Making your own maple syrup

[vabuckbuster]

Has anyone ever tapped the trees and went thru the process of making your own? Just wondering if it's worth all the work. THinking about buying a book and trying it out

 

[LeatherLungz]

I have thought about it. The cooking down part would challenge me. You need a really big flat pan about 3 or 4 ft square, maybe 4 inches deep.

I was always thinking I'd scorch it cause I have no experience with it.

But I sure prefer real maple syrup. All of this other stuff you buy now, heck it's all made out of corn fructose syrup, not even sugar :crazy:

 

[Beekeeper]

Wonder if a molassas pan would work?

 

[vabuckbuster]

Seems like it might. The ones that I've seen at stirroffs were huge

 

[Beekeeper]

How many gallons of sapp does it take to make a gallon of syrup?

 

[Beekeeper]

http://www.massmaple.org/myo.html

Check this out.

 

[vabuckbuster]

Thats good info. I think I'll go a bit more modern then they did. For starters a cordless drill! THanks for the link Beekeeper. I'm really interested in trying it.

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

How many gallons of sapp does it take to make a gallon of syrup?

@ 40 gals of sap, yields 1 gal of syrup.

It is not as difficult as you would think, It is more time consuming than anything.

The biggest part is making sure the heat is consistent and the sap stays at a steady simmer, not a boil. You want to slowly remove the water content and render the sugary part.

the grade depends on the color, Light medium and dark.

I use a large SS pan (flat)@ 13x24 and do small batches.

FDXX75

 

[bowriter]

My neice lives in Vermont. They do a lot of that surple stuff up there. She sends me a bunch every year.

So I am up there for a short visit and run into the guy on the liquor store. He is buying a case of bourbon. I say, "Having a party?"

"Noooo," he says, "boiling down."

Well I knew what he meant and I said, "I'm from down South. I'm a writer. Could I come watch?"

"Well, young fella, just follow me."

We drive out about six miles and here are all these guys wiping their nose on their sleeves. I joined them. Woke up on the ground several hours later. Neice was a tad ashamed of me.

Surple goes good with bourbon.

 

[vabuckbuster]

I had an old fellow in clinton today tell me to be sure and don't have any money in your buckets as he's had them stolen off the trees, stems too. Says he doesn't know why unless it was just punks, but that it's happened to him more than once.

That's pretty bad

 

[Anonymous]

I usually make about 100 gallons a year.. still use a very old cast iron pan that was passed down from Great Grandfather to grandfather to father..It is about 4 foot wide by 8 foot long.. has sides about 10 inches high.. at first i use a very hot fire but as time goes on you will get a more concentrated sugar content and have to start being more careful.. If you ever burn it down it will take years to get it cleaned up!! NEVER DO IT IN THE HOUSE.. your wife will not be happy as it makes everything very stickie inside!! I use empty Dry wall mud buckets and also a pipeline going into a 500 gallon bulk tank..When it gets close to being done you can tell by taking a bit out and pouring it on the snow.. will turn thick.. i also will take it in the house and very slow boil it and add Milk to it to clean out all the garbage.. The milk and garbage will come to the top and you just skim it off.. Your first Sap of the year usually has the highest Sugar content.. and the lighter in color the better the syrup!! If i can help answer any questions for you just send me a PM....

 

[bowriter]

Flint-can you post a picture of that cast iron cooker. I collect cast iron and I have never seen one like that but I know what it is. It was called a hog scalder but I have never seen one.

 

[LeatherLungz]

If you were going to buy some, what is difference between regions, like Michigan, Vermont, Canada, PA, New York, etc ?

you don't have to get into grades, I understand all that, I'm just looking for opinions on who thinks what is better.

sorry to hijack

thanks

 

[bowriter]

My neice sends me some from VT. It is superb. But I have a friend in IL who makes his own and it is also superb.

 

[Anonymous]

Flint-can you post a picture of that cast iron cooker. I collect cast iron and I have never seen one like that but I know what it is. It was called a hog scalder but I have never seen one.

I will try and get a picture of it up soon..It is located in my Sap house in Pa. I built a regular base around it out of Concrete blocks and left front side open to allow me to put wood in..As the Syrup starts getting more sugar content to it i take and switch from wood to a propane set up that i made.. essentially a regulator connected to a rubber hose leading to a pipe with tons of holes drilled into it.. This allows me to better control the heat as the Syrup gets close to be finished off..

 

[Anonymous]

If you were going to buy some, what is difference between regions, like Michigan, Vermont, Canada, PA, New York, etc ?

you don't have to get into grades, I understand all that, I'm just looking for opinions on who thinks what is better.

sorry to hijack

thanks

In my opinion they are all about the same..Just the way they are promoted is all...

 

[wskp11]

Growing up in Maine we used to tap alot of trees and make syrup and maple sugar candie. Its real good but takes alot of sap to boil down.