Freezing sap

[bluefinn]

I just do a few trees in the yard & freeze sap until I get enough & have the time to boil. I've read many times on here about tossing ice from buckets because of low sugar content in ice. If I put five gallon buckets of sap in the freezer & check them until I have say 3 inches of ice on top & toss it , that would serve the same purpose, Right? I just let the whole bucket freeze in the past but thinking of tapping a huge box elder in the yard. From what I read they have a low sugar content & don't want to use up freezer space for my maples. Would this be a good way to concentrate the sap some?

[jimmol]

That should help increase the sugar content.
I use the freezer method to increase the sugar in sap. For me I put it in a commercial freezer for 8 to 10 hours then poke a hole in it and pour out the liquid. For me it works out to 2.5 gallons per 5 gal bucket. I tested the ice and found the sugar content to be from .2 to .8 percent. The sugar content in the liquid is increased, I remember that one went from 1.5 to 4.5 percent but I will have to wait till I get home to post last years results. .
Then by mentor may be to freeze overt night, dump the liquid in a second bucket and freeze again. Check the sugar contents the ice to make sure you are not, losing too much.

[Ausable]

bluefinn - I have never put sugar maple sap in a freezer. But - early in the season - have it partially freeze in my storage barrels. I take the ice off the top of the drum and drop in a submersible pump and pump to my feed tank and have it check as high as 5% sugar instead of the usual 2.5 to 3 %. Yep - I agree - the ice is mostly water and leaving it behind does help increase the sugar content of the unfrozen sap. ----Mike-----

[Vermont Creation Hardwood]

I keep my best maple tree's sap for drinking during the season. If it freezes in the bucket, sometimes what doesn't freeze is actually medium dark and oh so sweet. I've always tossed the ice in buckets. I've also saved sap from this sweetest tree of mine and stored it in the freezer for a delicious summer beverage. So good in the heat of summer.

[bluefinn]

Thanks for the posts. Just never heard of anyone freezing sap & throwing the ice before a complete freeze. It will sure give me more room if needed. I'll time how long my freezer takes to ice some of the 5 gallon bucket & go from there. I'm definately going to save a couple gallons for summer to surprise people how good sap tastes. I really enjoy drinking it during the flow but never thought of keeping some for the summer. It's my favorite mineral water.

[Vermont Creation Hardwood]

Sap is my favorite thirst quencher during the work of sap season. In summer it's absolutely delicious, maple mineral water supreme. I'm surprised no one has bottled sap in season and sold it the year round. Better than any of the stuff in the stores.