R/O taste

[gi53]

I was talking to someone about getting a R/O and they said they could tell syrup made with a use of a r/o machine because it taste like Karo syrup, thick and no maple taste. Can anyone tell the diffrence? I think it is all in his head, so many are going to r/o's, if it change the taste I don't think so many people would use them. What do you people think?

[maple connection]

I don't think anyone can tell if we use a R.o. to produce syrup. The only way you could tell would be if you used the R.O. to up to 25 brix or higher before you cook it. Then I was told that there was not much maple flavor in the syrup.

[DrTimPerkins]

I was talking to someone about getting a R/O and they said they could tell syrup made with a use of a r/o machine because it taste like Karo syrup, thick and no maple taste. Can anyone tell the diffrence? I think it is all in his head, so many are going to r/o's, if it change the taste I don't think so many people would use them. What do you people think?

In general, techno-syrup as it is called is an old wive's tale. We did a couple years of research on this already, and are doing another test this season. We boiled 2% sap, 8% concentrate, 12% concentrate, up to 20% concentrate (all made from the same sap source) in various tests side-by-side in identical 3' x 10' evaporators. In general, there is very little difference in the resulting syrup chemistry or flavor. While people do tend to make slightly lighter syrup (especially at very high concentrate levels), there is little difference otherwise. Very experienced tasters (sugarmakers, bulk buyers, packers, regulators, researchers) could not tell the difference in blind taste tests.

Probably 75% or more of the maple syrup on the market now is made with R/O. So if there was something wrong with it, the market would have rejected it long ago.

Basically this story is just a way for those who don't want to use RO to justify or validate that decision.

[DrTimPerkins]

I don't think anyone can tell if we use a R.o. to produce syrup. The only way you could tell would be if you used the R.O. to up to 25 brix or higher before you cook it. Then I was told that there was not much maple flavor in the syrup.

If you concentrate to VERY high levels, and then evaporate that concentrate in a very efficient steam-evaporator (very fast processing rate), then you end up with very light syrup with little taste. That is a function of the processing rate more than the concentration. There is just not enough time for caramelization to fully occur. In a standard evaporator you are unlikely to see much of any difference.

[Homestead Maple]

I was talking to someone about getting a R/O and they said they could tell syrup made with a use of a r/o machine because it taste like Karo syrup, thick and no maple taste. Can anyone tell the diffrence? I think it is all in his head, so many are going to r/o's, if it change the taste I don't think so many people would use them. What do you people think?

The person that won the Carlisle trophy for the best syrup entered in competition at the recent NH Maple prodecers meeting said that he believed that he could tell the difference in R/O syrup. After receiving the trophy he said that "he had changed his mind about that sort of belief".

[ennismaple]

Springdale Farm from near us won the 2010 Premier Exhibitor Trophy and in 2009 they won the World Championship Cup at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto - and they use an RO. We can't tell a difference from before and after we went to RO and not a single customer has noted a change in flavour.

[802maple]

I co manage the Big-e maple booth for the state of Vermont and I had a sugarmaker tell me he could tell the difference between high concentrate and 6% sap and he was glad that we didn't use that high concentrate stuff as the syrup that we were using that day was some of the best he hAd tasted and it was making great candy. He nearly fell off the stool he was sitting on when I told him that we didn't have any syrup that year that started out from the RO any less then 16% and the particular barrel started out no less then 24% from this producer. It made him a believer. Two of the sugarmakers we have bought syrup from for years now concentrate their sap very high. Before I had anything to do with a RO over a third of my crop had a very mild taste or no taste at all for years.

[powerdub]

I am the foremost expert in the art of syrup taste testing. I can tell you just from one taste if it was boiled over gas, oil or wood. Not only wood but what kind of wood or what the percentage of mixed wood between hard and soft. If you used an RO I will tell what concentrate it was, if not I can tell you what percent the sap was. Did you use a filter press with that white powder stuff? I can tell you. Hey! you are using vacuum now arent you? I can tell it is from vacuum and pipeline. It just don't taste like bucket syrup. Is this Vermont syrup or something else? I can tell. You used too much de-foamer! Believe it or not, I have a customer who used to tell me this. Son of gun, after three years of buying syrup made with RO, vacuum, and the white powder stuff, he never picked up on it. The only thing I really wanted to do is slip him some Canadian syrup. Aahh he wouldn't have picked up on that either. I bet we all have cusomers at one point or another that have made some kind of claim or another, I just tell them if they don't like it then they are free to buy it from Shaw's. At least they can come to my sugarhouse and check things out for themselves if they keep buying from me. Heck, I will even give you a free sample, half a teaspoon or less of course. :)

[802maple]

Scott, now that you mention sampling, a ideal way I find is take a medicine cup,drop in a quarter, then take some shears and cut just above the coin. Take out the quarter and fill with syrup, that is plenty. LOL

[powerdub]

LOL! that is great, but I have a thousand of these plastic spoons that hold less that one drop from an eye dropper. I have to put my reading glasses on to even see that they look like a spoon. When they are gone I will give your suggestion a try for sure.