Tapping Mountain Maple in Northern BC

[Hinterland]

Well we are waiting patiently for the sap to flow on the Douglas Maple (Acer glabrum) here in Smithers, BC. I've got 120 taps in and a few friends have an additional 100 taps going. The first sap of the year came in at 3% sugar, but there hasn't been much volume yet. With a bit of luck we will begin boiling down this coming weekend on our little Patrick Phaneuf 2' x 4'. Last year we produced 23 litres of syrup from about 1000 litres of sap and we hoped to double that this year. Our expectations may need to change if the sap doesn't get going here.

We sent some syrup down to the Bigleaf Maple Syrup Festival down in Duncan this February, and of all the bottles, ours was apparently the only one to have mysteriously disappeared during the festival. It's good stuff.

Patrick in Smithers

Mama Mia's Mountain Maple Syrup
100% Au

[Hinterland]

The season is picking up. We produced 6 litres (1.6 gal.) of syrup last Sunday from 206 litres of sap (54 gal.). And the weather this week looks perfect. Should be running the evaporator again next weekend. Sunday's boil-up took about 15 hours, start to finished product. Interest in the Bulkley Valley is growing and I suspect that next year the number of crazy folks trying this out will have doubled. As you all know, it is rather addictive.

[BC Birch Tapper]

Sounds great, I'm sure you learned lots last year & every year is different & you will continually fine tune things.
The ground has just thawed in Quensel & the small streams are rising/flowing. A few of our test trees are flowing & we'll be tapping on Friday. The sugar shack is almost ready to go. We're planning an open house on Sunday April 22nd Earth day & will have a pancake breakfast for folks to enjoy.
If you're ever in Quesnel stop by so we can chat & trade samples.

Any idea how many folks are tapping up you're way?
We put on a birch tapping workshop in Hazelton a couple of springs ago & now I see there is a birch producer up there which is great. The more the merrier.

[Hinterland]

I wonder who is doing the birch? There are five families involved with our evaporator, and I just gave a talk on Monday to a group of 35 keen folks, so I imagine there might be a few more delving into it this or next year. I'd love to drop in sometime to check out your set-up and trade syrup. Likewise, if you ever find yourself out this way again.

[BC Birch Tapper]

here is their website.

http://kispioxbirchsyrup.com/index.html
They stopped by our place a couple of times to pick our brains etc. Seem like nice folks

[Hinterland]

We've got nearly 100 gallons to boil up tomorrow. The saps really flowing now, though the weather may get too warm next week and the end of the season may be approaching. We might go and tap a birch just to have a little birch syrup on hand.

Thanks for the link to the Kispiox Birch syrup producers. Nice site. Maybe we'll go visit the Kispiox today.

[Snowy Pass Maple]

here is their website.

http://kispioxbirchsyrup.com/index.html
They stopped by our place a couple of times to pick our brains etc. Seem like nice folks

Wow, $700/gallon for birch syrup?!? (125 mL for $23)

That's about 2X the going rate I've seen most everywhere else.

[BC Birch Tapper]

That does sound rather high. The largest I've seen before is $100/litre
We sell our 125 ml for $12.50 which is about average from what I've seen
It's all about supply & demand

[Hinterland]

I think our season is over. Warm nights are predicted well into the long-range forecast. It was a meager syrup season, down to 15 or so litres after producing 23 last year. And this, despite increased effort. It is what it is. I will leave the taps in for a few more days in the event that the forecast is wrong. My last sap was still running at 2.3% sugar.

[BC Birch Tapper]

Great sugar contents, wow!
We're pulling the last of our buckets tomorrow, and have been getting record flows daily. Had 275 at the peak & could not keep up. We're having an open house on Sunday/Earth Day, Pancke breakfast & farm tours, tractor rides, tapping demonstrations etc. I'm looking forward to going back to work so I can rest.