How long will my sap keep?

[JEHardy01-Ohio]

This is my second season so lots to learn. Last year I tapped 1 tree late in the season and ended up with about 20 gallons of sap which boiled down to about 16 ounces of syrup. On Saturday I tapped 10 trees and put 5 gallon buckets under each tree. Sunday morning I returned to 25 gallons of sap. One tree produced 5 gallons in less than 24 hours. All trees are on a SE facing slope.

Here is my question. I live in Columbs Ohio and my trees are in Mineralwells WV...almost 3 hours away. I am returning this Saturday and I am sure I will find buckets overflowing. It will then be two weeks before I can return to check buckets. I know the buckets will be full and overflowing while I am gone. Will the sap be good two weeks later or should I pull my taps knowing I can't return for two weeks?

[happy thoughts]

Sap should be handled like milk. Temps look mild for your (WV) area in the coming weeks. I highly doubt sap will last a week at those temps. Two weeks would definitely be pushing it IMHO. I suppose you could collect it anyway and boil just to see if the syrup is edible. If there's snow cover you could try piling as much snow as possible around your buckets this weekend, Or pull the taps this weekend and save yourself the drive and gas money.

[johnallin]

Unless it stays cold down there, your sap will spoil over a 2 week period of time. Worse yet, if you get a run just a day or so before you get back there, and buckets have 2 week old sap in them, it will ruin the new sap. Can you have someone empty your buckets a day or so before you get back?

25 gallons can be a handful to haul around - 200 lbs- but assuming: 1) you can keep it cold, and 2) you can get it boiled off shortly after getting home, it should be ok. If it's cloudy or has an off odor, you're pretty much just wasting your time and or fuel.
Good luck and welcome to the maple syrup hobby.

[Ittiz]

I had a 30 gallon bucket of sap go bad once when I was too busy with work to get to it, wow did it smell bad. The smell makes you want to retch. Then the buckets need to be sterilized too, huge pain. Why did you choose a location so far from where you live? Maybe you can ask someone closer to you if they'd mind if you tapped their trees. Lots of people won't mind, especially if you give them a little syrup from your haul.

[JEHardy01-Ohio]

I live in Columbus ohio but I hunt in WV. My family and I own property down there so that is where I started tapping. I might look for someplace closer for next year. Thanks for the info..

[JEHardy01-Ohio]

I use some plastic tubing that runs between my taps which are a PVC fitting (not normal spiles) and my 5 gallon buckets. I think what I will do is just let the tubing run out on to the ground and then I will ask someone to go insert them into my bukcets a few days before I can get back down there.

I brought the 25 gallons home with me and I am keeping it cool until tomorrow and plan to start boiling then.

Thanks for the quick response...

[JEHardy01-Ohio]

I've seen the snow idea from some others...unfortunately (or fortunately this year) no snow! Thanks for the response and ideas...