sap stopped after hot St Pattys day

[emu742]

I tapped my huge black maple Feb 15th. Around that warm patch around St. Patricks my sap got cloudy, then yellow, and since then my tree has just stopped.

I know thats about 4 weeks, so I'm not completely surprised, but was hoping with my closed tube system it would last a little longer.

I know the weather right now is perfect and it could be running great but it's obviously closed itself up. Should I be surprised or is this pretty much what I should expect?

I can't whine too much, I did get 2 qts syrup (about 25 gall sap) from a single tap in those 4 weeks. :rolleyes:

Perhaps next year I'll hold off another week so I can catch more of March..?

[emu742]

any takers for thoughts? :D

I ended up reaming it and have gotten quite a bit since, but the batches have quite a chocolate note to them - buddy I suppose.

[Ausable]

Hey emu742 -- If You can -- check the sugar content of the sap. I have an old wine making hydrometer I use. If it is down near 0% that would tell the story, Gone buddy --- usually a yellow color - but - the sugar content tells it all. Blacks usually run a higher sugar content like Sugar Maples. -- Mike

[emu742]

I guess my tree is in a hurry to get to spring! I'll give the hydrometer a shot.

Other folks in west Michigan getting buddy sap??

Mine went yellow after st pattys then cleared up again, but it definitely has a chocolate/card board taste now. Also when I boil it starts out clear then turns cloudy as it condenses to syrup.

[Maplehobbyist]

My sap was clear until today, but I'm not sure if that was because the lids were loose on a couple of jugs and rainwater dripped in off the trees or if it was 'buddy' sap. Didn't happen with all the jugs, so I'm leaning to the former. Haven't started to boil it yet, so I don't know if it has the 'buddy' smell. If it's just discolored from running down a tree is it worth boiling?

It's 63 right now, but today's forecast calls for below freezing tonight, which may extend the season for another day, but after that...Not that I'm complaining, it's been a very good year. Definitely going to upgrade next year to something more efficient than a turkey fryer.

[Tweegs]

The sap I picked up Saturday was a little cloudy, but not bad.
Right after the cold snap I was getting 3% sap, by Sat it had dropped to 1.6%

Didn’t collect yesterday, but may test content just for giggles. I figure I’m done, pulling taps tonight, weather permitting, and starting the clean up.

It’s been a good season.