Is there a Grade D syrup?

[Drew Pond Maple]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. At the dinner table today my brother asked if I had any syrup left. Told him I have only A light, B. So he tells me that he knows a guy that has made C and some grade D. Got me thinking if there is such a thing. I don't think there is D syrup, but I don't know for sure. So Ill ask all of you if you've heard of this

[Homestead Maple]

C equals commercial and there's nothing beyond that, at least nothing that comes out of a maple tree.

[OldManMaple]

After having some NH syrup that I sold to an NH supplier downgraded to grade C because in his words, "the flavor was great but the color was dark", I was forwarded the following information from the NH Dept of Ag:

NH Maple Law, RSA 429:13-28, and the relevant Administrative Rules, Chapter Agr 900 specifically detail the current grading standards for NH produced maple syrup.

The NH Maple grades include: Grade A Light, Medium and Dark Amber; and Grade B. Grade B syrup color is darker than dark amber as represented by USDA dark amber color standard. In addition, syrup that does not meet Grade A requirements can also be labeled as Grade B; however, the syrup must have fairly good maple syrup flavor, must be free from serious damage, and must be free from foreign material.

Having said this, Grade B syrup in NH does not have a “lower limit” for color, and cannot be sold as Grade C-as this grade does not exist in NH. But, the maple law does have a “substandard classification” for syrup which fails to meet the requirements of Grade A or Grade B. Knowing and understanding the NH Maple grades is very important for those producers who sell to wholesale buyers. Be reminded that flavor as well as color can be a determining factor when wholesalers make a decision to purchase syrup. NH syrup sold to a dealer in NH must be sold under the NH grade standards; NH does not have a C grade.

[PerryFamily]

I sold some late season dark syrup to Bascoms. It had excellent flavor but was very dark,not black though, still had a red tint . They bought it as B . I was told as long as it had good flavor and wasn't black it was considered B.
As far as C or D, I have always been told C= commercial, and never heard of D.

[Drew Pond Maple]

So could syrup be so dark that he thought it could be grade C or D even though there is no such thing? I had a heck of a time filtering my B, I couldn't imagine filtering anything darker

[noreast maple]

30 or 49 years ago there use to be a grade D , then they changed it to what it is now. -Now we are going through another change , who knows where it will stay? . It use to be A, B , C, and D.

[delivron]

This information comes from the http://www.siropderable.ca website under Maple Syrup More then Sugar.

Maple syrup is a product unlike any other because its flavour and colour vary throughout the season. As the season progresses, maple syrup's fructose and glucose levels rise, while its sucrose levels drop slightly. Like the sugars, the levels of other natural compounds present in the maple water also change throughout the season (e.g. amino acids, minerals). These transformations in the maple water's composition cause a change in the colour and the taste of the maple syrup. At the beginning of the season, the syrup is generally clear and the taste slightly sweet (Extra Light, Light or Medium - AA, A or B). As the season progresses, the syrup becomes darker and more caramelized (Amber or Dark - C or D).
Fortunately this will change in 2015 and we will all have a common grading system.

[maple maniac65]

back in late 60's early 70's maple syrup was graded as A, B, C, D then the standard went to light, medium, dark, grade B. Now in 2014 the maple world is going start to change again.

[Jebediah]

We refer to our syrup (which is not sold) as Grade D for "delicious."

[Ausable]

Mike - That is a good question. I enjoyed reading all the answers - because I didn't know either. I do know - some of the sugar makers hate throwing anything away. I guess it goes back to the old "Waste not - Want not" school of thinking. Maybe Grade D (debris) would come from marketing filter scrapings. Just a thought. lol -----Another Mike-----

[Drew Pond Maple]

When my wife and I bought our old house 3 years ago, there was about 5 gallons of moldy, nasty, black as tar maple syrup in mason jars in the dirt cellar. At that time I knew nothing about maple. I was going to throw it all out (mold just grosses me out). But my mother took it all home and recooked, scraped that gross mold off, and you know it actually tastes pretty good. Kinda like half maple, half creosote, but still real good

Probably could have been grade E or F syrup