The Official 2025 Maple Syrup Thread

Great thread everyone. I always enjoy seeing the setups, work and final project.

All the best HoneyFuzz. I enjoyed your pics and updates. You have a real passion for sugaring!

 

First boil tonight. Life has been busy, just fitting in whatever I can for boiling, even if I end up dumping some sap due to lack of time.

 

Boiling again tonight

 

Wow! Great pics Flamestead!

 

My phone’s camera is crazy-good in the dark.

 

Third night in a row, only 10 g of sap. I don’t have time to boil tomorrow so I’m boiling this little bit so it doesn’t spoil in this warm weather.

 

I just dug into the history on your evaporator. What a cool story; company started in Hartford, CT and then moved north to Guilford, VT. Small world.

 

It’s been a weird season here. February was too cold then March came and it got too warm too fast. As of yesterday I pulled my taps because I was only getting about a gallon a day from 10 taps. After RO’ing what I had on hand, I had 8 gallons of concentrate to boil this morning. That yielded one more large mason jar, which is better than nothing. That’s a wrap on 2025 for me.

 

Nice work man ! Looked like a weird season from my couch lol.
That looks like some good darker syrup...my favorite! Enjoy !

Smart to pull taps.
Now it's time to start cleaning up the yard !

 

You all are way south… cousin boiling like mad still 2 feet snow at 2,000 feet here I’m st 1,00 still snow in woods and shaded fields.

 

Just got back from the mountain. Saw three sugar houses boiling on the way home today; and saw one yesterday AM on the way up.

 

Another 20 g of sap tonight. Snow in the woods, but bare in the fields. I finished the 3 initial batches over the weekend. A mix of imperial and metric measures - about a gallon or so. Colored stickers to identify batches.

 

I saw a local ad for some selling hickory syrup.
Never heard of that one before

 

I see some Fancy grade!!

 

Here’s the process..

 

Started getting more bugs than sap, clean up time!

 

Trying to stretch the season here, given a late start. Currently boiling about 150 gal of sap. If the sugar maples will hold their buds, might be able to get one more week. Temps in March have been backwards. Started warm and got cooler.

 

Made it for a couple years . You boil the hickory bark to make a flavor concentrate..then go from there. No tree tapping !
Really good stuff btw. Don't be afraid to try some.

 

Last week's output. Temps stayed cool through the week and had decent sap. One last boil today but it's gonna be a warm one with a high around 70. Taps get pulled tmrw and new lines are in order for next year. And I should finally pony up for a small RO.

 

I've been enjoying watching all of you make syrup ! Looks like a good year ! Great job!

It ..along with stepping back this season..has given me some new motivation. To make syrup just for my family. So I'm gonna go from 210 taps..down to 50 taps. Along with making the RO proportioned smaller too.
Only tapping the trees directly around the shack . Gonna make it as condensed...and easy to accomplish as i can.
My original rig is a Leader Half Pint with extension kit. So I'm in the process of taking the extension kit off..and turning it back into a smaller unit 2'x33" .
After getting rid of the surplus items I dont need anymore..i was able to get a new Smoky Lake Continuous flow pan. Starting fresh...and even for the 2026 season. Sure hope I'm up for it. There will still be challenges for me...but I feel better about this new plan..over top of quitting cold turkey.
Before..

After..or in process lol


Lots to do now. Gonna pop all the firebrick out....paint with arch paint...then move it back in...but way closer to the wall now. Will give some much needed room in there. This will take me awile.

Of course..i need these


New pan. It'll never look this good again !