Determining "commercial grade"

[madmapler]

Today I edged beyond the realm of "Dark Robust". The syrup I'm starting to make now is slightly darker and still tastes good with a little off aftertaste. My question is how far can you go with commercial and still be able to sell it. I'm still collecting 1.25 to 1.5 sap in fact, I cant keep up with it. What tells you when its time to pull the plug? Thanks.

[markct]

Im puzzled on this as well. In the past Bascom seemed to grade most anything not ropey or unfiltered as commercial. This year they said buddy syrup would be lumped in with substandard rather than commercial, not sure how buddy it has to be to get downgraded.

[batsofbedlam]

Anything darker than Robust is classified as Strong. Strong has no lower limit as long as it tastes good.

[maple flats]

However, if there is any off flavor or after taste, it is commercial regardless of color grade.

[red maples]

with the new grading standards which VT is now using. anything past Dark is very dark unless it has off flavors. that's why there are only 3 color grades in the new kit because there is no bottom end to the color grades once you get out the dark category. if you start to get buddy or what ever end of the season off flavor or anything reguardless of grade then it goes to Mersh. But If I am not mistaken you get pretty bad tasting syrup to Bascom's.

[wiam]

But as far as I know all packers are buying on old grades. Maple Grove's buyer told us that at our county meeting. And I read it about Bascom's somewhere.

[Russell Lampron]

The last time that I sold to Bascom's they were still using the old standard. That was in January before the season started and I don't know when they will change or if they have for VT sellers. If you are going by the new standard anything with an off flavor is commercial regardless of color and any color is grade A if it has good flavor. With the old standard anything that is darker than the B sample is commercial even if it tastes good. I can see them sitting on a silo or 3 of good tasting commercial and selling it as dark robust at a higher price when the standard changes.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Bruce is planning on buying by the "old" standards this year and switching next year.

[madmapler]

Thanks all. My buyer is coming to pick up some drums today and I'm going to let him decide. I cant believe how much sap I'm still getting. I had to shut off the pump. I'm hoping to keep going a few more days with the cold snap coming. 430 gallons on 1250 taps so far.