Yellow Sap?

[Tim in NY]

Been in the 60's here the last 3 days, although this morning was the first time we were not below freezing in many nights. 3 of my 13 buckets had yellow sap in them tonight. Should I pull those buckets off? Should I pull all my buckets?
I have about 35 gallons of clear sap and 4 gallons of the yellow stuff that I set aside in a pail. Should I dump the yellow? What will it do if I mix it in with the clear stuff and boil it all off?

Obviously, I'm a newbie. I did make 3 gallons 2 years ago - but I pulled my buckets before the sap turned. I was sick of boiling that year.

Thanks!

[John c]

I would dump the yellow and boil the clear as soon as possible.

[Tim in NY]

Thanks! By the way - I'm just over the hill from you (Berkshire)

[John c]

Cool! I hung around there in my teens. It's good to have another neighbor on here. Good luck to ya Tim!

[hounder]

We started pulling taps yesterday. Sap was still clear but sugar was down and we made our first batch of dark on the new evaporator. Now comes cleaning lines. Can't wait. Broke my hydrometer last night and have a batch to finish. Great way to end! :o

[5Gen]

The yellow sap may mean that rain water contaminated the pail. Best to dump.

[bowtie]

i have noticed that most of the time yellow buckets are on the mossy side of the tree and occur after a thaw or rain. unless it very yellow why not just boil it rather than dump it. i can not think that rainwater and the " contaminents" are any worse than all the bugs that get in our buckets. rain, wood and moss are just as natural as the sap we seek.

[Sundown]

I also agree that the yellow sap is from rain. That is when I usually see it, not signifying the end of the run. I have boiled it in the past and have seen no ill effects when diluted with the clear.

[stoweski]

Just collected 10 gallons of yellow sap...

not a lick of rain, no frost.

What else could the yellow sap be caused by... end of season? The sap was in the buckets for less than 12 hours.

Doesn't matter much. I'm only going to use it to clean my pans... just curious.

[happy thoughts]

What else could the yellow sap be caused by... end of season? The sap was in the buckets for less than 12 hours.

Doesn't matter much. I'm only going to use it to clean my pans... just curious.

Bacterial growth
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1058115/?page=1

[RollinsOrchards]

I have a tree that ran yellow from the first drop. Every time I gather it gets dumped on the ground. I wondered if it would clear up as the season progresses, but no change so far. I guess some trees are just like that.

[Tim in NY]

Same here - no rain at all and I have fresh yellow sap again tonight. I dumped everything and pulled the buckets. Still have 40 gallons in the drum - it looked clear when I collected it, but its starting to get a yellowish tinge to it. I won't be able to boil until Saturday - will have to see how it looks and smells then and decide what to do with it.

Tim

[SPILEDRIVER]

please be gentle with my hrdrometer stacy,its about as old as PA and they dont make grimm anymore.on a lighter note jordan decided to spend the weekend with me so your off the hook

We started pulling taps yesterday. Sap was still clear but sugar was down and we made our first batch of dark on the new evaporator. Now comes cleaning lines. Can't wait. Broke my hydrometer last night and have a batch to finish. Great way to end! :o

[foxtail]

I devoloped a theory about the yellow sap I got from 2 trees this year.

I assumed that I had hit the heartwood somehow and that the sap was bad.

It tasted like crap, so I tossed it out.

I certainly was not going to put it in with the stuff I knew was good.

[Rugburn]

I had two buckets on this one particular tree, and one bucket had clear sap and the other was dark yellow. This happened on more than one occasion. It does make you wonder. One bucket did receive more sun. Go figure.

[Z/MAN]

I had two buckets on this one particular tree, and one bucket had clear sap and the other was dark yellow. This happened on more than one occasion. It does make you wonder. One bucket did receive more sun. Go figure.

Rugburn, I had the same thing this year. The one in the sun was also yellow.

[slammer3364]

I also had 2 trees I dumped sap on that was discolored,from the get go never had troble with these two trees in prior years