediately says " I am sorry, we do not allow alcohol on the premises!" Lets just say he was apologetic when we told him what it was. Those glass maple syrup bottles sure do look like 'other' brown liquid containers....
OK since family been sugaring for generations. .. bogie is correct.. all sugar maples will get you a lighter color called fancy, grade a or light amber.. a light gold color... the more non sugar maples you tap the darker the syrup will get... also toward end of season.. it still taste good.. but my family are syrup snobs.. fancy is for sugar on snow, ice cream and maple candy Dark amber is for baking beans hams and glazes.. 12 dollars a pint.. you are on a firewood hoaxers forum.. put up a wanted add in classified or pm somebody your address.. I got some liter metal cans (Canada side of border) I could throw in a flat rate box for you... my buddy from Oregon when he came here.. thought syrup transactions in grocery store parking lots were drug deals.. common during the season.. got a glass pint bottle you look at it a plastic spoon Takr a taste.. put boxes in truck... great uncle does not like plastic line syrup... only buys stuff collected in buckets and glass jars... I told you we were syrup aficionados or snobs oh deny and IHOP in VT sell real syrup as 1 dollar upgrade..
Just came today, 1G of syrup and a half pound of maple cream $71 delivered, should last 5 months. I make my own granola and use the syrup for the sweetener in the granola. I pretty much don't have time to stop for lunch most days, so some granola, almonds and craisins makes for lunch on the go.
I was going to "like" your post til I read that part above.... Ketchup, my dear, ketchup...it's what goes on eggs
oh Eric VW . syrup and Cabot sharp cheddar on eggs what wrong with you... ketchup? they don't make that with the quality tomatoes ya know. ..