Cloudy Clam sap

[Rangdale]

Season is pretty much over in my area so started collecting buckets and lines. Had two buckets that each had 5 gallons in them however the sap was a touch cloudy. It tasted fine so I thought I would boil it up since it didnt appear to be all that cloudy. Well, about 10 seconds after it started to boil it smelled like I was boiling a pan full of clams....lesson learned!

[Run Forest Run!]

Geez that's nasty. With that vivid description I think I can smell it from here!

[teedo757]

Well I'm glad I just dumped my 5 gal of cloudy sap..... I only tap a few trees so I thought about boiling it.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Iv been boiling cloudy sap for last few days making some awesome dark amber with great taste and when boiling it smells very maplely<new word

[damaille]

I had the same thing happen, the sap was cloudy but had no odor so I started boiling it....five minutes later I was at the clam bake. That smell was not the sweet smells of maple and after a little while it was getting a little revolting. I was going to shut it down, throw it all away and call it over for the season but my son said keep boiling it what's the worst that can happen? you throw it away anyway. well to my surprise after a while that smell went from clams to dirty socks, to clean socks, then to maple. It was a really good tasting B grade.....glad I hung in there!

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

i only toss it when its piss yellow

[ridgerunner394]

I have a question regarding the question of sap color and when to "pitch it" and would appreciate any advise (new enthusiast..)
I see a comment about pitching piss yellow, also some who seem to keep it and boil past the odour with success in the end.

thus far I have had only fancy (light light) syrup. However the weather has been cold recently and no sap running to speak of - but the small amounts I do see in my pails is 'off color' to what I have seen to date. I have yet had enough of this to boil, in a couple of cases it was a tea color others a distinctive yellow tinge...

cold these past few nights -5 to -7 C not warming up past +2 or +4C. I am hopeful that I will still see another run yet but now wonder if it is the time of the season that is causing the color change? I have not produced any amber syrup as yet so I do not know if the sap that produces amber is also yellow or otherwise not clear?

comments welcome folks, looking for some insight - thanks

[Rangdale]

Hmm, maybe I should have just kept boiling it. It smelled pretty rank and even the bubbles seemed different. Next time perhaps I should power through it and see what happens.

[Russell Lampron]

I don't give up until the syrup loses it's flavor or gets ropey. I have made some good looking and great tasting syrup from what others would dump. As for the yellow sap, if it only a tinge I save it and boil it. If it is darker than that I dump it.

One year at the end of March it looked like we were all done here. The sap was cloudy and yellowish. I left my taps in and vacuum pump on. Then we got a foot of snow and decent sapping temps. I made most of my syrup that year in the first 2 weeks of April while others around me were crying because they pulled their taps too soon.

[damaille]

I just checked my buckets and most of them are all almost 1/2 full (4 gallon buckets) and the trees are running. The sap is nice and clear...didn't test the sugar content yet but I see another night of boiling.........

[PerryW]

yes, yellowish and cloudy sap can come at any time of the season after a warm spell. It is not the best indicator of when to pull your taps.

[MapleLady]

Glad I read this post. My trees started running again Easter Sunday. A couple of the buckets have been cloudy and I pitched them. Guess if they give me any more, I will keep it. I am still collecting all of the clear sap, except for one tree that tasted bad this afternoon -- somewhat like leaves (maybe - just plain tasted nasty.)

I don't have that many taps; but, I'd hate to waste what might run out of the hole, should I pull those taps.