Insane colour on batch #6

[Galena]

Hey all

I finished a batch of syrup from my 6 sugar maples and it is just the most inscredible deep red-amber I've ever seen. It's almost opaque in colour, though it's perfectly clear and free of crystals and nitre.

See pics of it (I call it Red Queen as it's insane and intense in colour and flavour, very mapley) by clicking on the link at the bottom of my signature.

Has anyone else ever seen or produced syrup that looks like that?

[Run Forest Run!]

Beautiful shots. The contrast between batches is crazy!

[TerryEspo]

Neat,,,,If it tases like syrup I wish I get a batch like that.

Thanks for sharing.

Terry

[Ausable]

Over the years I have had about every color there is. The last batch we canned looks very much like yours. I have heard all kinds of reasons for the various colors and I really don't know which is correct. I imagine a lot of things enter into the color. Last year - I had some that was as dark as molasses with a heavy maple flavor and quite good - I thought. Some of the reason I have heard - Old sap, low sugar content, high sugar content, left in steel pans for sweet for the next boil - etc. etc. But - I really don't care. Everyone seems to enjoy it no matter what the color is. I realize - Maple Syrup is judged by color in many parts of North America and the color has an effect on the price. But - I like all the different colors - part of the fun. ----Mike----

[happy thoughts]

But - I like all the different colors - part of the fun. ----Mike----

I second that! Galena, can you send us all a taste? :)

From what I've read a lot of the color variation (and flavor) has to do with specific bacterial contamination. While taphole contamination can decrease sap flow the presence of certain species of bacteria are known to affect color and some enhance flavor as well. I suspect galena's red color has something to do with whatever late season bacteria is now growing in her sap.

[Galena]

LOL if I had more than just 2l I'd gladly send everyone a taste! I'm not concerned about the quality or taste of it, and I did wonder if bacteria had a role to play. Or maybe it was just kinda a late-season flush-out from the trees? The bulk of my run came from the last week of crazy good collecting.

Either way I'm not complaining and would be happy to submit a sample for testing (as in analyzing it, no pancakes or waffles involved!!). It is very mapley in flavour, very dense and heavy in the jar.

It's just that the colour is imho freakish, I've never produced a batch like that or seen a batch like Red Queen before. Maybe I'll run some down to U of Guelph's local campus tomorrow, they run a sugarbush and do all that thar fancy Brix stuff etc...

[wnybassman]

Looks like it should have a raspberry flavor to it. lol

[Michael Greer]

Galena, very beautiful...

[Kyle Baker]

Galena, that looks like almost exactly the same red as my final batch from the same sap that you got from me. Have you finished any baker sap yet? :) love the color! And I dig your vintage mason jars.

[Galena]

Hey Kyle

PM'd you, nope this isn't the Baker Batch yet, that's the last of mine, but BB will be done later tonight. Will let you know!

ETA: Actually...yep looks like I now have 2 batches of Red Queen! Yours is still filtering through but looks like a dead ringer for mine! Too warm yet to tell if the taste is the same but will try a blind taste test soon :-)

ETA #2: Yep I now have two batches of Red Queen, yours produced just a hair under 2l. So far mine tastes a tad sweeter and yours more mellow, but the colour is that same rockin' red amber - I have two jars side by side and you can't see the difference! I have to write the batch #s on the lids so I know which is which :-)

[maple flats]

My last batch also was reddish, but not as much as yours. The taste is very good, and it graded Dark Amber. I have another batch to run today, my guess is it will like go to B.