sap is cloudy

[Matt]

I collected a couple gallons of sap on Tuesday and it obviously wasn't enough to boil down so I kept it until Friday. When I collected it the sap was clear but on Friday it had a slightly cloudy appearance and there was a grayish colored debris floating in it. Some of this debris had settled on the bottom as well. All my buckets are washed between use, and regardless it hasn't been warm enough for bacteria/mold to grow in them. Daytime temps haven't risen above 36 degrees and overnights have been below freezing. It's warmer in my refrigerator. I tasted the sap and it's fine - no buddy taste and no fermented taste, but I threw it out since it wasn't enough to worry about. Then on Saturday I checked about 40 gallons of sap I collected on Thursday and Friday - all of it clear when collected but 10 gallons of it looking like the cloudy stuff I threw out. Again, 2 days with low temps stored in washed buckets, and it smells and tastes normal. Any thoughts on what this is? I'm boiling down just the cloudy stuff in a separate pan right now just to see what it turns into. Any bacteria won't be a problem after boiling for a few hours, so I'm curious to see if the taste is off.

[happy thoughts]

and regardless it hasn't been warm enough for bacteria/mold to grow in them. Daytime temps haven't risen above 36 degrees and overnights have been below freezing.

Don't be so sure it isn't bacteria, yeast, or mold that's causing the cloudiness. I posted a link in a thread today about syrup flavors and sap fermentation. If you look at that study, the cultures were incubated specifically at temps that might be expected during sugar season- 0.5*C- 2.5*C. That's about 33-37*F. You also don't know what temps the sap may have reached sitting in a sheltered bucket that might have gotten some sun. But that said, boil it and let your taste buds and nose be the judge. There's just as good a chance it will be fine as not.

[maple flats]

I boiled 440 gal of cloudy sap yesterday. It made some nice dark amber, it matched the medium sample and knowing it darkens with time I labeled it Dark. The flavor was as good as any I've made this season and I get lots of repeat customers who like what I make. Don't be afraid of cloudy sap. On the other hand, if you had boiled it sooner you would have gotten more syrup. Bacteria can and do grow at 33-37 degrees, in fact they can even grow below 32 but not as fast. The time you waited the bacteria fed on the sugars and made it cloudy.