Winter Storage of syrup

[Brad W Wi]

With such a good year I have some syrup left over from this past season. It's in glass bottles, pints and quarts. Should I leave it at my sugar shack that isn't heated over the winter or bring it home and put it in the basement? NW Wisc. can get mighty cold in Jan and Feb.

[red maples]

not really sure about the glass, but technically speaking since maple syrup has such a high sugar content it will never freeze completely solid. one thing you can do it take one and put it in the freezer and see what happens. I think it will be fine I keep my 2# honey jars of syrup for the fairs and NH competition in the freezer and have never had 1 break yet!!!

[tuckermtn]

I leave all my glass and plastic jugs in the sugarhouse all year round. Never had a problem...it will pour slowly, but never freeze and expand to break a jug.

[Drew Pond Maple]

Is your sugar shack at your house?
If not, I would think someone might break in and steal it.
I keep mine in my cellar (basement).

[maple flats]

I think syrup at proper density won't freeze until somewhere colder than -60F or maybe even -70F. If you get that cold you likely have more issues than some frozen syrup.

[markcasper]

With such a good year I have some syrup left over from this past season. It's in glass bottles, pints and quarts. Should I leave it at my sugar shack that isn't heated over the winter or bring it home and put it in the basement? NW Wisc. can get mighty cold in Jan and Feb.

I store GLASS gallons of syrup in the freezer the year round, never had one break. You will be fine. So much sugar in it that as someone else sadi, it'd have to get to 80 below before there would be a concern

[buck3m]

Posted this on MapleTrader a while back...

"I've done some experimenting. Right now I have two glass containers of maple syrup outside, 1 "salad dressing" style 1/2 pint, and one pint canning jar. It is currently 40 below zero (F. and C. coincide at this temperature.)

I found that crystals started forming at 20 below F.
There was still a little liquid visible at -26.
It was all crystals at -30. [frozen and white]
It looks just about identical at -40.

It has definitely expanded some, but has not broken the glass. Looks to me that if the containers had been filled right to the top they might have broken. [at 30 below]

Undoubtedly there are numerous variables; container type, exact brix, amount of invert sugars, but that's what I've observed to date."

I've since frozen it to beyond 50 below.

[mike z]

Thanks for posting Buck. It's not often we get below -40 in northern WI.